Welcome! We're so glad you're here!Click here for more info.

Lead Pastor Opportunity

Bear Valley Church, Lakewood, Colorado, United States

About

Bear Valley Church (BVC) has been impacting the Denver metro area and beyond from our home in Lakewood, Colorado, for more than 50 years. Anchored in the Great Commission, our mission is simple: to lead people to know, love, and follow Jesus in every area of life. We are a multi-generational, evangelical church of 400 members, guided by Scripture and shaped by grace, service, and courageous faith. Open to the Holy Spirit’s leading, our vision is to be a transformed community of disciples that bless and influence our neighbors and the world with the Gospel.

Our values shape everything we do:

We are committed to...

  • Living out biblical truth demonstrated through radical grace.
  • Loving our community through sacrificial service.
  • Taking risks in order to make Jesus known.
  • Helping unbelievers find and fulfill their purpose in Christ.
  • Focusing unapologetically on the next generation.
  • Leading believers into a growing relationship with Jesus.

Our strategies put our values into action:

  • Our mission is to lead people to know, love and follow Jesus.  We pursue this mission - and live out God’s purposes for His church - through four actions:
  • ELEVATE the name of Jesus (Worship)
  • EQUIP believers for service (Discipleship/Ministry)
  • ENCOURAGE others in their faith (Fellowship)
  • ENGAGE in God’s mission for the church and the world (Evangelism/Ministry)

The Opportunity

Bear Valley Church is seeking an experienced lead pastor who loves God’s Word, lives a life of worship, and has the heart and actions of a motivating shepherd.

This is an opportunity to…

  • Pastor – preaching and teaching God’s Word while equipping, encouraging, engaging and shepherding the church.
  • Grow a multi-generational congregation that’s passionate about impacting our neighborhood, city, state and the world for Christ.
  • Engage our culture through modern media and technology.



The Lead Pastor at Bear Valley Church serves as:

    • Teacher Among Teachers – providing faithful teaching while sharing the pulpit with a team.
    • Shepherd of Shepherds – caring for leaders so they can care for the flock.
    • First Among Equals – collaborating with pastoral staff, governing board members, deacons and others as a servant-leader.

  • Equipper of Equippers – developing and empowering believers to pursue the ministries God lays on their hearts.

Why This Role Is Unique

Building on a foundation of financial stability, strategic location, and over fifty years of ministry, Bear Valley has tremendous potential. Significant ministries have grown out of Bear Valley over the years, and the church is well positioned for transformational impact today. This role is not about managing a church.  It’s about guiding, shepherding, and walking alongside us as we transform our community and the world with the gospel.

Primary Responsibilities

Teaching & Spiritual Formation

Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the understanding of Scripture, the lead pastor will…

  • Preach and teach, emphasizing the Gospel and sound Biblical exposition and instruction.
  • Shepherd the congregation by guarding doctrinal integrity of Scripture and BVC’s mission and values while navigating contemporary challenges with love, grace, and truth.
  • Inspire spiritual maturity and deep devotion to the triune God in ways that connect with people across all generations and backgrounds.

Leadership & Shepherding

  • Demonstrate a genuine love for God’s church, showing relational wisdom and emotional intelligence while prioritizing the spiritual health of all church members.
  • Collaborate closely with the governing board and deacons, honoring BVC’s structure, modeling shared leadership and mutual accountability.
  • Guide, mentor, equip, and encourage staff and lay leaders, fostering collaboration and healthy team dynamics as a servant-leader.
  • Cultivate a culture of multiplication by equipping leaders that equip others to further advance God’s Kingdom.
  • Lead with confidence and humility, embody a teachable spirit.

Vision & Direction

  • Connect people with God and others by empowering them to use their gifts and talents in ministry.
  • Lead believers to become mature followers of Christ.
  • Live out the Great Commission (Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:19-20), within BVC, Lakewood, surrounding communities, and wherever God sends us.
  • Keep the mission and values of BVC central, ensuring clarity and alignment across ministries.

Team Culture

  • Foster a spiritually vibrant team that models dependency on the Holy Spirit in planning, decision-making, and relationships.
  • Build a culture of trust and transparency that encourages servant leadership and a spirit of unity over personal preferences and ministry silos.
  • Develop a mission-driven team mindset that values clear communication and active collaboration.
  • Empower and develop leaders while encouraging accountability and excellence.
  • Celebrate answered prayers, life change, team wins, and God’s work in the church. 



Qualifications

  • A mature, growing relationship with Jesus, marked by humility, prayer, and obedience.
  • Alignment with Bear Valley’s mission, values, and doctrinal convictions.
  • A shepherd’s heart with proven experience discipling and equipping others.
  • Significant teaching and shepherding gifts supported by ministry experience.
  • Demonstrated ability to build and lead teams in a collaborative governance model.
  • Experience leading a vibrant, engaged church community that pursues ministry locally and globally.
  • Relational wisdom, emotional intelligence, and a passion for developing leaders.
  • A combination of formal education and ministry experience suited for senior pastoral leadership.
  • Minimum five to seven years of pastoral leadership experience.
  • Experience serving in or familiarity with an elder-led or governing-board model of governance.

Reporting & Accountability

  • The Lead Pastor is accountable to the Governing Board and serves as a member of the Board, modeling mutual accountability.
  • The Lead Pastor leads the pastoral team, fostering mutual accountability and active engagement.
  • The Lead Pastor works collaboratively with the pastoral team, Governing Board and deacons, within BVC’s servant-leadership structure.
  • Partners with the Governing Board to ensure alignment of all ministries with BVC’s mission, vision and values.

Location

Bear Valley Church is located in Lakewood, Colorado… a vibrant city and a western suburb of the Denver metropolitan area (population 3.5 million). Lakewood is known for its outstanding quality of life and proximity to both natural beauty and urban amenities, making it an attractive place to live, work and visit.  BVC is minutes away from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, with easy access to hiking, biking, and outdoor activities. We’re also close to a vibrant Christian university and popular spots like the world-famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre.  Lakewood spans around 26 square miles and has a population of approximately 156,000 people.

Additional Information

Interested applicants are required to undergo federal and state background checks and to answer any questions regarding felony or misdemeanor convictions prior to completion of the hiring process.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit the following to

    • A current resume with references.
    • A brief personal statement of faith and ministry philosophy.

  • A one-page example of describing how they have shepherded a church through collaborative leadership that led to spiritual growth and community impact.