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SLINGSHOT PRESENTS

Associate Pastor

Damscus Road Community Church

Mt. Airy, Maryland

www.damascus.com

THE STORY


MISSION & VISION

Everybody's welcome. Nobody's perfect. Anything's possible.

THE STORY

DRCC began as a Bible study in a basement thirty years ago. After an awakening to the Gospel, the Founding Pastor, Richard Fredericks, a theology professor and prominent speaker in the Seventh Day Adventist tradition, began to proclaim Christ in a way that challenged unique SDA doctrines. Many whose lives had been changed asked Richard and Sallie to pastor a new kind of Seventh Adventist Church. Richard began applying the Gospel’s implications to the life of this Christian community.  The denomination became very threatened by this and Richard was challenged to either change his beliefs or be fired. He chose option B. DRCC was officially born as a renegade group coming out of Adventism. For over a decade, DRCC focused on mission development before building. Construction on their own facility and property was completed seven years ago. They’re now in the midst of a generosity journey to expand the present facility due to tremendous growth.  

VISION

To be a community where people learn about Jesus and the abundant life He offers, a community that people run to--not from--in their struggles and challenges.

The Mission

Damascus Road Community Church is a Community of LIGHT by the power of the LORD Jesus Christ

Statement of Beliefs

3.1. THE BIBLE.  The Bible (Old and New Testament) is the inspired Word of God.  Therefore we submit our reason and will to the authority of Scripture. The Bible is our ultimate source for truth.  It reveals the divine principles and purposes that guide every genuine Christian community; and it is the basis for teaching, correction and training in righteousness.  The revelation of Jesus Christ and His church in the New Testament is the inspired fulfillment and final interpretation of all God revealed to Israel in the Old Testament.   (Matthew 4:4; Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 1 Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:19-21; 3:2; Isaiah 55:8-11)

3.2. TRIUNE GOD.  There is one eternal, holy God, infinite, personal and knowable, who has revealed Himself in the Trinity (tri-unity) of three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Sonand God the Holy Spirit—each of Whom possesses all the attributes of deity. Our God is worthy of our complete trust, worship and obedience.  (Genesis 1:1-2, 26; John 1:1-4; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Hebrews 1:1-2;  Matthew 28:19;  2 Corinthians 13:14;  Ephesians 2:18, 22;  Romans 8 portrays the interwoven work of the Trinity)

3.3.  JESUS CHRIST=SALVATION.  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, fully human and fully divine, was born of a virgin and was sinless in nature and life.  He died on the Cross bearing the penalty for our sins, then rose victorious over death from the grave.  The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, plus nothing, is the Gospel: the one, all-sufficient basis of human salvation.  Eternal life is God’s gift of grace for all who trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  (Romans 6:23; 4:25-5:1; 3:20-26; Matthew 1:21-23; John 3:16-18, 36; 6:40; Isaiah 53:4-12; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; 15:1-4;  Ephesians 2:4-8;  2 Timothy 1:8-10;  Hebrews 9:26-28;  1 Peter 2:24; 3:18;  1 John 5:10-13;  Revelation 1:5-6)

3.4. THE HOLY SPIRIT.  The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and the Savior.  He then unites the believer to the Body to Christ [His church], making real and effective all that Christ promised in the believer’s life. The power of the indwelling Holy Spirit enables us to obey and share the Lord Jesus Christ; calling us to purity, faithfulness and integrity in every area of our lives. The Holy Spirit also imparts gifts to every believer for works of ministry, but no one spiritual gift is the necessary evidence of salvation or of being filled with the Holy Spirit.  (John 14:15-18; 16:7-15; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2:18, 22; 4:30; Romans 8:5-16; Acts 1:4-8; 2:38-39; Luke 11:13; Zechariah 4:6; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11)

3.5. DISCIPLESHIP.  Full devotion to Jesus as Lord is our joyful response to God’s gift of salvation. Genuine discipleship to Christ flows from our security in Christ.  It isthe Spirit-led fruit of receiving Christ’s salvation—never the root of salvation.  Scripture teaches that our fruit (character and actions) is judged only to reveal the true root of our life (self or the Savior).  The highest evidence of a life rooted in Christ is self-sacrificing love. (Matthew 7:16-24; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 13:34-35; Romans 8:3-4; Galatians 5:16-25; Titus 2:11-14 and 3:4-8; Jude 3-4, 17-19;  Revelation 22:12-17)

3.6. GOD’S CHURCH.We are a part of the universal Body of Christ—all those who trust Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Every congregation gathered around the risen Lord and empowered by His Spirit for mutual growth, encouragement, evangelism, service and worship is a local expression of Christ’s universal church. In obedience to Christ we express our faith in Him through the signs of the New Covenant: Baptism by immersion in water and celebration of the Lord’s Supper. (Matthew 16:16-19;  Ephesians 3:10-12; 4:4-6, 15-16;  Colossians 1:18-24;  1 Corinthians 12:12-27;  1 Peter 2:4-10;  Revelation 2-3;  Matthew 26: 26-29;  Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26;  Matthew 28:18-20;  Romans 6:3-11).

3.7. THE SECOND COMING.  The Kingdom of God, ushered in by Christ at His first Advent, will be fully realized (visibly and physically) at His Second Coming.  Christ will appear in glory to end human suffering, to resurrect the dead, to receive all those who are His and to destroy those who refuse His salvation.  (Hebrews 9:26-28; Matthew 13:39-43; 24:27-31; 25:31-34; John 5:24-29; 6:39-40; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58;  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18;  2 Thessalonians 1:6-10;  2 Peter 2:6)


DRCC MINISTRY AND CULTURE

Worship Service: Saturdays 5 PM, Sundays at 9 AM and 11AM

12826 Old National Pike, Mt. Airy, MD 21771

Sunday Mornings at DRCC

Damscus Road Community Church, or DRCC as most call it, is healthy and excited about the future. As they say, "Everyone's welcome, nobody's perfect and anything's possible." An average of 1400 attendees (including children) come together Sunday mornings to worship the risen Christ through contemporary music. The preaching is strong and biblically centered, designed to have a strong relevance to cultural conversations. Their pastors help them "keep the main thing the main thing" which means lifting up the cross of Christ as the center of everything they do. They see every member as equal ministers of the Gospel, and have a very intentional culture of shared leadership and shared teaching.  They desire to see the church give more focus and energy to reaching those who are truly unchurched or deeply burned ex-Christians.

A central piece of the DRCC vision is their desire to draw people into authentic community. They desire to be a place people run to- not from- when the struggles of life hit. DRCC strongly teaches that people are saved into community and that Christianity isn’t a spectator sport. It’s following Jesus as LORD over all of our life. Hence, we believe that ministry is best accomplished through teams, with each member of the Body galvanizing their spiritual gifts. The role of staff isn’t to do all the work of the ministry but to “equip the saints for works of service” (Eph 4:12). 

The expected annual revenue for 2019 is $3.1M, and has been increasing over the last few years. In addition, they are in the midst of a 25 month generosity journey working to raise $11.5M to expand the building, launch a new campus and deepen global and local missions. They are known by those outside their congregation as a community service orientation, for events such as Walk Through Bethlehem (which attracts thousands each Christmas), regional men’s tables (small groups), strong teaching, missions, and engagement and support of other churches.


For More Information on Ministry During the Week at Damascus Road Community Church check the website.


Leadership

Richard Fredericks, Ph.D.

Senior & Founding Pastor


Rajendra Pillai

Executive & Teaching Pastor​


Jason Earle

Executive Director


Senior Leadership Transition

For the past four years, DRCC has been planning for a senior leader transition where the baton of leadership will be passed from Richard Frederick to Rajendra Pillai in November 2019. Rajendra has been on staff for fifteen years and is fully supported by the Elder Board. The Associate Pastor will report to Rajendra and will participate on the Executive Team with Rajendra and Jason. Rajendra is a dynamic leader who loves to share the gospel in creative, culturally relevant and winsome ways.


Elders

The Elders provide spiritual oversight for the church. They assure that the church remains on a true course biblically and that the congregation is being fed through sound biblical teaching. They encourage and support ministries, and they guard the unity of the church against heresy and division.

Trustees

The Trustees oversee the legal and financial aspects of the church and matters pertaining to facilities and staff employment. They have marketplace expertise which they use collectively to serve the congregation in ensuring that the church’s financial resources are being stewarded to advance God’s Kingdom.

Staff

The Staff directs the day-to-day affairs of the church. All ministries are coordinated by the staff, who work to use the spiritual gifts, efforts, and time of the many ministry volunteers and teams.  Directors and support staff can also be found on each ministry page they oversee on the website 


CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunities

  1. 1.The church is in the midst of a capital campaign "ALL IN!" to expand their current facilities to accomodate the signficant growth. Learn more HERE
  2. 2.DRCC recently took the Best Christian Workplace survey and scored a 4.50, a rating that places them in the top 6% of churches to have taken the survey. The culture is currently very healthy. The next Associate Pastor joins a healthy, motivated Executive Team.

Challenge

  1. 1.The church is currently maxed out in three services in their current facilities.
  2. 2.DRCC has laid out the plans and staff for adult discipleship. The challenge lies ahead to oversee the successful execution of a well-defined Discipleship Pathway Plan for children, youth, and adults (currently in progress).

Frederick MD AREA


Mount Airy is a suburb of Frederick City and is a rapidly growing area with over fifteen thousand new homes planned within a fifteen mile radius. The growth is drawing many young, diverse families to the area. The DRCC congregation is generationally and socio-economically diverse. The mix ranges from government contractors, to small business owners, to school teachers, to police officers, to the recovery community.

The rolling hills, farms and mountains are visibly present while a vibrant urban life can be found within 10 miles from DRCC. You can hike the Appalachian, kayak down the river, watch a Frederick Keys baseball game or enjoy the boutique shops and restaurants in downtown Frederick. Frederick has been described as “where hip meets historic.” DRCC is centrally located within an hour from Washington DC, Annapolis, Baltimore and Gettysburg. Enjoy discovering the rich national history that has taken place here.

Maryland ranks among America’s top states for top-quality education. The school districts surrounding DRCC are some of the best*.

* On a 1-5 star scale, 51 of our 59 state-rated schools in Frederick County achieved 4 or 5 stars, and none received fewer than 3.

JOB PROFILE

Associate Pastor of DRCC:

Reports to: Senior Pastor

Directly Supervises: Worship Director, Worship Tech Arts, Adult Pathways Director

Works Closely With: Director of Congregational Care, Director of Small Groups

Status: Full Time, exempt

Essential Functions:

  • Oversees execution of Sunday service, the operations of the Adult congregation, and serves as a Pastor on the Executive Team.

Core Responsibilities:

Worship Service Coordination

  • Oversee the Worship Department & Tech Ministries
  • Attend meetings and guide Director of Worship/Tech Ministries
  • Lead monthly Worship/Communications/Pastoral planning meetings, and be liaison between Executive Team and Worship/Tech department.
  • Be the Saturday campus pastor and help create and execute a strategy for building and growing our Saturday services.
  • Be a significant part of the preaching rotation led by Senior Pastor.
  • Be on rotation for doing announcements on a monthly basis.

Adult Congregation Supervision

  • Oversee the Adult Pathway team, including Adult Pathway Pastor, Small Group Director and all spiritual formation events.
  • Oversee DRCC young adult strategy. Develop a strategy for sustainable growth built on a team approach with strong leaders.
  • Assist Director of Congregational Care as needed in ministry to members and attenders of our adult congregation.
  • Oversee prayer ministry team.
  • Represent Senior Pastor & Elders as needed

Other Duties

  • Serve on the Executive Team (with Senior Pastor and Exec. Director) and Board of Elders.
  • Conduct pastoral responsibilities such as weddings, funerals, etc. as needed.
  • Align all responsibilities with the Strategic Plan; celebrate successes and reward wins for our Savior Jesus Christ; provide regular feedback to direct reports and teach them to do the same with their direct reports; and initiate and implement regular
  • Performance Evaluations based primarily on reaching outcome-oriented goals

Desired Characteristics

DRCC needs someone with a Pastor’s heart who also brings a proven ability to manage large teams and work collaboratively with strong leaders. She/he needs to be able to develop people and empower teams. In order to effectively oversee the worship services, someone experienced encourages creative vision. 

  • Minimum five (5) years’ church staff experience supervising staff of at least 5 people.
  • Proven experience with preaching and teaching in a church context
  • Can demonstrate accomplishment of organization-wide goals•
  • Can demonstrate history of staff development
  • Bachelor's degree in biblical studies or equivalent is required. M.Div. is preferred.

Character

  • A transforming personal relationship with and a mature commitment to Jesus Christ evidenced by daily spending time with Him and His Word and observable fruit of the spirit.
  • Can embrace DRCC’s Statement of Faith (see www.Damascus.com), Staff Covenant and position papers.
  • Energetic, pro-active, goal-oriented, patient, kind, encouraging, and positive. Ability to be flexible and adapt quickly to unexpected circumstances
  • Exercises good judgment, discretion, sensitivity, and especially confidentiality Teachable, humble and knows how and when to show empathy.
  • Ability to prioritize and problem-solve in a wide variety of situations.
  • Demonstrates history of using principles in Matthew 18 to deal with conflict.
  • An effective listener and able to take constructive criticism well.

Competencies

  • Demonstrated ability to manage, motivate, and develop staff—and accurately evaluate their performance.
  • Excellent communication skills—verbal and written (including mature preaching gift).
  • Computer proficiency in Windows, Microsoft Office, and web-based applications required. Proficiency in Planning Center online and Fellowship One is a plus.
  • Ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple assignments concurrently.
  • Strategic and systems thinker; adept in decision making and executing strategy with an eye to organizational vision; excellent project management skills.

Chemistry with DRCC Culture

  • Demonstrated high emotional intelligence.
  • Relates well to those of all ages and levels of spiritual maturity.
  • Demonstrated ability to create and sustain a participative and collaborative team-oriented culture.
  • An enthusiastic servant mindset.

CONTACT

Ready to take the next step?

To find out additional information about Damscus Road Community Church please visit https://www.damascus.com/

If, after prayerfully reviewing this information, you sense this role and church culture could be a good fit for you, please contact Rich Kidd for further discussion.


​Dr. Rich Kidd // 757.642.0622 // [email protected]