Immanuel Church – Teaching Pastor

Meet Immanuel Church: 

Immanuel Church, located in Gurnee, IL, is a community of people that loves Jesus and loves people like crazy. The whole reason we exist is to love God, love people, and make disciples of Jesus Christ. That’s it – period. No more, no less.

We believe with all our hearts that:

• The Bible is actually God’s inspired Word for our direction and source of truth.
• God is Father, Son, and Spirit…one God, three persons.
• People have rebelled against what God intended and need to be restored to Him.
• The only way to be restored to God is through Jesus Christ who lived, was crucified, and resurrected to do just that.
• God’s Spirit lives inside of believers and empowers them to live a new life.
• Jesus will come back someday and restore everything to God’s original purpose.
• We have the privilege of working with God now to begin the restoration process.

About the Teaching Pastor:

Understanding the scriptures teaching regarding the plurality of Elders within the church, the Teaching Pastor will join, encourage, and support a healthy team of both Staff and Lay Elders. Their primary role will be to faithfully preach and teach the Gospel to the whole congregation and serve as the resident theologian for Immanuel Church.

The Teaching Pastor is one member of the Council of Elders and will submit themselves under the authority of the team and will serve in conjunction with them.

The Teaching Pastor responsibilities include: 

Primary Responsibilities

• Ensure that what is being taught in messages and all forms of worship across the entire church is theologically sound.
• Preach and teach on Sunday mornings for about 35 weeks per year.
• Prepare and teach for other significant church events.
• Inspire the teaching team in sermon series and message preparation engaging the congregation in Biblical and Theological Study.
• Collaborate with staff in preparing public communications through a variety of media outlets both within the church body and to the general public.
• Support and promote the culture and mission of Immanuel Church to love God, love people, and make disciples of Jesus Christ.
• Attend congregational gatherings and participate in the small group life of the church.
• Pray regularly for Immanuel’s ministries, including the staff and volunteers who lead these ministries, as well as the congregation.
• Support the ministry of Immanuel through regular giving.
• Work in harmony with each Staff and Lay Elder as they lead the body of Christ.
• Participate as a vital part of the overall vision casting for the church, mission planning of the church, and strategy within the church.
• Serve on various teams and committees as needed to enhance the ministry and encourage other believers.
• Motivate and inspire other elders by creating an intentional environment of pursuing excellence within the team, exercising encouragement, and practicing open and constructive feedback.
• Exercise loving church discipline along with the other Elders as needed within the church family in accordance with the Immanuel Constitution, Immanuel Bylaws, and Biblical principles.
• Plan and participate with the other Elders in various church events.

Personal Growth

• Pursue a healthy, mature, growing personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Create space for consistent personal study of the scriptures.
• Allocate ample time for personal and pastoral prayer as the Lord works in and through their life.
• Pursue continued professional growth opportunities and discipleship relationships within the ministry profession.
• Practice the individual spiritual disciplines to include, but are not limited to, prayer, Bible study, solitude, spiritual friendship, service, and stewardship.
• Cultivate a healthy relationship with their spouse (if married) and the family the Lord has given them. Keep a keen eye on their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs and seek to love them well as an example to the congregation.

What You Bring: 

Education & Experience

• A Master’s Degree in Divinity (or equivalent) or higher from an accredited Seminary is strongly preferred.
• A minimum of five years of teaching and preaching experience in church ministry is strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• The spiritual gift of Teaching and Preaching.
• Proven experience in teaching and equipping the church body with passion and clarity using the Word of God in small and large group settings.
• Collaborative and effective team player who has the ability to bring leaders together, bridge ministry areas, and advance the mission and vision of Immanuel.
• Scholarly attitude to the Word of God, being able to rightly handle the Word of truth.
• Skills and abilities to effectively manage a variety of administrative tasks associated with the position.
• Spiritual, personal, and character qualifications of an elder in his personal and public life that are found in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:6–9, and exhibit the fruits of the Spirit as found in Galatians 5:22.
• Ability to fully engage the audience and share a genuine, transparent message.

Personal Characteristics & Qualifications

• Loves the Word.
• Engaging presence.
• Contagious love for Jesus.
• Cares about everyone’s area of teaching.
• Fun – gets along well with staff.
• Team player with the ability to collaborate.
• Personable/approachable in the lobby.
• Shepherding heart.
• Value their family and are intentional about keeping it healthy.
• Wants to be here for a long time – excited to be here.
• Gracious/forgiving spirit.

What it’s Like to Live in Gurnee, Illinois: Gurnee is a relatively small suburb of Chicago, Illinois with a population of about 31,000. It is settled within Lake County which is ideally situated midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with easy access to unlimited cultural, entertainment, and recreational activities. Lake Michigan and numerous smaller lakes provide opportunities for fishing and boating. The Forest Preserve District protects nearly 31,000 acres of natural land with over 205 miles of trails, in addition to dog parks, golf courses, and marinas. Fourteen colleges and universities serve 700,000 residents. The county also is home to Naval Station Great Lakes, the only location that trains Navy recruits. Housing environments range from urban to suburban and rural, with plenty of open space. A diverse population covers a wide variety of ages, ethnicities, and levels of education. In typical Midwestern fashion, people tend to be friendly, warm, and welcoming.