Senior Pastor

The Evangelical Free Church of Wainwright (WEFC) is a community of believers who are united in our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ. We are a small, yet vibrant multigenerational congregation made up of various ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. Our vision is “United in Jesus Christ as we grow UP, IN, and OUT.” We are intentionally seeking a full-time Senior Pastor who will be fervent in leading and shepherding our church to fulfill its vision.

As the Pastor is the primary spiritual leader, we are seeking the following personal and spiritual qualifications:

• Shepherding: genuine love and passion for people and deep-seated desire to see them come to faith in Christ and grow as Christ followers.
• Preaching: a gift for transformational preaching and a strong passion for evangelism and the Great Commission.
• Love for God and convincing demonstration of practical faith in Christ as Lord and Savior in one’s personal and ministry life.

In addition to these, we are looking for the following professional qualifications:

• Relevant theological and/or pastoral degree from an accredited evangelical institution (college/seminar).
• Endorsement of Evangelical Free Church of Canada (EFCC) Statement of Faith and adherence to covenant of personal and professional ethics.
• In good standing with the Ministerial Standing Committee (MSC) of the Evangelical Free Church of Canada (EFCC), or equivalent committee of candidate’s denomination.
• Ordination with EFCC, or commitment to enter the EFCC ordination process and complete it in a timely manner.

The Pastor’s two primary responsibilities are:

• Leadership: equipping the church by guarding the vision and keeping it central in all church activities, discussions, and ministries. Some examples are:
• Leading and equipping a core ministries team in line with the Church vision;
• Overseeing vision-oriented curriculum guides for each area of ministry.

Pastoral Ministry/Care: primary spiritual advisor and counselor for our church and community. Some examples are:

• Focussing on biblical teaching ministries, such as pulpit ministry, teaching retreats, etc.;
• Presiding over marriages, funerals, and baptisms;
• Providing pastoral care and crisis triage for the congregation;
• Encouraging individuals to provide shepherding care for one another;
• Nurturing a community where everyone serves the body with their gifts.

These primary responsibilities are to be performed with an underlying outreach perspective to grow the kingdom of God.

WEFC’s Senior Pastor position comes with a strong compensation package and budgetary provisions that foster a culture of personal growth and spiritual formation. Our Senior Pastor can also rely on the support of a committed volunteer team both in the council and the congregation at large, allowing a healthy balance for effective pastoral, family, and personal spiritual life.

Church and Community Profile

WEFC is a multi-generational and multi-cultural church firmly rooted in the Wainwright area. Apart from English, a significant number of other languages are spoken, such as Spanish, Afrikaans, French, German, and Tigrinya. Founded as a Gospel Mission Church, WEFC was established in 1961. In 1979 the church moved to its current location into a landmark cedar log building. Our building seats 150+ people, with several rooms and a fellowship hall in the basement. Current in-person attendance is approximately 90+. We also provide a live-streaming service. Our previous pastor, Marvin Penner, moved into the position of superintendent of EFCC’s Alberta Parkland District at the beginning of 2022. We have since had Pastor Don Ford lead us in transitional ministry since October 2022.

In 2021 the church adopted a new constitution that came into effect in 2022. The new constitution was adapted to support the vision of our church, “United in Jesus Christ as we grow UP, IN, and OUT.” This vision aims to see the church grow to a ministry, in which our relationship with God, our relationship to one another, and our relationship to the world is fully developed and well balanced. Our three fundamental ministry areas are: corporate worship, discipleship groups, and mentoring. We are in the process building an effective local and regional outreach ministry. Currently we have the following ongoing ministries:

Sunday morning service that includes a children’s church, small group ministry for adults, youth group and discipleship, a ladies prayer group, yearly Vacation Bible School, supporting ministries in Canada and abroad, offering support to Manitou Lake Bible Camp, and functioning as the community drop off for Samaritan’s Purse-Operation Christmas Child.

The Town of Wainwright, AB is a growing prairie town in East-Central Alberta with a population of approximately 6,400. It is an important business center for neighboring rural communities servicing more than 50,000 residents. The major economic sectors are:

Agriculture, Oil/Gas, and the Canadian Armed Forces Base. Wainwright offers a small-town feel while providing full business and recreational services.

Tagged as: Lead Pastor