Associate Pastor
Looking to put your coaching-skills to use in a missionally-engaged church community?
Itching to shape the teaching and mentoring ministry of such a church, helping it realize it’s potential in forming disciple-making disciples within a locality?
Feel compelled to teach followers of Jesus how to build a solid biblical and theological foundation in their approach to life?
Want to be part of a warm, connected, and fun community which prioritizes mutual support and encouragement?
Craving to be part of a church-community that prioritizes community-engagement, aspires to live the Jesus-way in inclusive settings, and consists of many community groups?
Maybe you fit with us!
We’re a church that cares about community and value making spaces where people can belong before they believe. If you have had success in recruiting and coaching group leaders, in helping people reach their potential while growing in discipleship at the same time, in being engaged-with and known in the local community, in working as a team-member to develop and accomplish ministry goals, and in communicating with relevance, sound theology, and clarity in a Sunday pulpit, then please consider applying to join us.
Brandon is a terrific community with great schools, terrific community colleges, a solid university, and a WHL hockey team; Our church community has a good reputation in the city and with other churches; We have a positive selfidentity of community-care among and throughout our community network.
Job Summary: The Associate Pastor serves as a member of the Leadership Support Team to co-create, codevelop, and co-execute ministry plans according to the mission and vision of Gate Church Community. In addition, they take responsibility for the Community Groups Ministry and the Sunday Teaching Ministry of Gate Church Sunday Gatherings (in which the Lead Pastor also plays a role). Secondary responsibilities include participating as part of the leadership team of a developing leadership-support community called Mosaic, assuming responsibility for some of the supportive ministries on Sundays, and assuming responsibility for areas within the overall church operations as abilities befit them.
General Expectations: The Associate pastor is expected, through their modeling, team-work, teaching, and coaching to partner with us to help our community co-own and realize this tri-part vision: (1) an infectious culture of deepening participation in the life of God through learning to live the Jesus-way in Brandon; (2) a well-documented track-record of bringing life to neighbourhoods, transforming isolation, addiction, anxiety, and poverty into wellness, righteousness, peace, and joy in God’s abundant Spirit throughout Brandon and beyond; (3) a vibrant mobilization community where people are developed and supported to team with others to plant a variety of missional community groups, ultimately leading to the planting of a second vibrant large group church gathering in Brandon.
Qualifications: BA in Christian Ministry; MDiv or equivalent preferred; 10+ years in vocational ministry preferred; experience in community volunteering (outside of church)
Job Type: Full Time
How to Apply: Create a 5 minute video cover letter and then email a link for this - together with your attached resume - to Kevin Ratzlaff (find my email by tapping or right-clicking the envelop icon)
Kevin Ratzlaff
Lead Pastor
Wendy Bambridge
Gate Kids Director & Administrative Assistant
Donna Kimpinski
Communication & Connection Assistant
Associate Pastor
Job Posting: Associate Pastor
Looking to put your coaching-skills to use in a missionally-engaged church community?
Itching to shape the
teaching and mentoring ministry of such a church, helping it realize it’s potential in forming disciple-making disciples
within a locality?
Feel compelled to teach followers of Jesus how to build a solid biblical and theological foundation
in their approach to life?
Want to be part of a warm, connected, and fun community which prioritizes mutual support
and encouragement?
Craving to be part of a church-community that prioritizes community-engagement, aspires to
live the Jesus-way in inclusive settings, and consists of many community groups?
Maybe you fit with us!
We’re a church that cares about community and value making spaces where people can belong before they
believe. If you have had success in recruiting and coaching group leaders, in helping people reach their potential
while growing in discipleship at the same time, in being engaged-with and known in the local community, in working
as a team-member to develop and accomplish ministry goals, and in communicating with relevance, sound
theology, and clarity in a Sunday pulpit, then please consider applying to join us.
Brandon is a terrific community with great schools, terrific community colleges, a solid university, and a WHL hockey
team; Our church community has a good reputation in the city and with other churches; We have a positive selfidentity of community-care among and throughout our community network.
Job Summary: The Associate Pastor serves as a member of the Leadership Support Team to co-create, codevelop, and co-execute ministry plans according to the mission and vision of Gate Church Community. In addition,
they take responsibility for the Community Groups Ministry and the Sunday Teaching Ministry of Gate Church
Sunday Gatherings (in which the Lead Pastor also plays a role). Secondary responsibilities include participating as
part of the leadership team of a developing leadership-support community called Mosaic, assuming responsibility
for some of the supportive ministries on Sundays, and assuming responsibility for areas within the overall church
operations as abilities befit them.
General Expectations: The Associate pastor is expected, through their modeling, team-work, teaching, and
coaching to partner with us to help our community co-own and realize this tri-part vision: (1) an infectious culture of
deepening participation in the life of God through learning to live the Jesus-way in Brandon; (2) a well-documented
track-record of bringing life to neighbourhoods, transforming isolation, addiction, anxiety, and poverty into
wellness, righteousness, peace, and joy in God’s abundant Spirit throughout Brandon and beyond; (3) a vibrant
mobilization community where people are developed and supported to team with others to plant a variety
of missional community groups, ultimately leading to the planting of a second vibrant large group church gathering in
Brandon.
Qualifications: BA in Christian Ministry; MDiv or equivalent preferred; 10+ years in vocational ministry preferred;
experience in community volunteering (outside of church)
Job Type: Full Time
How to Apply: Create a 5 minute video cover letter and then email a link for this – together with your attached
resume – to Kevin Ratzlaff (find my email by tapping or right-clicking the envelop icon)
kevin@brandongate.ca
Kevin Ratzlaff
Lead Pastor
204-720-3502
Kevin Ratzlaff (pastor) grew up in Red Deer, Alberta, enjoying family trips to the mountains, playing sports with friends, and many meaningful camp experiences. He and his wife Carol helped to start a church in Mount Vernon, WA, before moving to Brandon MB in 1997 to be the Creative Arts Pastor with Grand Valley Community Church. After a time in Saskatchewan working on a Masters degree, they returned to Brandon in 2012 to ‘church plant’ with many others at The Gate Church Community. They have 6 children and love the community of Brandon. Kevin has a heart for youth facing challenges and so volunteers regularly as a leader at the YFC Drop-In Centre. Kevin completed his Masters degree in 2020 and has been enjoying teaming with Donna & Wendy in the Leadership Support Team, providing support and oversight to the ministries of Gate Church Community. He loves Gate Church’s signature value: “a place where you can belong before you believe” and attempts to center his life and teachings on the life and ministry of Jesus.
kevin@brandongate.ca
Wendy Bambridge
Gate Kids Director & Administrative Assistant
Wendy Bambridge grew up in rural Manitoba and has enjoyed living in such places as Ontario, Qatar, and Kenya! She became part of Gate Church Community in 2016 and has given excellent executive oversight to our summer camp staff and to our Gate Kids Ministry while teaming with Kevin to manage a variety of responsibilities out of our church office. Wendy also serves with Kevin and Donna on the Leadership Support team and all the time she gives is volunteer! She is terrific to work with, full of great ideas, bubbly enthusiasm, and a heart for God and people. She has a lot of family and friends in the Brandon area and enjoys building into the community in a variety of ways.
wendy@brandongate.ca
Donna Kimpinski
Communication & Connection Assistant
Donna Kimpinski has been part of Gate Church Community for many years and is a true appreciator of Community Groups and creative community gatherings (such as Book Clubs, Christmas Mingle, and special Sunday gatherings). Donna was a key part of our process in setting out our current “Learning to Live the Jesus Way” course-direction and joined with Wendy and Kevin in the spring of 2021 in the formation of a Leadership Support Team – which supports and oversees the ministries of our church community. As you can imagine, this requires a few hours each week! Donna loves her husband and family, enjoys country living, is an avid reader, overflows with gratitude, and is one of the most sincerest & sweetest women that you could ever think to meet!
donna@brandongate.ca