Lead Pastor – Pacific Coast Church

Independent Non-denominational

WEEKLY ATTENDANCE: 540

Meet Pacific Coast Church

Founded in 1955 as First Baptist Church of San Clemente, Pacific Coast Church (PCC) is a vibrant, debt-free evangelical congregation located in the coastal community of San Clemente, California. Situated on a hillside property overlooking the Pacific Ocean, PCC reaches a weekly movement of over 600  adults) along with 140 children and students. PCC is defined by a warm, ocean-casual, “come as you are” culture, straightforward expository Bible teaching, non-partisan political neutrality, and a deep commitment to “Following Jesus Together”. The church features an active weekday preschool, a strong network of 25–30 Grow Groups, and a reserve set aside from a strategic land sale to fund future campus development.

About the Lead Pastor

Pacific Coast Church is seeking a Lead Pastor who will provide spiritual leadership, biblical teaching, pastoral shepherding, and strategic oversight for the congregation. Working in partnership with the Elder Board, the Lead Pastor will be responsible for leading the church in fulfilling its mission, developing leaders, overseeing ministry staff, and ensuring that the church’s ministries are aligned with its vision and values. The ideal leader sees possibilities, generates ideas, invites collaboration, turns promising concepts into sustainable action, and empowers staff and volunteers to do the same. He is a  warm, relational, collaborative leader, who enjoys working with people, values emotional health  and can make decisions and take initiative without being overly controlling or rigid. 

The Lead Pastor’s responsibilities include:

REACH | Reaching People for Jesus  

• Communicate the Gospel clearly and regularly; model personal evangelism and equip members to share their faith.

• Set and pursue measurable goals for professions of faith, baptisms, guests, congregational growth, and outreach engagement.

• Provide strategic oversight of Alpha, San Clemente Fiesta, local outreach, and international missions through empowered ministry leaders.

• Identify, test, and develop new ways to reach people and families in the community.

• Success indicators: Gospel responses, baptisms, guest engagement and retention, and expanding outreach impact.

GROW | Growing Followers of Jesus 

• Serve as PCC’s primary expository biblical preacher and teacher, with thoughtful study, clear application, and a purposeful teaching calendar.

• Collaborate with worship and technical arts leaders on spiritually meaningful, creative Sunday gatherings.

• Oversee sermon-linked resources and expansion of the existing Grow Group network (approximately 25–30 groups), which applies the Sunday message.

• Coach and supervise staff, strengthen accountability, identify emerging leaders, and delegate ministry responsibility effectively.

• Success indicators: effective teaching, discipleship participation, Grow Group multiplication, staff’s emotional and spiritual health, and leader development.

CONNECT | Connecting Together in Jesus 

• Strengthen Connect Groups and clear pathways from first-time attendance to genuine belonging.

• Empower teams to develop retreats, family gatherings, fellowship events, and other connection opportunities.

• Provide prayer, appropriate pastoral care, and guidance; coordinate referrals for specialized counseling needs.

• Create new opportunities that foster hospitality, friendships, and an intergenerational church community.

• Visitation Follow Up.

• Success indicators: group participation, newcomer integration, relational health, and meaningful congregational involvement.

Governance, Stewardship and Administration 

• Partner with and remain accountable to the Elder Board, communicating clearly on ministry health, strategy, and leadership.

• Provide high-level oversight of finance, personnel, operations, and facilities through designated leaders, with sound controls and transparent stewardship.

• Church Wide Communication.

What you bring

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

Education and Experience

• 10 years of experience in pastoral ministry,  leadership, and preaching.

• Master of  Divinity.

• Track record of driving spiritual, relational, and numerical growth in previous ministry settings (e.g., adult attendance, small group expansion, professions of faith, and baptisms).

• Experience leading or contributing to young family outreach, community engagement, or church revitalization.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Preaching: outstanding verse-by-verse expository preaching and teaching skills (utilizing the ESV translation).

• Creativity: approximately 25% of the 45-hour schedule should be intentionally invested in vision, experimentation, and new ministry development across Reach, Grow, and Connect. 

• Leadership: demonstrated staff leadership, board partnership, financial stewardship, and experience developing ministries and leaders.

• Sound financial stewardship and operational controls in collaboration with finance staff and Elders.

• Experience managing ministry budgets in excess of $500k annually, allocating resources efficiently, and stewarding physical facilities/campus assets. 

Personal Characteristics and Qualifications

• Proven creative and entrepreneurial initiative, with the ability to move ideas into action and lead sustainable growth.

• Spiritual maturity, personal integrity, humility, emotional health and intelligence, relational warmth, and a genuine shepherd’s heart.

• Deep alignment with Pacific Coast Church’s mission to Reach, Grow, and Connect (“Following Jesus Together”).

• Comfortable in a warm, ocean-casual, “come as you are” coastal beach town environment.

What it’s like to live in San Clemente, CA

San Clemente, California—affectionately known as the “Spanish Village by the Sea”—offers an extraordinary coastal lifestyle that seamlessly blends small-town warmth with world-class beach living. Situated midway between Los Angeles and San Diego, this vibrant community of roughly 63,000 residents is defined by its Mediterranean climate, historic Spanish Colonial architecture, and pristine Pacific coastline.

What truly sets San Clemente apart is its unpretentious, ocean-casual culture. Whether you are an executive, entrepreneur, firefighter, or teacher, neighbors connect on equal footing along the beach trails, at local coffee shops, and across downtown Avenida Del Mar in simple t-shirts and flip-flops. It is a safe, close-knit town with a strong generational legacy where families stay for decades and adult children frequently return to raise their own kids.

Life here revolves around the outdoors. From surfing world-famous breaks at Trestles and walking scenic coastal trails to gathering for evening beach bonfires and community events, outdoor recreation is a daily standard. 

Whether you are seeking top-tier schools, authentic community connections, or a daily connection to the ocean, San Clemente delivers an exceptional quality of life.