OPPORTUNITY PROFILE Victory Lutheran Church
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Senior Pastor
OPPORTUNITY PROFILE
Victory Lutheran Church
Mesa, Arizona
August 2021
This is a pivotal and exciting time in the life of Victory Lutheran Church (www.victorylutheran.com) as
they seek to call a new Senior Pastor. After 24 years of faithful leadership, Pastor Larry Kassebaum
retired in April 2021. God has used his ministry here in powerful ways and he departed with the sincere
love and appreciation of a grateful congregation. While change is never easy, there is a hopeful sense of
anticipation for what God will do next. His succession creates an exceptional and rare opportunity for a
dynamic and seasoned pastor to join with a large, healthy and vibrant congregation to love, lead and
inspire them as they write the next chapter of the Victory story.
OVERVIEW
Located on the east side of beautiful Mesa, Arizona, the Victory congregation is primarily comprised of
retirees, empty-nesters and snow-birds from across the Midwest and Canada who spend their winters in
Arizona. Ninety-six percent of attenders are 55 years old or older. Mesa is a retirement destination for
people across the U.S. and Canada, and a number of retirement communities directly surround the
church. As a result, the worship attendance fluctuates significantly between winter and summer seasons.
From October through March there will be upward of 1,500 people worshiping regularly and during the
summer months as few as 500. Relationships are strong and many of those who attend during the winter
months consider Victory their primary church home.
Victory Lutheran attenders gather for worship at four times over the course of the weekend, Saturdays at
4 p.m. and Sundays at 8, 9:30 a.m. A contemporary 11 a.m. service offered only between January and
Easter. The worship style is traditional, and the beautiful pipe organ in the back of the sanctuary sets a
tone for worship and music that is celebrated for its high quality. Sermon messages stand as a beacon of
solid, Bible-based preaching. Victory completed a debt-free $1M renovation to their sanctuary and
narthex in early 2020. The space is modern, bright, comfortable and welcoming. This renovation
incorporated key updates to technology, as well as aesthetics and seating, which providentially allowed
Victory to effectively pivot to adapt to the changing requirements caused by the global pandemic.
NL Moore & Associates | Opportunity Profile | Victory Lutheran Church | Senior Pastor | August 2021 1The way in which Victory has adapted has been extraordinary. The move from pews to chairs allowed
them to remove seating in order to appropriately social distance during services. For the first time they
have been able to live stream services, which has enabled numerous people, especially winter attenders,
to remain connected and engaged with Victory in the off season or when they have been unable to
attend in person. They also purchased a radio antenna and attached it to the church. Now during each
service, congregants who are uncomfortable coming into the building can drive into the Victory parking
lot, park next to fellow parishioners, and experience worship together from the comfort and safety of their
own car by tuning into 105.3 FM. Staff has worked valiantly to produce videos to support and encourage
the congregation. This includes a weekly Behind the Music video that looks at the history and origins of
worship songs and a daily video devotional called Daily Hope that is offered every weekday on their
YouTube channel. These encouragements are reaching thousands as Victory attenders share and
reshare them. During the winter months, Pastor Kassebaum has traditionally offered an in-depth Bible
study that regularly welcomes over 200 people each week. Even in the midst of a global pandemic,
Victory is thriving.
With a strong evangelical theological and doctrinal framework, Victory is a member of Lutheran
Congregations in Mission for Christ (www.lcmc.net). The church has a budget of $1.2M and is served by
a talented staff of eleven who are all highly effective in their roles and tend to operate independent of one
another. Almost all staff currently report to the Senior Pastor. In the future, Victory staff may benefit from
a fresh look at reporting relationships, meeting rhythms and organizational structures in order to better
support a true team dynamic. The church is governed by a Church Council comprised of six men and
women elected by the congregation. The Senior Pastor is a voting member of the Council. Financially the
church is in a solid position, and it is able to support their ministries in the way they would hope to.
The mission of Victory is to serve and glorify God by being and making disciples for Jesus Christ. They
do this through passionate prayer, inspirational worship, transforming study, humble service, spiritual
relationships and joyful giving. There is evidence to support that Victory is achieving this mission, but
there is an opportunity for their next pastor to clarify, develop and expand the methods by which the
mission is realized in and through the people. As the new pastor arrives, there will be tremendous
opportunities for this vital congregation to re-gather in full force and to re-engage its purpose within Mesa
and beyond.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Victory is an opportunity that is ripe with potential. The church is friendly, vibrant and outwardly focused.
They have been achieving their mission, but there is an opportunity for their next pastor to clarify,
develop and expand the methods by which the mission is realized in and through the people. A
congregational health assessment conducted in May 2019 revealed Victory lands high within the healthy
zone. Because of this reality, it is essential the next pastor be gifted and able to build upon the solid
foundation and trajectory currently in place. Victory does not need a leader who will be motivated to
make major changes, rather the church will benefit from a pastor who is able to expand, maximize and
optimize the good things already there.
There is clear missional impulse in Victory that the incoming pastor can lean into. The church has a food
pantry on-site, and they work with other ministries such as Lutheran Social Services, IHelp (a ministry to
homeless women in the area) and four times a year, Family Promise, a ministry that brings homeless
families to stay at the church. They have a partnership outreach to the Navajo Lutheran Mission, and
have conducted numerous mission trips to Africa that serve partner ministries there. Several years ago, a
donation was used to purchase a $70,000 bus which has been used for ministry and social outings.
Several people have wondered how else this wonderful resource might be deployed on mission. The
incoming pastor will have the opportunity to carry forward these good works while also looking for ways
to activate, mobilize and maximize Victory for the sake of the gospel.
NL Moore & Associates | Opportunity Profile | Victory Lutheran Church | Senior Pastor | August 2021 2Bible-based teaching that is communicated with creativity and humor is a clear value, and must have in
their next Senior Pastor. Pastor Kassebaum is well known for his ability to create a moment during the
message when the text connects with the audience. This ability to clearly articulate a message that is
meaningful and memorable has been a great gift to this congregation; one they would love to see
continue. Both Pastor Kassebaum and Pastor Lien are excellent in the pulpit and set a high bar.
Not only was Pastor Kassebaum an excellent Bible teacher, he was also a high-capacity leader with a
unique acumen for organizational leadership and creative problem solving that contributed to the
church’s wise stewardship of finances and resources. An excellent fundraiser, he enjoyed wearing many
hats and having his fingers in the mix of many things. This includes the purchase and sale of numerous
properties, an agreement for a cell phone tower on the church property, and the negotiation of various
contracts or agreements on behalf of the church. He loved a “deal” and was adept at negotiation and
bringing his ideas to reality. It will be important for the next pastor to have some organizational capacity,
but it is unlikely that he or she would match Pastor Kassebaum’s strength in this arena. While this
positive and unique legacy is a tremendous blessing, it could also feel intimidating. It will be important for
the next Senior Pastor to possess a confident yet humble personality, to know well their gifts and
strengths, and to be anchored firmly in their pastoral call and identity in Christ. It will take time to build
relationships and personal trust, and there will undoubtedly be comparisons, but the incoming pastor
who brings a strong sense of self to the church will be able to embrace and celebrate past success rather
than feel intimidated by it.
Worship and music are valued and executed at a high level at Victory. All services except the 11 a.m.
partial-year service, are traditional and an appreciation for that musical style is echoed across the
congregation and staff. As the church continues to innovate and expand, the incoming pastor will have
the opportunity to explore whether adding a more contemporary or modern worship option might make
some sense. Some have wondered if an expanded offering might attract younger senior adults who
prefer a more modern style. This could also be accomplished through a multi-site or multi-venue option.
Whatever might develop down the road, continued excellence in delivery is essential.
The scope of talent in this congregation is notable. Many retired executives and highly experienced
individuals make their home at Victory. As the new pastor enters into the church there is an opportunity
to more intentionally invite and empower people to discover how they can use their gifts and talents for
the good of the church as a whole. Training, equipping and developmental opportunities may increase as
a result. The congregation is more than able and willing, but in the aftermath of the pandemic may need
some encouragement to lean into their untapped potential.
Some people in the congregation wrestle with the unique identity of Victory as a “retiree” or “empty-
nester” church. A few people yearn for a multi-generational church experience. Given that Mesa is a
retirement destination and the church is located in an established part of town that is surrounded by
retirement communities, reaching younger here may mean reaching down to 40- and 50-year-old people
versus families with youth at home. Regardless of demographic, Victory is a healthy and thriving
congregation with an incredible body of experienced, gifted individuals with time to give.
THE CANDIDATE
Victory would like to call a strong, confident pastoral leader with mature faith and clear theological
convictions that align with LCMC. Honed through life and experience, the ideal candidate will have a
perspective that is shaped by a personal understanding of Christ’s sufficiency. A seasoned preacher, this
pastor will be a gifted and skillful communicator of God’s Word, teaching biblical truth in a way that is
relatable and memorable, using relevant stories to help illustrate and bring home the point. Given the
“wear and tear” on some congregants, it is important the pastor clearly articulate and enunciate so that
those listeners who are hard of hearing can understand.
NL Moore & Associates | Opportunity Profile | Victory Lutheran Church | Senior Pastor | August 2021 3The ideal candidate will take initiative to express a sense of care for others and build relationships with
them. Victory will respond to a pastor who is present with others in both good and difficult times, visiting,
listening and taking enjoyment from spending time shepherding the people. Light-hearted and
approachable, the incoming pastor will linger with people, developing connections by spending time with
people; listening and learning their stories.
As the leader of a large, multi-faceted congregation, it is essential the candidate work well with others
and has experience leading and developing a high-caliber team. Being able to delegate and empower
others to contribute their best will ensure Victory is operating at its peak level. This pastor will value the
input and contributions of the team, invite their feedback and seek out the collective wisdom of those
who may bring insight, specialties and experience that will benefit the plans they are developing together.
The ideal candidate will be generous and give real responsibility to others as plans are made and
organizational structures are implemented. As a team leader and manager of staff, the ideal candidate
will clarify and articulate vision, and orient resources so the vision can become reality. He or she will
ensure people, both staff and lay leaders, are equipped and able to activate for ministry with clarity and
purpose.
In addition to communicating preaching and vision, Victory has become accustomed to a Senior Pastor
who brings a high level of organizational thinking to the role. The ideal candidate will possess some
business sensibility and an ability to fundraise that will help Victory continue to support its mission,
budget effectively and practice wise stewardship of finances and resources. As a leader who is able to
collaboratively develop plans, communicate a vision and follow through, the ideal next pastor will invite
and inspire people to contribute to Victory’s future. He or she will be known for personal integrity, wise
stewardship, solid decision-making, and an open, transparent and cooperative style that works well with
other skilled leaders within the church to get the job done.
As culture and society continue to change, Victory will benefit from a pastor with a strategic, future-
minded perspective. This individual will be able to see the opportunities on the horizon for Victory, and
set the pieces in place to attain them. This includes being attuned to technological advances that help
Victory embrace the future, and to position the church to thrive for many years to come.
CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS
• Clear alignment with the Victory Lutheran Church affirmation of faith and values found on the
website http://victorylutheran.org/about and Lutheran theology and doctrine as described at the
LCMC (Lutheran Congregations on Mission for Christ) website http://www.lcmc.net/statement-of-
faith/231
• A Master of Divinity or Theology from an accredited seminary.
• A minimum of 10 years ministry experience with multiple years of senior leadership and team
development in a multi-staff setting in a larger church context (>500 attendees). This will include
collaboration, delegation, oversight and development of paid staff and unpaid volunteers.
• Excellent bible-based preaching, teaching and communication skill. A genuine passion for the
gospel.
• Mature faith and wisdom that has been tested and proven through experience and intimacy with
Jesus, and results in an intimate walk and a good sense of humor.
• Value a traditional worship style, with openness to a contemporary style as well.
INQUIRY PROCESS
If after reading this description you have interest in the Senior Pastor position at Victory Lutheran Church
and you feel you meet the qualifications for the role, you are invited to submit the following information
for consideration:
NL Moore & Associates | Opportunity Profile | Victory Lutheran Church | Senior Pastor | August 2021 41. Your resume (in Word doc format only)
2. Results of any personality or strengths assessments you have taken in the past three
years (StrengthsFinder, DiSC, Enneagram, etc.).
3. Electronic links to at least three video or audio sermon messages (video preferred).
4. Five references, including: one supervisor or overseer (could be a board member), two or three
staff associates, with at least one from someone you have supervised. These references will be
contacted later in the process and only with your prior approval.
5. Written responses to the following questions (in Word doc format only). We believe that one
can learn only so much from a resume. Your responses will help us to gain a more complete
picture of you and your leadership.
1. Describe your faith in Jesus Christ. Tell us how you came to personal faith and something
about your journey into ministry. What aspects of ministry are most personally satisfying to
you?
2. What is it about the opportunity at Victory Lutheran Church that attracts you to this position?
3. What are two or three of your core strengths? Please share two or three examples of
situations where you utilized your core strengths to develop or mobilize the church you were
leading.
4. Tell us about your best team experience? What was your role on the team and what made it
so positive?
5. It has often been said that the best leaders “lead with a limp.” How have you been shaped by
failure? How have you been shaped by success?
6. What are the key factors that you believe should be present in your next church and ministry
in order for you to be optimized?
Please submit your information to:
Jill Tullis
NL Moore & Associates
jill@nlmoore.com
(865) 368-5620
NL Moore & Associates | Opportunity Profile | Victory Lutheran Church | Senior Pastor | August 2021 5You can also read
