Pastor

Position: Pastor

Church: First Baptist Church, Langdon, ND
1124 5th St. Langdon, ND 58249
Phone:    Doug Lill 701-370-0536
E-mail:    [email protected]

To Apply:

Send a current resume with at least three references, a recent family photo, and a 1-page cover letter sharing your story and how God is leading you to pursue this position

Salary & Benefits:

Salary package range is $31,000 plus a modern, spacious parsonage and paid utilities with a fair rental value of about $24,000. Generous vacation and paid time off benefits.

About Our Church:

First Baptist Church, Langdon, North Dakota

First Baptist Church is a warm and welcoming congregation in the heart of North Dakota’s farming country. We serve the community in and around Cavalier County, North Dakota. We are currently in a season of plateaued growth. Our mission is to reach our community and the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Founded in 1972, First Baptist Church still stands steadfast on Biblical truth after more than 50 years. We desire to remain fearless in declaring God’s Word. We aim to stand firm in our faith without conforming to the world.

We are a small but strong and healthy church family. We care for one another and support one another through life’s trials. Our church is a place where people ca be real with one another. We extend grace, love, and encouragement to one another in both struggles and victories. We believe in fostering an accepting family atmosphere, in which people experience love and respect. We value joy, laughter, and personal connections.

We cherish the unique culture and advantages of a small church. Our typical worship attendance is currently about 35. We have a good mix of ages; children make up about one third of our attendance. At First Baptist, everyone is known and valued. While we enjoy the closeness of our congregation, we also have a heart for outreach. We want to declare the Gospel to our community and show Christ’s love in practical ways.

We are a praying church. We share our burdens and lift one another up before the Lord. We are a singing church. We love to harmonize our voices with old hymns and new songs. We are a giving church. We faithfully invest in God’s Kingdom through our time, resources, and service.

Our 2025 budget was set at $63,000. We are on track to meet our budget. We provide a spacious, modern, and comfortable parsonage (with an exceptional kitchen!) for our pastor, with all utilities paid.

If God is leading you to pastoral ministry in a rural setting, you will find First Baptist Church a hospitable, joyful, and faithful congregation ready to walk alongside you. We are excited to grow, serve, and share in the journey of faith together under the leadership of the pastor God provides.

We invite you to pray and consider whether God may be calling you to serve with us.

About Our Town:

Langdon, North Dakota

Located near the Canadian border, Langdon is a small, close-knit community where hard work, authenticity, and neighborly care define daily life. Farming is the backbone of the community. Wheat, barley, soybeans, and canola fields stretch across our landscape. Generations of families take pride in their land and their strong community bonds.

Langdon is more than just a place—it’s a way of life. People here truly care for one another, whether it’s lending a hand during harvest, sharing a meal after Sunday service, or supporting a local family in need. The community embodies traditional American values. We are a small town with a big heart.

As of 2025 Langdon is home to 1,839 people. Cavalier County has 3,700 people. We have 894 households, 21.4% having children under the age of 18. The largest ethnic groups are White (95%), American Indian (2%), and “Other” (3%). Langdon’s median age is 48 years old. The median household income is $64,000 per year. Langdon’s economy employs 790 people. Our largest industries are Agriculture, Health Care/Social Services, and Retail Trade.

Our town is vibrant with families, farmers, and lifelong residents who make Langdon a welcoming place. Whether at the local cafés, a high school basketball game, or a church potluck, you’ll meet genuine, hardworking people who treat everyone like family. Neighbors know each other by name. Kids can safely ride their bikes down Main Street. The community rallies together in times of celebration and hardship.

We have a burden for our neighbors to embrace the Gospel. Most of them do not have a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. At least one quarter of our community is unchurched. Two thirds of our population claim affiliation with the Catholic or Lutheran churches. Like most of the upper Midwest, only a tiny minority here attend evangelical, Bible believing churches. We share problems common to rural America, from an aging population to struggling youth. We pray for a God called man to come and plant his life here for Gospel!

Langdon offers a peaceful, rural lifestyle. Our town is perfect for those who appreciate wide-open spaces and fresh, clean air. The beauty of North Dakota’s rolling plains will capture your heart. The night sky is brilliant with stars that you can’t see in the big city. The Northern Lights provide a spectacular show.

Outdoor recreation opportunities abound. If you enjoy hunting and fishing (and ice fishing!), North Dakota is a sportsman’s paradise. Langdon is near the spectacular scenery of the Pembina River Gorge. Popular activities include hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, and camping. In the wintertime, you can enjoy downhill skiing at nearby Frost Fire Park. Other winter activities include cross country skiing, snow shoeing, and riding snow mobiles.

For anyone looking for a slower pace of life, a strong sense of belonging, and a town where people truly care, Langdon, North Dakota, is a place to plant roots and grow.

About Our Next Pastor:

Our church family held listening sessions to consider the kind of man we will search for in our next pastor. Our conversations were full of joyful expectation and great unity.  We don’t expect perfection from our pastor. We want to extend grace to our pastor as he learns and grows. We want to receive grace from our pastor as we also learn and grow under his leadership. (Colossians 3:12-17)

We are looking for a man who pursues, by the grace of God, the Biblical character qualities for elders listed in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. He will set an example of integrity and strong faith for the church and for the community.

We want a man who faithfully practices his own spiritual disciplines, giving diligent attention to personal Bible study and prayer (2 Timothy 2:15). He should be emotionally and spiritually stable, able to manage his own personal stress.

We expect our pastor to work hard at sermon preparation and delivery. (1 Tim 5:17) We need a good balance between theology and practical life application. He must guard the doctrinal distinctives of Southern Baptists (Titus 2:1). We are looking for a man who has good communication skills. He will articulate the Gospel clearly and compellingly (Eph 6:19-20).

Our pastor will have a compassionate and kind heart for people. We look to him for wise spiritual guidance and counseling. He will help us provide emotional support to one another, especially during difficult times. He will care for the flock under his care, including visits to the elderly, the sick, and newcomers. (1 Peter 5:2)

We pray for a humble and servant-hearted pastor. He will be approachable and willing to serve in the variety of roles called for in a small church. He will relate well to children, youth, adults, and seniors. He will make biblical decisions concerning the direction of the church and communicate them with grace while leading gently over time. Our pastor will work as a teammate with the church’s leadership. He will facilitate unity.

We hope our next pastor will be involved in local events. He will lead us in outreach efforts in the community. He will create relationships that help to spread the gospel.

Despite all these expectations, we desire for our pastor to have a good balance between work and home. If he has a family, he will model faithful leadership at home and allows that to overflow into his leadership at church.

We do not require a particular level of experience or education, but a significant portion of our congregation prefers that our pastor have a few years of pastoral experience and at least some seminary training. If you are interested in pursuing further theological education, we fully support your goal.

We commit ourselves to follow our pastor’s lead, respect him, learn from him, and support him financially to the best of our ability. (Hebrews 13:17; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Tim 5:16-18)

Job Summary:

The Pastor provides spiritual leadership and overall direction for the congregation. He preaches and teaches the Word of God, provides pastoral care, leads church ministries, and serves as a spiritual guide to the congregation. He oversees the administrative functions of the church, ensures sound doctrine, and represents the church in the community.

Key Responsibilities:

• Preaching and Teaching
  • Prepare and deliver Biblically grounded sermons that are relevant to the life of the church-every Sunday and one Sunday evening per month.
  • Lead Bible studies, Sunday School classes, and other discipleship programs.
• Pastoral Care
  • Provide pastoral counseling and support to church members in times of need.
  • Visit members who are homebound, hospitalized, in nursing homes, or in need of spiritual encouragement.
  • Lead in administering the ordnances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
  • Conduct weddings and funerals.
• Leadership and Vision
  • In cooperation with the church body, develop, implement, and maintain a clear vision and mission for the church that aligns with the Great Commission and the Great Commandment.
  • Work with church leaders to set long-term goals and ensure the church’s overall spiritual and financial health.
  • Provide leadership to church ministries, committees, and volunteers, fostering a culture of effective service, prayer, and outreach.
• Administration
  • Collaborate with lay leaders to ensure smooth operations, to include office work, scheduling, communication, and church events.
  • Assist in the preparation and oversight of the church budget and other administrative functions. Work closely with church leaders to manage the church budget and finances.
  • Ensure that all church records (membership, baptism, etc.) are maintained accurately.
• Community Outreach and Evangelism
  • Promote and lead church efforts to reach out to the local community through evangelism, service projects, and missions.
  • Encourage members to be active in witnessing, both locally and globally.
  • Assist church members with outreach by preaching at the local nursing homes 2 Sunday afternoons per month.
  • Support the local ministerial association when practical.
• Spiritual Growth and Development
  • Help members to grow in their relationship with Christ through the Word, prayer, and discipleship.
  • Model Christ-like leadership, integrity, and humility in all aspects of life and ministry.
• Other Duties
  • Attend church business meetings and other congregational activities.
  • Support activities of the church, including revivals, VBS, children’s clubs, etc.
  • Represent the church in the community.
  • Attend the annual meeting of the Dakota Baptist Convention and the local Baptist association.
  • Perform other duties as needed or assigned by the church leadership team.

Qualifications:

• Education: Master of Divinity or equivalent is preferred, but not required.
• Experience: Preferred, but not required: 3-5 years of experience in pastoral ministry or a similar role.
• Skills:
  • Strong preaching and teaching abilities with a focus on practical application.
  • Ability to provide compassionate pastoral counseling and support.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to build relationships and foster trust.
  • Organizational and administrative skills.
  • Willingness to wear the multiple hats necessary in small church ministry.
  • A heart for community outreach and evangelism.
• Character:
• A deep personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
• A passion for serving the local church and its mission in a rural community.
• High moral integrity and ethical standards.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a team of leaders.
• A love for people and a desire to see them mature in Christlikeness.