Non-Denominational

WEEKLY ATTENDANCE: 50 -80

Meet Shallowford Church

Shallowford Church is a youthful, non-denominational congregation with Baptist roots, located in the suburban community of East Cobb in Marietta, Georgia. Our church has an average weekly attendance of 50-80 people. It is a warm, vibrant congregation composed primarily of young families with children under 5th grade who long to grow deeper together as a community uniting in and exhibiting the love of Jesus Christ. Shallowford Church sits on 6 acres of property in East Cobb with a 150-seat sanctuary and is entirely debt-free. Just a 40 minute drive to Atlanta, Shallowford Church exhibits an authentic, hospitable, "family feel" where members are known personally rather than lost in the crowd.

About the Lead Pastor

The Lead Pastor is a pastor, teacher, shepherd, and fellow elder who helps Shallowford Church faithfully pursue its mission to Receive, Respond to, and Share God's Love.

The Lead Pastor serves as the primary preacher and teacher, a relational shepherd of the congregation, and a collaborative leader who works with the Lay Elders to discern and pursue the church's direction. He equips members, ministry leaders, staff, and fellow elders to participate in the ministry of the church rather than becoming the center of ministry himself.

The Lead Pastor is expected to become genuinely part of the life of the Shallowford family—building meaningful relationships across generations, investing in people, and helping cultivate a church culture characterized by discipleship, community, hospitality, generosity, and dependence on God.

We are seeking a pastor who combines theological conviction with humility, relational warmth with leadership strength, and initiative with collaborative discernment. He should have a healthy bias toward action while recognizing that significant matters are best pursued through appropriate collaboration, prayer, consensus-building, thoughtful planning, and decisive execution.

The Lead Pastor's responsibilities include:

Preaching and Teaching — Approximately 40%

• Prepare and preach the majority of weekly sermons, generally 40–45 weeks each year.
• Develop and maintain a preaching calendar in collaboration with the elders and appropriate ministry leaders.
• Determine the content, structure, and delivery of sermons within the theological and doctrinal boundaries of the church.
• Teach Scripture in a manner that is biblically grounded, theologically sound, accessible, and applicable to everyday life.
• Periodically invite and equip other qualified teachers to preach.
• Help ensure that corporate teaching contributes to the church's mission, values, and disciple-making purpose.
• Keep the pulpit centered on Scripture, the gospel, and the formation of disciples rather than partisan politics or cultural polarization.

Shepherding and Discipleship — Approximately 40%

• Develop genuine relationships with people throughout the congregation and become meaningfully integrated into the life of the church.
• Provide pastoral care, prayer, counsel, encouragement, and spiritual guidance as appropriate.
• Personally invest in discipleship relationships and help others grow in their relationship with Christ.
• Equip elders, ministry leaders, small-group leaders, and other members to disciple and shepherd others.
• Identify, encourage, and develop emerging leaders as opportunities arise through relationships and ministry.
• Help cultivate a culture in which ministry and pastoral care are shared throughout the church rather than concentrated in the Lead Pastor.
• Participate meaningfully in the relational life of the congregation, including appropriate involvement in community groups and other church relationships.
• Help the church live out its Membership Covenant and values in everyday life.

Leadership, Management, and Leader Development — Approximately 20%

• Work with the Lay Elders to discern and co-develop the church's direction and vision in alignment with Scripture, the church's mission, values, and purpose.
• Help translate the church's direction into practical ministry priorities, objectives, and strategies.
• Collaborate with elders when significant changes in ministry direction, worship/liturgy, ministry philosophy, or church-wide style are being considered.
• Work through and alongside volunteer ministry leaders to implement agreed-upon direction within their ministries.
• Lead and supervise staff within the authority and responsibilities defined by their individual roles and job descriptions.
• Develop, mentor, and support existing staff and ministry leaders so they can serve effectively and grow as leaders.
• Establish appropriate goals, expectations, and feedback processes for staff, and provide appropriate support and accountability to ministry leaders.
• Delegate appropriately and avoid unnecessary administrative burden, allowing staff and volunteer leaders to own responsibilities within their defined roles.
• Evaluate ministry effectiveness and work with leaders to make appropriate adjustments when ministries are not accomplishing their intended purposes.
• Identify opportunities for meaningful innovation and improvement, building appropriate collaboration and alignment before acting.
• Exercise sound judgment regarding which decisions require broad discernment and which can appropriately be delegated or handled independently.
• Represent Shallowford Church appropriately within the broader community and develop relationships with other pastors and ministry leaders.

What you bring

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Lead Pastor:

Education and Experience

• Ideally 15 years of ministry experience, including at least 5 years serving as a Senior/Lead Pastor, across at least two distinct ministry positions.
• Experience serving within a plurality-of-elders leadership model.
• Seminary training; an MDiv is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in biblical preaching and teaching.
• Demonstrated experience developing and equipping ministry leaders.
• Experience leading staff and volunteers in a collaborative ministry environment.
• A demonstrated ability to shepherd a congregation while also providing organizational leadership.

Personal Characteristics and Qualifications

• A growing and evident relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Biblical maturity and sound judgment.
• Humility, integrity, and emotional maturity.
• Faithfulness in marriage and family life.
• A servant's heart and genuine love for people.
• Teachability and willingness to receive corrections.
• Ability to navigate conflict constructively.
• Prayerful dependence upon God.
• A life consistent with the message he proclaims.
• The Lead Pastor must be able to affirm and faithfully teach within Shallowford Church's Statement of Faith and Membership Covenant and demonstrate a high view of the authority of Scripture.

What it's like to live in Marietta, GA

Nestled roughly 20 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta, East Cobb in Marietta, Georgia, presents an extraordinarily attractive quality of life for a prospective pastoral leader seeking a vibrant, family-centric community in which to lay down long-term roots. Renowned throughout the Atlanta metropolitan region as a premier suburban destination, the area’s single greatest draw for young families is its nationally acclaimed public school system—anchored by top-performing high schools such as Walton, Pope, Lassiter, and Sprayberry, alongside the International Baccalaureate programs of Marietta City Schools. 

Living in East Cobb means immersing your family in a safe, warm, and highly connected environment characterized by rolling hills, quiet residential neighborhoods, and an approachable small-town warmth where neighbors genuinely know and support one another. Outdoor enthusiasts and active families will thrive with immediate access to scenic hiking trails at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park and weekend kayaking along the Chattahoochee River, while sports fans and entertainment seekers enjoy being just 20 minutes from Atlanta Braves games at Truist Park and Atlanta’s world-class dining and cultural venues . Moving to East Cobb represents an ideal blend of top-tier educational opportunities, rich suburban amenities, financial stability, and a flourishing mission field overflowing with young families.