COLLEGE AVENUE CHURCH OF CHRIST
El Dorado, Arkansas
ASSOCIATE/DISCIPLESHIP MINISTER POSITION
CHURCH DESCRIPTION: Our church is a Christ-centered, Spirit-filled, and grace-oriented congregation that is growing steadily in both numbers and ministries. Our welcoming spirit, strong ministries, and outstanding community reputation have enabled us to attract a very diverse group of believers from many religious, social, and ethnic backgrounds. You can find more information about our church at www.cacoc.org.
The College Avenue church of Christ is a family of believers with over 500 members and children. We are led by seven shepherds and thirty-six deacons.
Our goal is “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION: El Dorado is a city of some 19,000. The county has a population of over 41,000. We also draw members from surrounding cities of Camden; Hampton; Magnolia; Strong; and Junction City, Louisiana. Information about our area is available at www.eldoradoar.org
SouthArk Community College is located here. Its website is www.southark.edu. El Dorado is also home to the El Dorado Promise, a unique program that pays college tuition for graduates of the El Dorado School System. You may learn more about this scholarship program at www.eldoradopromise.com.
ASSOCIATE/DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRY POSITION: This is a permanent, full-time position and is scheduled to begin as soon as possible. Our Associate Minister will report to the Shepherds in general, and work with our senior minister (Kent Jobe) and youth and family minister (Jason Baker). The day-to-day scheduling of activities for all our ministry staff is coordinated by Kent Jobe, Senior minister. The ministry staff (Kent & Jason Baker, our Youth & Family minister) meets each Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m. to share in a time of prayer, spiritual and professional development, mutual support, and ministry coordination.
The ideal candidate for this position will have some ministry training and/or experience. Experience with counseling is a plus. He will be committed to personal integrity and will be willing to maintain a rigorous accountability partnership with another godly Christian man. The ideal candidate will have an outgoing personality and a passion for bringing the lost to Jesus. He will also have the ability to deal with people of diverse backgrounds, including the poor and those of different races, compassionately and without prejudice. He will have enough Christian maturity to relate well to “mainstream members” and enough worldly wisdom to deal with non-Christian individuals who have backgrounds in addictive behaviors like substance abuse, alcoholism, gambling, anger, pornography, etc. or with those who are impacted by loved ones with such behaviors.
While opportunities to preach could occasionally be made available to an individual who requested it, this is not a preaching position. We are seeking someone who is willing to spend time in visitation and personal Bible studies, in discipling new converts and equipping Christians to serve in ministry. This will require the Associate Minister to plan to work some evenings and the occasional Saturday. Appropriate time off during the week will be made available to compensate.
The Associate Minister’s Responsibilities will fall under four areas:
· Evangelism: Develop new contacts & bring them to Christ (Matt. 28:18-19)
Specific Responsibilities:
· Conduct personal Bible studies and lead individuals to the Lord.
· Track and Organize Evangelistic contacts (along with the ministry staff)
· Call, write, and/or visit worship guests (along with the ministry staff)
· Education & Edification: Help bring current members to a deeper relationship with God (Matt. 28:20)
Specific Responsibilities:
· Work with the current education deacon and ministry team to improve our education program
· Be intentional in our teacher recruitment and have a plan in place (curriculum and teachers)
· Be willing/able to teach (all ages)
· Coordinate resources for special adult classes (videos, speakers, etc.)
· Equip & Encourage: Assimilate members into areas of ministry that utilize their spiritual gifts- especially recruit and train those who have the gift of outreach and discipling (Eph. 412-13; II Tim. 2:2)
Specific Responsibilities:
· Have a presence in the homes of members and visitors
· Use the current ministry inventory forms to assimilate members ASAP.
· Establish a presence with “fringe” members (Recovery community, new members, those not plugged in, etc.)
· Work with the staff, elders, and deacons to equip and support our volunteers to more effectively serve in various ministries.
· Pair “veterans” with newer members in various ministries in a mentoring relationship.
Needs that will be addressed in the long-term by the ministry staff as a whole:
· Design and implement, with congregational support, a rigorous follow-up program for new converts that would include an intentional discipling process, mentoring, and life skills training when appropriate.
· Develop a system of hospitality that will get new members connected with current members to further help new members “plug in.”
· Administrative/Misc.:
· Collaborate with the shepherds, deacons, and staff to achieve our ministry goals, and especially our community outreach efforts.
· Commit to being a team player with all our leadership, and to helping us maintain the harmony and unity we now enjoy.
· Active visitation of those in the hospital and nursing homes (in a rotation with the ministry staff)
· Pastoral counseling (as needed)
· Preach (in cooperation and coordination with Kent)
· Growth group ministry coordinator (with Kent and the growth group deacons)
· Contribute to the church publications (UpWords, DownHome, worship bulletin (articles, promo., etc.) as needed
· Help out in other areas as needed and assigned.
CONTACT INFORMATION: Mail – P.O. Box 10040, El Dorado, AR 71730
E-Mail: ; (870) 862-1552 (Church)
(870) 918-2740 (Kent’s cell)