Meet Faith Manhattan Church:
Welcome to Faith Manhattan Church! We are a genuinely welcoming body of believers who value discipleship and desire to be relationally deep in all that we do. In all our worship and teaching, fellowship and ministries, we seek to “go for the heart.” It is our deep desire that people at Faith will follow Jesus wholeheartedly and live on mission – truly loving God, one another, and their neighbors.
We have a high view of Scripture. We also seek to be formed by the Word in real, life-changing ways. We value expositional teaching and the public reading of Scripture, as well as seeking God through the Word individually and in groups.
As a multi-generational church in a college town, we have a vibrant, growing population at nearly every age level. This includes a NextGen program bursting at the seams, 300-400 college students actively involved on a weekly basis, a multitude of married and single adults, families with kids and a large and ever-growing group of senior adults who are seeking God and serving together. Faith is an exciting place to be at any age! Our demographics also include people from a variety of fields, including academic, agricultural, and the military.
Life Groups are our primary means for discipleship, community and care. They serve as the backbone for authentically knowing and being known by one another. We believe that groups are one of the critical environments for growing as disciples of Jesus. We have a high percentage of regular attenders pressing into doing life together in groups.
NextGen ministries (nursery through high school) are one of the main “front doors” for Faith, and investing in our children and youth is one of our highest priorities. Our NextGen staff is deeply committed to Jesus, teaching the Bible, fun, relationships, and helping kids belong and use their God-given gifts and talents. We have also established specific ministries to support families with children who have special needs, who come from foster and adoptive backgrounds, as well as those who are from single-parent families.
We strongly support global and local outreach with our time and resources, corporately and individually. It is a privilege to support people the Lord has called to the mission field from our own church and from others. It is also a blessing to be a support to people in our own community through meeting tangible needs and sharing the gospel.
We are known in Manhattan as a church that has a heart for those who are hurting. Our Care and Recovery Ministries, which are all directed by lay leaders, have grown significantly in the last few years. As modeled by Faith’s leaders, we have a compassionate body of believers who receive the brokenhearted and offer a safe place for those in crisis to land.
Faith’s leadership has been blessed with a consistent, solid team for a long time. Our pastors, elders, lay leaders, and ministry staff (both paid and volunteer) desire to lead with humility, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, and with shepherds’ hearts. Our church truly values the spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, marital, and financial health of its pastors and we seek to care well for them in all of these capacities.
About the Lead Pastor:
Faith Manhattan (near Kansas State University) seeks a Lead Pastor with a shepherd’s heart who is a strong, yet humble expositional preacher/teacher and team developer to lead them in their next season.
The Lead Pastor Responsibilities Include:
Lead Pastor will be responsible for the overall vision and direction of Faith Manhattan Church and is also accountable for the shepherding of the Faith Manhattan family and staff.
Embody the Mission of Faith: Live as a disciple of Jesus who loves God, loves fellow believers, and loves his neighbor as himself.
Lead Faith’s Preaching Ministry: Plan sermon series, lead teaching team, and fulfill the primary teaching role on Sunday mornings.
Cultivate a Life-giving Culture: Includes healthy staff relationships, a gracious attitude toward all, prioritizing humility and demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit.
Lead Faith’s Staff Team: Give oversight and direction to Faith’s staff with an emphasis on their personal, spiritual, and professional development.
Invest in Faith’s Elders: While serving alongside our elder team in shepherding the church, invest deeply in our elders that they might be better equipped in their role at Faith.
Own the Vision: In collaboration with our elders, seek God concerning His vision for Faith. Cast that vision to our staff as well to the rest of the church body. This vision should align with Faith’s mission and values.
Provide Pastoral Leadership: Give oversight to the overall pastoral care at Faith as well as to specific pastoral functions such as baptisms, weddings, funerals, and hospital visitations.
Represent Faith to our Community: Engage our community through relationships with other pastors and leaders in the Manhattan area, through involvement in groups/organizations of interest, and through other opportunities that present themselves.
What You Bring:
The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Lead Pastor:
Education & Experience
Undergraduate degree
Seminary degree, strongly preferred.
7+ years of leadership experience over a staff of 10+ people, preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Able to preach expository sermons which effectively communicate the heart of God to the hearts of the hearers (both believers and non-believers).
Connect easily with others in a personable, caring manner as well as be easily approachable for conversation.
Handle the demands of being Lead Pastor while shepherding his family.
Exhibit a high degree of emotional and relational intelligence.
Minister in the context of an expression of complementarianism in which the women at Faith are valued and are encouraged and equipped that they might utilize their gifts and fulfill their callings.
Receive and give feedback with grace.
Able to teach biblically about cultural issues faced by people at Faith.
Develop people and teams well.
Personal Characteristics & Qualifications
A deep love for the church in her current condition while at the same time wanting her to experience deeper and better things.
Ministry flows from his own discipleship, that is, from his love for God, his understanding of Scripture, etc.
Exudes a shepherd’s heart.
Embodies the values, mission, and culture of Faith Manhattan Church.
Aligns with the doctrine and ethos of the Evangelical Free Church of America.
A person of prayer, led by the Spirit, full of spiritual wisdom.
Relates and engages well with people in our community, both with believers and nonbelievers.
Has an empathetic and humble demeanor.
Gracious toward those with differing perspectives.
Exhibits gifts of discernment in casting vision for the future of Faith.
Gift of leadership with a bias toward action.
What it’s Like to Live in Manhattan, KS:
Locals refer affectionately to Manhattan, KS as both “The Little Apple” and “Manhappiness,” because it truly is a great place to live. A college town, Manhattan is home to Kansas State University, a Division I university with approximately 20,000 students and a member of the Big 12 conference. Though K-State is large, it maintains a family feel, just like the community in which it resides. In addition to K-State, Manhattan is also home to Manhattan Christian College and Manhattan Technical College. Manhattan is a multicultural community due in part to the large number of international students and faculty on these three campuses. It is also located near Fort Riley Military Base and is home to the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, a vital research center for agricultural and public health threats. It is a city of over 56,000 and is the county seat of Riley County, population 74,000. Nestled in the rolling Flint Hills, Manhattan caters to all, from college students to families, retirees and veterans.
Weekends in Manhattan are filled with cheering on the Wildcats, exploring the Manhattan Farmers Market, or biking the Linear Trail. Residents enjoy unique meals at Varsity Donuts, renowned for inventive treats like a mac-and-cheese grilled cheese sandwich and donuts that make everything seem right in the world. Long days are spent hunting and fishing on the vast public lands spanning 108,000 acres in and around Tuttle Creek Lake and hiking the beautiful Konza Tallgrass Prairie. Arts and culture include galleries, community festivals, restaurants, Flint Hills Discovery Center, and nationally-acclaimed performances at KSU McCain Auditorium. Manhattan is also home to beautiful parks, golf courses, hiking and biking trails, the Sunset Zoo, Manhattan Parks & Recreation, Wildwood Outdoor Adventure Park and exciting Division I athletic events at Kansas State University.
Manhattan offers an outstanding quality of life based on education, affordable homes, public transportation, and green space. The city’s affordability allows for a balanced lifestyle with a median home price of $283,000. Residents benefit from excellent health care facilities, and shopping options at national retailers and unique local boutique shops. Air service from American Airlines provides multiple daily flights to and from Chicago and Dallas. In Manhattan, KS one can experience the perfect blend of affordability, community spirit, and opportunity. It is an ideal place to call home.
