Lead Pastor Search
It all started when…
Weekly in-person attendance – 350
Weekly online attendance – 100
Meet New Life Church
New Life (Newlife906.com) is a growing, vibrant congregation in Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula with a mission to reach our region for the Kingdom of God. Founded in the 1950s, New Life has experienced steady growth and continues to expand its impact through creative ministry, community engagement, and a deep commitment to the gospel.
We partner with our community in meaningful ways—service projects, food distribution, free community events, concerts, and by supporting local organizations that are making a difference.
In 2022, we opened New Life Community Center (NLCC906.com), featuring a full-size gym, a commercial kitchen, and a large indoor playground. The center has become a powerful tool for outreach, relationship‑building, and demonstrating Christ’s love in practical ways.
About the Pastor We’re Seeking
We are not looking to change our core values and vision, but to lead us forward in this next season of growth.
The ideal pastor will be:
A self-starter with a proven track record of ministry development and ministry growth.
A leader who values vision and strategy, but also relatability, empathy, and authentic connection.
You don’t have to be an extrovert, but you must be able to relate with people, and they must be able to relate to you.
New life is built on team ministry; the ideal candidate will have a natural inclination to encourage, equip, and empower people for ministry. Leadership at every level at New Life is about mentorship – we mentor those who work for us, beside us, and we allow others to mentor us.
Our Core Values
DREAM BIG: We dream beyond man's abilities, man's finances, or man's understanding. (Ephesians 3:20, Psalm 2:8)
NO SACRED COWS: A 'sacred cow' in the church is a tradition that has been exalted to a position of normalcy without Biblical warrant. We are willing to make necessary changes to get the best results. (Mark 7:13)
GENEROSITY: God is the owner. Everything is His. We are a church that is audacious about giving of our time, resources, gifts, and finances. (Matthew 25:29, 1 Peter 4:10)
APPLICATION OF GOD’S WORD: The Bible is always relevant and continuously applicable to our daily lives. We are more interested in applying God’s Word to our daily lives than we are in diffusing knowledge. (Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16)
KINGDOM MINDED: We seek to build God’s kingdom, not just New Life Church. (Matthew 16:18, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9)
CREATIVITY: God created us in His image; therefore, His creativity should be reflected in the church. We are passionate about expressing our faith and communicating the Scriptures through creative means. (Isaiah 64:5, Ephesians 2:10)
EVERY PERSON IN MINISTRY: The people are the ministers: the pastor’s responsibility is to equip and empower people to use their gifts, personalities, and backgrounds to build the Kingdom of God. (Ephesians 4:11-16, 2 Timothy 3:17)
Required Experience
Current Assembly of God credentials
Prior service as a staff pastor or Lead Pastor
Demonstrated experience in developing, training, and leading ministry teams.
Core Competencies
We are seeking a pastor who is:
Well organized and administratively competent
Spirit-led and prayer-centered
Team-minded and collaborative
Marked by humility and a consistent pattern of servant leadership
Reporting & Accountability
The Lead Pastor is accountable to the Elder Board and serves as a voting member of the Board, modeling mutual accountability.
The Lead Pastor provides leadership to the pastoral team, fostering unity, shared responsibility, and active engagement.
Compensation
Salary range will be commensurate with education, experience, and qualifications, plus benefits. Benefits include: cell phone, ministry reimbursement, retirement contribution, paid holidays, and paid vacation/sick time.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit the following to: searchteam@newlife906.com
A current resume.
A brief personal statement of faith and ministry philosophy.
A link to two or three of your sermons.