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Associate Pastor Jobs in Columbia, TN (NOW HIRING)

Associate Pastor information

See Columbia, TN salary details

$13.6K

$46.6K

$76.4K

How much do associate pastor jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 22, 2026, the average yearly pay for associate pastor in Columbia, TN is $46,584.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $37,700.00 and $55,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an associate pastor?

An Associate Pastor is a clergy member who assists the Senior Pastor in leading and managing a church congregation. Their responsibilities often include preaching, teaching, organizing church programs, providing pastoral care, and supporting various ministries within the church. The specific duties can vary depending on the size and needs of the church, but Associate Pastors play a vital role in fostering community and spiritual growth. They often work closely with church staff and volunteers to ensure the smooth operation of church activities.

What is an associate pastor?

An associate pastor works with a senior pastor at their church to serve their congregation. As an associate pastor, you assist with worship services and lead other religious activities for various ministry groups. Other job duties include collaborating with the senior pastor on service liturgy, giving sermons, leading prayer sessions, and reaching out to the community. The qualifications you need to pursue a career as an associate minister include a bachelor’s or master’s degree in religious studies or a seminary degree, along with ordination in your faith denomination. Because you work with people on a daily basis, you need excellent interpersonal and public speaking skills.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an associate pastor, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Associate Pastor, you need a solid theological background, pastoral training, and often a degree in divinity or ministry. Familiarity with church management software, digital communication tools, and curriculum resources is typically required. Excellent interpersonal skills, empathy, leadership, and the ability to communicate effectively help build trust within the congregation and staff. These skills are vital for providing spiritual guidance, supporting church operations, and fostering a welcoming and engaged church community.

What are some common challenges associate pastors face when balancing administrative duties with spiritual leadership responsibilities?

Associate Pastors often juggle a variety of responsibilities, from planning and leading worship services to managing youth programs and overseeing church operations. One common challenge is finding the right balance between administrative tasks—such as scheduling, budgeting, and event coordination—and dedicating time to pastoral care, teaching, and spiritual mentoring. Successful Associate Pastors typically prioritize effective time management, delegate tasks when possible, and maintain open communication with senior leadership and ministry teams to ensure both administrative and spiritual needs are met.

What is the difference between Associate Pastor vs Youth Pastor?

AspectAssociate Pastor
AspectYouth Pastor

While both roles serve within church leadership, an Associate Pastor typically has broader responsibilities across various ministries, including pastoral care, administration, and supporting the senior pastor. A Youth Pastor primarily focuses on youth ministry, engaging teenagers and young adults. Both roles often require similar credentials such as theological degrees and involve working in a church environment. However, the Associate Pastor role usually encompasses a wider range of duties, making it more comprehensive in church leadership.

What are the most commonly searched types of Pastor jobs in Columbia, TN?

The most popular types of Pastor jobs in Columbia, TN are:

What are popular job titles related to Associate Pastor jobs in Columbia, TN?

For Associate Pastor jobs in Columbia, TN, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Associate Pastor jobs in Columbia, TN look for?

The top searched job categories for Associate Pastor jobs in Columbia, TN are:

What cities near Columbia, TN are hiring for Associate Pastor jobs?

Cities near Columbia, TN with the most Associate Pastor job openings:

Infographic showing various Associate Pastor job openings in Columbia, TN as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 70% Full Time, 27% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $46,584 per year, or $22.4 per hour.

Part Time North Region Administrative Assistant - Avenue South

Brentwood Baptist Church

Nashville, TN • On-site

$17.50 - $23.50/hr

Part-time

Re-posted 8 days ago


Job description

SUMMARY
The North Region Administrative Assistant is responsible to the church, under the direction of the Campus & Teaching Pastor for providing professional and administrative support to the Campus and Teaching Pastor & Associate Executive Pastor- North Region
PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES may include but are not limited to the following:
Administrative Support
  • Make and return phone calls and emails as directed by the Campus & Teaching Pastor.
  • Handle scheduling appointments, arranging travel logistics, responding to email, etc. for the Campus & Teaching Pastor and Associate Executive Pastor
  • Work with Ave South AA to assist as needed to maintain accurate church records, including attendance, membership, baptismal, marriage, newsletter or special emailing lists, etc.
  • Maintain current lists of church members who are in the hospital, special prayer requests, deaths, births, and other important events to assist Campus Pastor in ministry contacts including E-Mail/Mail as appropriate from the church
  • Order supplies as requested by Campus and Teaching Pastor and Associate Executive Pastor
  • Serve as Purchaser for supplies for all major events and activities at Ave South
  • Coordinate meeting agendas, meals, etc. as needed for Campus and Teaching Pastor and Associate Executive Pastor
  • Provide support to deacon ministry as directed by Campus and Teaching Pastor
  • Prepare and maintain monthly and quarterly reports for North Region campuses, minutes from quarterly business meetings, and other special projects as directed by Campus & Teaching Pastor and Associate Executive Pastor.
  • Draft administrative correspondence on behalf of the Campus & Teaching Pastor and Associate Executive Pastor.
  • Monitor and maintain updated dashboard info for North Region campuses, including Ministry Health Index and Martus Budget worksheets
  • Collect, organize, and enter receipts from credit cardholders for the Campus and Teaching pastor and the Associate Executive Pastor.
  • Maintain an office atmosphere that is representative of 1 Cor. 14:40 ("everything must be done decently and in order") along with having a basic understanding of people and how to tactfully handle sensitive and difficult situations.
  • Other duties as assigned by the Campus & Teaching Pastor and Associate Executive Pastor

Other Responsibilities
  • Attend quarterly staff meetings.
  • Attend monthly/quarterly training sessions.

COMPETENCIES AND TRAITS:
In addition to the specific responsibilities required for this role, Brentwood Baptist Church also seeks candidates that possess some general competencies and behavioral traits that enhance the effectiveness of our staff.
Individual Contribution
  • Manages details, tasks and projects efficiently without frequent reminders
  • Maximizes time effectively by focusing on "must do" priorities when necessary
  • Anticipates/avoids problems or formulates creative solutions
  • Makes timely decisions that produce quality outcomes
  • Adheres to commitments, schedules and deadlines

TEAM CONTRIBURITONS
  • Demonstrates flexibility, adapts well to changing priorities or situations
  • Self-directed and proactive, level of supervision required is appropriate
  • Is willing to take on additional responsibilities, helps with a "can-do" attitude
  • Collaborates well with others to accomplish group tasks
  • Uses written and verbal communication in a way that accomplishes intended results

SELF-DEVELOPMENT
  • Prioritizes and accomplishes self-development goals
  • Demonstrates an ongoing commitment to obtaining the Knowledge, Abilities, Skills, and Habits necessary to be successful in this role
  • Teachable spirit with a desire to learn and grow
  • Maintains appropriate gap between the current job description and the employee's current abilities that allows for future growth.

QUALIFICATIONS
  • Can identify closely with the mission, values, vision, theology, philosophy and methodology of Brentwood Baptist Church.
  • A mature Christian who demonstrates the Fruit of the Spirit, is growing in their faith and is committed to spiritual disciplines such as Bible reading, prayer.
  • Ability to collaborate, cooperate and function well in a team environment.
  • Demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Must possess good organizational skills, be detail oriented and administratively minded.
  • Dependable, discreet, friendly, professional and neat.
  • Must meet the Brentwood Baptist Church employee benchmark for computer competency
  • Possess a track record of dependability and trustworthiness regarding handling finances.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:
  • High school diploma required; bachelor's degree in relevant discipline preferred.
  • 3-5 years' experience working as an administrative assistant.

All campuses function under the governance of Brentwood Baptist Church. Each campus is an established entity operating as a whole and permanent part of Brentwood Baptist. Each maintains pre-determined alignment characteristics that uphold the Brentwood Baptist "DNA" while also containing some contextualized characteristics to allow it to best reach its target local community. Every staff member is an employee of Brentwood Baptist.