Overview:
Position Summary
The Executive Pastor serves as the primary leader of all ministry staff and ministries at Spruce Grove Alliance Church. This role exists to translate the Lead Pastor’s vision into effective ministry execution, ensuring alignment, health, and effectiveness across all ministry environments.
The Executive Pastor is a culture carrier, leader developer, and ministry architect who ensures the church’s mission, values, and discipleship strategy are lived out through people, teams, and systems.
This role bridges the gap between vision and implementation, helping SGAC grow in spiritual depth, leadership strength, and ministry impact.
While primarily a leadership and oversight role, the Executive Pastor will also carry a modest, flexible ministry component that reflects the current size and stage of SGAC. This ensures ongoing connection to frontline ministry while allowing the role to evolve toward greater executive focus as the church grows and staffing expands.
Leadership Structure
The Executive Pastor reports directly to the Lead Pastor and serves on the Senior Leadership Team alongside the Lead Pastor and Operations Director:
Lead Pastor - Spiritual & Vision Leader
Executive Pastor - Ministry Leader & Vision Implementor
Operations Director - Organizational & Operational Leader
This role is designed to flex over time, with a gradual shift from direct ministry involvement toward increased executive leadership as SGAC grows.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Lead and Shepherd Ministry Staff
- Directly lead, coach, and develop ministry pastors and directors.
- Provide regular one-on-one leadership, coaching, and encouragement.
- Foster spiritual health, relational unity, and leadership growth.
- Build leadership pipelines and develop emerging leaders.
- Ensure staff are aligned, supported, and thriving.
- Serve as a support and pressure-release for ministry pastors, stepping in during high-demand seasons, staffing gaps, or strategic initiatives to ensure sustainability and health across the team.
2. Ensure Vision Alignment and Ministry Effectiveness
- Ensure all ministries align with SGAC’s mission, vision, and values.
- Translate vision into actionable ministry strategies and plans.
- Evaluate ministries for spiritual fruitfulness and effectiveness.
- Ensure ministries are helping people move toward spiritual maturity.
- Identify gaps and opportunities for growth.
- Oversee the ministry year calendar to ensure alignment, avoid major overlap of key events, and maintain a sustainable pace for staff and volunteers.
3. Oversee Ministry Strategy and Discipleship Systems
- Develop and refine SGAC’s discipleship pathway.
- Ensure effective systems for connection, groups, leadership development, and spiritual formation.
- Help ministries scale effectively as the church grows.
- Ensure healthy and engaging ministry environments.
4. Champion and Protect Church Culture
- Reinforce and model SGAC staff values and culture.
- Guard unity, relational health, and trust among staff.
- Identify and address cultural drift proactively.
- Ensure staff and volunteer environments reflect SGAC’s DNA.
- Help maintain a joyful, mission-focused staff culture.
5. Facilitate Ministry Collaboration and Alignment
- Ensure clear communication between ministries.
- Break down silos and promote teamwork.
- Help ministries function as one unified church.
6. Ministry Component (Flexible & Scalable)
While the primary focus of this role is to lead and oversee all ministries, the Executive Pastor will also carry a meaningful but limited direct ministry expression, reflective of the current size and needs of SGAC.
This component is designed to:
- Keep the Executive Pastor personally engaged in frontline ministry.
- Maintain relational credibility with staff and volunteers.
- Provide practical support where ministry demand is highest.
This ministry component will adapt over time and may decrease as the church grows and additional staff are hired.
Key areas currently include:
Global Missions Ministry Leadership
- Provide oversight and vision for SGAC’s global missions engagement.
- Lead and develop global partnerships and International Worker relationships.
- Champion a culture of global mission within the church.
- Oversee mission trips and Global Missions initiatives.
- Evaluate and discern new global mission opportunities.
Teaching & Pastoral Functions
- Preach approximately 3–6 times per year as directed by the lead pastor in accordance with the preaching schedule.
- Ensure all weddings, funerals, and pastoral care needs are met through the pastoral team, or step in to assist as needed.
Strategic Ministry Support
- Step into key ministry areas during seasons of growth, transition, or increased demand.
- Provide hands-on leadership or temporary support where needed.
Required Experience & Qualifications:
- Strong, mature Christian faith and alignment with SGAC beliefs.
- Proven leadership experience in a church ministry context.
- Experience leading staff and developing leaders.
- Strong relational and emotional intelligence.
- Strategic and organizational leadership ability.
- Demonstrated pastoral ministry experience (typically 10+ years), with a proven track record of leadership and staff development.
- Formal theological education (Bible college or seminary) is an asset.
- Licensed with The Alliance Canada (C&MA), or willing to pursue licensing/ordination within the district.
Ideal Candidate Profile
- A Shepherd - Deeply cares about people and staff health.
- A Leader of Leaders (Rancher) - Experienced in coaching and developing leaders.
- A Culture Builder - Protects and reinforces healthy culture.
- A Strategic Thinker - Can turn vision into actionable plans.
- A Ministry Architect - Understands how to build effective discipleship systems.
- A Unifier - Creates alignment and unity across teams.
- A Humble, Mature Follower of Jesus - Leads from deep spiritual health.
Other Information
1. Our Church: Who We Are
Spruce Grove Alliance Church (SGAC) is a growing, multi-generational church located in Spruce Grove, Alberta, just outside Edmonton. We are a vibrant, mission-focused church with a deep desire to see people encounter Jesus, grow in faith, and live on mission in everyday life.
We currently gather for two Sunday services and represent a wide range of ages and life stages—from young families to long-time followers of Jesus. Our heart is to be a church that is both deeply rooted in Scripture and actively engaged in our community and world.
Our Staff Team
Our staff team is relational, collaborative, and aligned around a shared mission. We value:
- Unity Over Silos
- Ownership Over Passivity
- Spiritual Health Over Performance
The Lead Pastor provides spiritual and visionary leadership, supported by a team of pastors and ministry leaders across worship, next gen, groups, care, and outreach. Our Operations Director ensures strong organizational health, allowing ministry to thrive.
The Executive Pastor will play a key role in leading, aligning, and strengthening this team, while also serving as a pressure-release valve—stepping in during seasons of growth, demand, or complexity to support pastors and sustain healthy ministry.
Current Key Ministries
- Micro Churches (Small Groups): Sermon-based communities focused on discipleship, care, and mission.
- Next Gen Ministries: Strong engagement with both church and community families.
- Sunday Services: Gospel-centered, worship-driven gatherings.
- Local Outreach: Including Grace’s Table (meals and groceries for those in need).
- Global Missions: Active partnerships, trips, and church-wide engagement.
Recent Wins & Momentum
- Growing engagement and impact through Micro Churches.
- Increased outreach effectiveness through Grace’s Table.
- Strong volunteer culture and participation (e.g. VBS with significant community reach).
- Clear church-wide alignment around discipleship, community, and mission.
- A growing hunger for spiritual depth and formation.
Our Culture & Vibe
SGAC is:
- Warm and welcoming, but not shallow.
- Relational and real, not program-driven.
- Hungry for growth—spiritually and missionally.
- Willing to try, learn, and adapt.
- Focused on developing people, not just running ministries.
We care deeply about who we are becoming, not just what we are doing.
2. Our Mission, Vision & Values
Our Mission
At SGAC, we exist to: Know Jesus, Know One Another, and Make Jesus Known.
This captures the heartbeat of our church:
- A deep and growing relationship with Jesus.
- Authentic, life-giving relationships with one another.
- A clear and compelling mission to reach those far from God.
How We Are Currently Living This Out
In this season, we are expressing this mission through three key movements:
- Deeper Discipleship (Know Jesus)
- Stronger Community (Know One Another)
- Bolder Mission (Make Jesus Known)
These are not programs—they are pathways shaping everything we do.
Our Values: How We Live the Mission
Looking Up – Know Jesus
Intentional Proximity - We pursue closeness with Jesus through prayer, worship, Scripture, and listening to the Holy Spirit.
Transformational Discipleship - We are being formed into the likeness of Christ; growing in holiness, character, and the fruit of the Spirit.
Looking In – Know One Another
Sacrificial Service - We use our gifts to serve others, choosing to be contributors, not consumers.
Collaborative Community - We live out the “one another’s” of Scripture through unity, transparency, and shared life.
Looking Out – Make Jesus Known
Missional Imagination - We cultivate a heart for those far from God, living with urgency and creativity in sharing the gospel.
Radical Generosity - We steward our time, resources, and influence for God’s purposes.
3. Staff DNA (How We Lead & Serve at SGAC)
At SGAC, we believe who we are matters as much as what we do. Our staff DNA defines the spiritual and cultural environment of our team. These values shape how we relate to Jesus, one another, and the mission.
- Lead from Overflow - We cultivate a deep life with Jesus and minister from His fullness.
- Own the Mission - We take responsibility for the whole and bring our best.
- Multiply Ministry - We equip others and give ministry away.
- Choose Unity- We protect trust and speak truth in love.
- Missional Gratitude - We joyfully sacrifice because we are grateful to be part of Jesus’ mission.
Final Word
SGAC is in a meaningful season. We have clarity of vision, a unified leadership team, and strong momentum—but we also sense God inviting us into more. More depth. More alignment. More impact. We are looking for an Executive Pastor who can help us steward this moment—someone who can:
- Carry Leadership Weight
- Develop Leaders
- Align Ministries
- Remove Barriers to Growth
- Translate Vision into Reality
- This role exists to ensure that our ministries are accomplishing our mission—and that our people are growing in Christ as a result.