Student/Youth Pastor

Overview:

New Hope is seeking a pastor of youth ministry to lead and develop a team who oversees the ministry to middle and high school students and their families. This role is a critical in the church’s mission to develop disciples who reproduce locally, globally, and where Jesus is not yet known. This role provides the biblical training for middle school and high school students that will be the foundation of their future growth as believers.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Biblical and personal development
• Middle school and high school youth groups
• Middle school and high school Sunday school
• Coordination of middle school and high school staff and leadership
• Event coordination for middle school and high school ministries
• Other duties to support the church based on gifting, interests and needs of the body

Key Duties:

Teaching:

• Being the primary teacher of large group gatherings (MS and HS Youth Ministry), involving other qualified people to come alongside in teaching the Word to students.
• Preparation (planning/organizing) and teaching (study).

Training:

• Equipping, developing and encouraging leaders for ministry of youth and their families.
• Equipping youth who follow Jesus to make other disciples (who multiply) .
• Meeting and communicating with key leaders.

Leading:

• Lead MS and HS ministries in the way God is calling us to follow.
• Spend time seeking to identify and cast God’s vision for youth ministry.
• Meet weekly with office staff (administrative support), part-time youth staff and volunteer team (helping plan/organize youth programs/events/trips).
• Recruit and coach key leaders and volunteers.

Shepherding:

• Care for Youth and their families.
• Overseeing contacting and care giving for youth and families. Working with and through teams, seeking opportunities to be involved in students’ lives, praying with them, caring for them and being available and responsive to the needs of their parents.
• Along with ministry teams, seek to encourage, support and equip parents for their biblical role of discipling their youth.

EXPERIENCE:

The youth pastor candidate is preferred to have three-plus years of significant experience discipling and working with youth in a vocational or volunteer setting. Desire evidence of a history that the candidate gravitates toward making disciples of youth and their families along with youth also gravitating toward them as a spiritual mentor.

EDUCATION:

The youth pastor is strongly preferred to have a bachelor’s degree in youth ministry or have another bachelor’s degree (or beyond) with relevant ministry experience. The candidate should be a life-long learner with a desire to grow in biblical understanding, love for God and others and ministry skill. In addition to formal training, we are interested in other relevant biblical or ministry trainings that have shaped the candidate’s heart and ministry toolbox.

CHARACTER/BELIEFS/QUALITIES:

The youth pastor must exhibit the qualifications for an elder/overseer/pastor in 1 Tim 3:1-7; Tit 1:6-9; 1 Pet 5:1-5. Candidate should show evidence of living out these qualities in an exemplary way as evidenced by their immediate family, especially his wife, as well as their local church, especially their elders and other leaders who know the candidate and his wife well (if married). If married their current marital health and having a long-term pattern of marital stability and faithfulness is of utmost importance showing a long-term pattern of walking in line with what God’s Word teaches about sexuality. Unmarried applicants must evidence a long-term pattern of faithfulness in celibacy.

Other necessary qualities include:
Godly Character and a Shepherd’s Heart.

• A history of a strong stable marriage and family life in line with God’s Word, including living out well the biblical teaching for a husband and father (if married, if has children). The wife, children and church leaders bearing testimony to this.
• A love for and commitment to his own family.
• A personal and growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
• A long-term pattern of effectively making disciples (leading others to Christ and helping them grow).
• Has a good reputation with others and in the sight of God.
• Personal financial stewardship including wise financial habits and history of biblical financial faithfulness.
• Healthy patterns of relating well to people of all kinds including faithfully dealing with and resolving conflict and disagreements with others.
• Evidences the fruit of the Spirit in personal interactions especially with challenging people and/or circumstances.

Sound Doctrine

• The youth pastor candidate must independently have a strong convictional agreement with and support of the EFCA Statement of Faith.
• The candidate should find it easy to live in line with the constitution and by-laws of New Hope and the other supporting documents in the church profile including New Hope’s positions on secondary matters.
• Evidence of lifelong growth in sound doctrine (1 Tim 4:15).

Pastoral Skills

• Has a record of ministry in which they demonstrate good awareness of and operating within their own gifting and calling in ministry with a servant-like attitude.
• A trajectory of working hard and even sacrificially but also able to set boundaries and get rest.
• Able to explain biblical concepts to others and make application.
• A courage to teach and apply God’s truths without being quarrelsome (2 Tim 2:24-26).
• Speaking the truth in love (Eph 4:15).
• A special love for MS/HS students and an ability to connect with them.
• Love for people.
• A willingness to work with/through the DNA of this church and also be flexible with others.
• Able to give and receive critique and affirmation.

Other important competencies include:

• Understanding of and commitment to global missions.
• Ability to relate well to people of all ages.
• Good organizational and leadership skills.
• Collaborative spirit with those in other ministries in the church.
• Able to develop and work together on a team and to make decisions together (affirms the plurality principle).
• Able to do ministry themselves with a heart to do ministry by developing others.
• Good financial sense regarding personal/church finances.

VISION/GOALS/PASSION:

The youth pastor candidate will have a desire to grow in the following areas:

• A vision for the spiritual growth of the congregation with a focus on youth and their families.
• A vision for reaching beyond the congregation/members.
• A vision for reaching the lost in the local community.
• A vision for strengthening families.
• A vision to train and develop leaders and send them.

AFFILIATIONS:

The youth pastor must:

• Support the ministry and witness of the EFCA and the Central District of the EFCA
• Seek to be licensed and eventually ordained by the EFCA within 3-5 years

SALARY PACKAGE*:

Salary: $53,000 to $65,500 (based on experience and education)
Medical: $7,500
Disability/Life: $1,500
Vacation: based on experience 3 weeks per year moving to 4 weeks at year 5
Study: 1 week per year
*Salary package is negotiable

TO APPLY:

For interested candidates, please resume and contact information to the Search Committee:
Greg Helenburg, Search Committee Chair
greg@newhopeorangecity.org
New Hope Evangelical Free Church
718 Florida Ave SW, Orange City, IA 51041