Who we're looking for:
Hope Church is seeking a spiritually mature, theologically grounded, and visionary Lead Pastor/Head of Staff to shepherd our vibrant congregation. The ideal candidate will be a seasoned pastor with a compelling pulpit presence, a deep engagement with Scripture and Reformed theology, and the ability to lead a growing, innovative, and Christ-centered church.
Why it matters:
This visionary Lead Pastor will guide Hope Church into deeper dimensions of crossover community and help us live more fully into our calling to go deeper with Jesus, wider in the kingdom, and closer in community. With many guests each Sunday and young families joining our fellowship, we are poised for a season of growth under our next leader.
Why now:
In February 2025, Pastor David Lenz announced his plan to retire in the summer of 2026. We are deeply grateful for his more than 20 years of faithful and dedicated leadership to Hope Church, our ministry partners, and the Richfield community. During this season of transition, he continues to serve and shepherd our congregation as both Lead Pastor and Transition Pastor.
As part of our application process, we invite you to submit the following materials:
Cover Letter
Introduce yourself and share your sense of call, ministry philosophy, and why you feel drawn to Hope Church and this position.
Résumé
Include your education, ministry experience, and relevant leadership or community involvement.
Links to Sermons
Include three different audio or video sermon links, preferably with one from a traditional and one from a contemporary worship context, if available.
Jesus crossed over from heaven to earth, from death to life so we can be in relationship with him. And by his grace and example, Jesus also moves us toward others. Jesus lived and loved in ways that defy categories and transcend lines that divide people. At Hope Church, we seek to look to Jesus and look beyond ourselves in order to facilitate and experience crossover between generations, socio-economic groups, ethnicities, and between church and community.
Our vision for the future is that people of every age at Hope Church—those already here and those yet to come—will go deeper with Jesus, wider in the kingdom, and closer in community.
Founded in 1954 in the heart of Richfield, Minnesota, Hope Church has been a place where people meet Jesus and grow together in faith. We joined ECO in 2014, aligning with a denomination that reflects our evangelical and Reformed identity.
We are looking forward to celebrating our 75th anniversary in 2029. We are in year two of our “Journey to 75,” during which we are pursuing three God sized goals:
75
Days of Prayer about Church Planting
750
People Personally Connected in Community at Hope Church
7,500
Faith-Building Encounters with Jesus
We are grateful for a legacy of faithful, long-tenured pastors. Now we look forward in trust to God’s direction as we seek our next Lead Pastor/Head of Staff to lead our congregation and our 23 full and part-time core staff.
Richfield, “The Urban Hometown,” is a close-knit community in the heart of the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro. It offers the best of both worlds: small-town connection and big-city access. Richfield’s diverse and growing population reflects many cultures and generations, aligning beautifully with Hope’s vision of crossover community.
Minnesota, “The Land of 10,000 Lakes,” is one of the happiest and healthiest states in the nation, known for its natural beauty, four distinct seasons, and strong sense of community. From summer lake days to winter snow adventures, Minnesotans embrace life fully.
Our worship life is marked by warmth, theological depth, and joy. We gather weekly for three distinct Sunday services:
Traditional Service: Choir, organ, and liturgy rooted in Reformed tradition.
Contemporary Service: Worship band, relaxed liturgy, and contemporary elements.
Lao Fellowship: A vibrant community within Hope Church that worships in the Lao language.
Each service is planned with attention to biblical and theological integrity, with the Minister of Worship & the Arts collaborating closely with the Lead Pastor. Communion is served the first Sunday of each month when Hope’s Lao Fellowship joins the Contemporary service for shared worship.
The time between services in the Commons is a dynamic expression of our crossover community where laughter abounds, guests are welcome, life is shared and people care for one another through conversation and prayer.
Traditional Service Average Attendance: 180 in-person (160 Online views)
Contemporary Service Average Attendance: 180 in-person (110 Online views)
Membership: 1050 covenant partners
From birth through young adulthood, the next generation matters deeply to us at Hope. Our staff and volunteers partner with parents to disciple their kids so they become young adults who journey with Jesus in community. We also invest in youth and young adult ministry through gatherings, service opportunities, and retreats.
We own and operate our own Jesus-centered learning community through our state-licensed preschool, and before and after school care program. This continues into the summer with our full day Summer Jam program.
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Hope Church provides engaging opportunities for children to grow in faith and community—from Sunday worship experiences like Wiggly Worship, Sunday FUNday, and Kids Church, to weekly KWAM gatherings, monthly family events and Bible studies, and seasonal favorites like Camps and VBX, all designed to help kids know that they matter and belong in God’s family.
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Hope Church offers meaningful opportunities for youth to connect, grow, and lead—through Breakfast Club, weekly Connect Nights and College Age gatherings at Culver’s, as well as seasonal retreats, camps, and serving groups that help students develop as Christ-like leaders through programs like Leaders in Training and Counselors in Training.
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Hope is unique in that we own our camp. Generations of young people and families have encountered God, deepened their relationship with Jesus, and built lifelong friendships at camp. Hope Shores is located on Rice Lake, on 13 beautiful acres in Eden Valley, Minnesota.
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We believe discipleship happens as we serve, worship, and learn together. Hope offers many opportunities for adults to grow in faith, build authentic relationships, and live out their calling. We are building new pathways for spiritual formation and service.
Current opportunities include:
At Hope, we have a long-standing heart for missions—locally, nationally, and globally—answering Jesus’ call to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
How would we characterize our missions at Hope?
Long term local and global partnerships
Entrepreneurial—responsive to changing needs of our local community
Sending our members out into ministry
Developing relationships with indigenous ministries/missionaries
Fifteen percent of our annual offerings support over 35 mission partners serving locally and globally. Hope members also participate in short-term mission trips, including trips this year to Honduras with Nueva Esperanza, to Zimbabwe with Water for Life and to Texas with Border Perspective. Crosstown Young Life is our outreach arm of ministry to the youth in the community.
Hope Center
Hope Center is an extension of Hope Church and our mission to create a crossover community. Hope Center is home to many of our ministry partners and community resources.
Ministry Partners: Vine and Branches, Crosstown YoungLife, Loaves and Fishes
Community Tenants: Richfield Public Schools, an autism therapy program, and a community daycare.
Hope Church is blessed with a deeply generous congregation, giving 1.7 times the national average in general offerings and supporting multiple capital campaigns. We maintain $1.75 million in reserves and endowments, with a low-interest mortgage balance of $1.35 million. Our 2026 fiscal year budget is $3.23 million, funded through general offerings, program income, facility rentals, and reserves.
Our 98,000-square-foot campus was revitalized through a $9.5 million redevelopment from 2020–2022, blending historic and new spaces. The sanctuary and chapel reflect mid-century design, while our new worship center, children’s spaces, and Commons foster a vibrant community.
The adjacent Hope Center houses ministries, community partners, and our Vine + Branches Clothing Center. Hope owns Hope Shores Bible Camp and Retreat Center, along with 4 rental homes next to the church.
