Netherlands Union Lists Job Opening for Female or Male Pastors

23 December 2014 | JARED WRIGHT

The Netherlands Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is seeking a full-time pastor for Dutch-speaking churches, according to a job listing posted today on the union's website. The listing, posted by NUC Executive Secretary Tom de Bruin, calls for female and male candidates to apply.

The Trans-European Division, the parent organization of the Netherlands Union Conference, has been among the leading entities in the Seventh-day Adventist denomination moving forward on the issue of women's ordination. The division's website notes that the matter of women’s ordination for ministry has been under discussion in the TED at least since 1968.

The website's Statement on Women's Ordination to the Pastoral Ministry states that after considering the recommendations of regular councils for female pastoral workers, "salaries, employment conditions, titles, and job descriptions for male and female pastoral workers have been made more and more equal in many unions."

The Netherlands Union Conference has made moves to include more women in pastoral ministry. In September of 2013, the NUC was the first union in Europe to ordain a woman, Guisèle Berkel-Larmonie. The current job listing provides another opportunity for a woman to serve as a pastor. The listing includes the following stipulations:

Open to: Any Adventist pastor (female or male) with an MA in Theology from a European Adventist University, preferably Newbold College.
Position: Pastor for Dutch-speaking churches, coach for Dutch-speaking church plants
Closing Date: Friday, January 16th, 2015
Work Hours: Full-time
Salary: Per the denominational salary scale
As per: March 1st, 2015

Applicants must have the required work and/or residency permits to be eligible for consideration.

POSITION

1-year contract with the prospect of a permanent position
Responsible for leading existing Dutch-speaking churches and/or groups.
Responsible for setting up new Dutch-speaking church plants.

QUALIFICATIONS

All applicants must clearly address each selection criterion detailed below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item. Applications with incomplete information will be deemed unqualified.

Applicant must be a member of the SDA Church.
Applicant must be a citizen of an EU-28 country, Norway or Switzerland.
Education: MA Theology at a European Adventist University, preferably Newbold College.
Experience in leading churches or church planting is an asset.
Ordination is preferred but not required. Young pastors (under 40) are preferred. Female applicants will have our preference over male applicants in case of equal competence.
Language requirements: C1 in English, B2 in Dutch (or should be able to achieve this level within one year).
Job Knowledge: general knowledge of the Dutch culture and customs.
Skills and Abilities: A valid European driving license is required. Good computer skills are desirable. Must have basic Microsoft Office knowledge and be familiar with report writing and spreadsheets. Must be able to work independently and adapt to changing circumstances. Must have strong organizational and social skills. Must be able to deliver spiritual leadership from an Adventist perspective. Must be able to work in intercultural settings and build bridges between cultures.

SELECTION PROCESS

Qualified European citizens receive preference in hiring. It is essential that the candidates address the required qualifications above in the application. Candidates who are eligible for invitation will take part in an in-house assessment, including five peer assessments using a personality survey to be supplied. Candidates will also submit five letters of reference about their functioning in church situations.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants for this position must submit the following in English or Dutch (no Google translation) to jdenhollander@adventist.nl:

A letter of application.
A current resumé or curriculum vitae.
Any other documentation (e.g., essays, certificates, awards) that addresses the qualification requirements of the position as listed above.
A copy of your passport showing your age and country of birth.
A recent picture.
For additional information, contact the Ministerial Association Department, (+31) 30 6939375.

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