About Hope Bible Church
Hope Bible Church is a small, established congregation in the Hollins community of Northern Roanoke, Virginia.
We have a faithful core of people who love God and one another. After a period of plateaued ministry, we have entered a partnership with Assist Church Expansion and are working through a structured revitalization process with their coaching and support.
Our purpose is to help people find hope through Jesus Christ. At the conclusion of this revitalization process, we want to be a church that is actively reaching people who are far from God, and a place where the un-churched can find a genuine spiritual home, and the de-churched re-engage with their faith, and grow in their relationship with Jesus. We desire to be a church that the families and neighbors of the Hollins community of Roanoke want to be part of, one that is welcoming, authentic, and seeing many begin to follow Jesus.
The Opportunity
The Hollins community of Roanoke is a working and middle-class community of approximately 17,000 people. Most residents are homeowners with deep roots in the area. The median household income is just over $77,000. Many in our community have little or no meaningful connection to a local church, which represents a significant and genuine ministry opportunity.
We are looking for a pastor who is comfortable with a smaller congregation that desires to grow, patient with the process of becoming a highly effective church which emphasizes both evangelism and discipleship, and genuinely motivated by the prospect of reaching people who are not yet connected to a faith community.
Primary Responsibilities
Shepherd the Congregation
Preach and teach regularly with a high degree of application, genuinely invest in those who are a part of the church, and lead the congregation with clarity through this season of revitalization.
Lead the Revitalization Process
Engage fully with the Assist Church Expansion process, receive coaching from their team, and work collaboratively with the Elder Team to move the church toward a healthier, more outward-focused future.
Engage the Community
Be genuinely invested in the Hollins community of Roanoke beyond the walls of the church. This involves building real relationships with neighbors, local residents, and people who are far from God, not as a program, but as a natural expression of who the pastor is. As those relationships grow, the pastor will help cast a vision for the whole congregation to engage their community with the same intentionality, creating a culture where evangelistic impact flows from the life of the church as a whole.
Preaching and Theological Convictions
We value preaching that is grounded in Scripture and motivates people to passionately pursue Jesus and apply it to see their lives change and live on mission for Jesus. What matters most is that the Bible is central, handled with integrity, and applied in ways that move people toward Christ and toward others.
Who We Are Looking For
We are looking for a pastor with the following character and competencies:
• A genuine love for unchurched and de-churched people. Not as a category, but as neighbors and friends. This pastor should be naturally warm and curious toward people who have no church background or who have drifted from faith.
• Humble and coachable. The revitalization process requires the pastor to receive input, stay teachable, and adjust course as needed.
• A passion for discipleship. We want a pastor who is not satisfied with people simply knowing God’s Word, but who is committed to helping the congregation actually live it out. This means building intentional discipleship into the culture of the church, equipping people to minister to those within their spheres of influence and reflect Jesus in their everyday lives.
• Emotionally mature and steady under pressure. Ministry can be difficult, relationships require ongoing attention, and seasons of stress are inevitable. We are looking for a pastor who remains calm and grounded when things get hard, someone who will stay the course without becoming reactive or withdrawn.
• Relationally present, not just a capable preacher. Much of the work of rebuilding this church will happen outside formal ministry settings, in conversations, in the neighborhood, and in the ordinary rhythms of community life. The pastor should genuinely enjoy people and make time for them.
• Able to divide time consistently across three areas: sermon and teaching preparation, investment into the existing congregation, and presence in the broader Hollins community. A pastor who strongly prefers long hours of study and limited outside engagement will not be the right fit. We want our pastor to be well-prepared in the pulpit, and we also need him out among people.
• Patient and realistic about pace. Revitalization takes time. The pastor should be someone who can sustain consistent effort and steady encouragement over the long haul.
Qualifications
• Minimum of five years of vocational ministry experience with meaningful pastoral responsibility.
• Bible college or seminary training preferred. Demonstrated ministry experience and competence may substitute for formal education.
• Meets the biblical qualifications for eldership as outlined in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
• Comfortable with and supportive of Hope Bible Church’s affiliation with the Charis Fellowship, including participation in district meetings, Focus Retreats, and the National Conference.
• Willingness to relocate to the Hollins/Roanoke, Virginia area.
• Willingness to engage fully with the Assist Church Expansion in the revitalization process.
Compensation and Church Structure
We will offer a full-time compensation package including salary and housing allowance, commensurate with experience. Specific figures will be shared with candidates who advance in the process.
Hope Bible Church is Elder-led. There are currently three elders who provide spiritual oversight and governance. The incoming pastor will serve as a member of the Elder Team.
The pastor will initially be the sole staff member. The church has a plan to hire a part-time worship leader, and that search will move forward in coordination with the incoming pastor.
A Note to Prospective Candidates
We are a small church with a clear sense of where we want to go and a realistic understanding of where we are. We are not looking for someone to come in and turn things around quickly. We are looking for a pastor who will love this congregation, engage our community, and walk patiently with us through a process of healthy growth.
If that kind of work appeals to you, we would welcome the conversation.
How to Apply
To be considered, please submit a cover letter and resume’ to HopeBibleChurchScreeningTeam@gmail.com
All inquiries will be handled with discretion.