Highland Baptist Church Ministerial Profile
The search committee realizes that no candidate is likely to possess all of the following
qualifications and abilities.  However, taken as a whole, they present a picture of the
committee’s expectations, and candidates will be assessed according to how closely they embody
these expectations. The committee has established no specific standard for career track or length
of professional experience, believing that arbitrarily imposed requirements do not advance the
church’s commitment to an inclusive process.
Senior Pastor Responsibilities
● Plan and conduct regular and special services of worship in collaboration with the
Associate Pastor of Music and Worship; prepare and deliver sermons; lead in observance
of ordinances.
● Minister to members in times of special need.
● Visit members and prospects.
● Conduct counseling sessions; perform wedding ceremonies; conduct funerals.
● Serve as the lead in planning, coordinating and evaluating the total program of the
church, including operations and finance.
● Work with Deacons, Ministry Council and other lay leaders to do the work of the church.
● Lead collaboratively and provide supervision to all pastoral staff.
● Cooperate with partner organizations in matters of mutual interest and concern; represent
the church in matters of civic interest.

Leadership & Philosophy of Ministry
● Leads the spiritual growth of the church and guides it in its discovery and fulfillment of
its calling and mission. Proclaims the gospel of Jesus Christ.
● The successful candidate will be inclusive in their theology, and it is imperative that they
be welcoming and affirming to all people.
● The successful candidate will be a supportive visionary who leads the equipping and
inspiring of the congregation to be an active part of the church’s ministry.
● Highland Baptist Church encourages staff to have a healthy work and life balance that
fosters self-care. The successful candidate will embrace this personally and empower the
ministerial staff to do the same.
● The candidate will demonstrate a commitment to local church ministry.
Theological Orientation
● The successful candidate will articulate an understanding of and commitment to a
progressive Christian theology.
● Highland Baptist Church has a commitment to being “doers of the word,” so the ideal
candidate would express a calling to work for social justice and inclusivity of
marginalized communities and persons.
● The candidate will demonstrate a theological humility that recognizes the wide range of
Christian traditions and acknowledge there is a mystery to our faith and human
limitations to understanding the Divine.
● The candidate will demonstrate thorough Biblical knowledge.

Community Engagement
● The successful candidate will lead and collaborate with the ministerial staff and ministry
groups to create a presence in Louisville that promotes social justice in an active way.
● We expect the new pastor will have a justice-oriented approach that will combine our
existing programs with new ideas to focus the church’s power and evoke change in the
world around us.
Baptist Identity and Heritage
● The successful candidate will have a developed understanding of and appreciation for the
broad traditions of Baptist heritage.
● The successful candidate will have a commitment to the traditional Baptist freedoms such
as liberty of conscience, autonomy of the local church, and the separation of church and
state.
Minimum Qualifications
● A Master of Divinity degree
● Ordained as a Christian minister
● Experience working as an associate pastor or senior pastor at a multi-staff church with
supervision experience.
● A combination of education and experience may be substituted for these qualifications if
expertise is demonstrated.
Interested parties should submit a cover letter, resume, and philosophy of ministry via email to
pastorsearch@hbclouisville.org.