The Lake Cities Church of Christ is looking for a dynamic, passionate servant to join us in the role of youth minister. Please read the description below, and contact us if you are interested!
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The mission statement of Lake Cities Church of Christ is “Love God, Love Each Other and Serve as Jesus Served.” The discipling of teens and young students is an important part of fulfilling this mission. A strong youth ministry is vital to our church body. The day-to-day leadership of our youth ministry is entrusted to a full-time qualified individual hired by the Eldership and who serves under the direction and oversight of the Senior Minister.
The overarching expectations of the Youth Minister are summed up as follows: Love God. Disciple Students.
To fulfill those expectations, the following are requirements of the Role of Youth Minister:
Invest in Students: Pray with them, teach them, recreate with them, counsel them, and develop them as leaders in their community. Spend time with them in their areas of interest. Attend student extracurricular activities. Work to assimilate marginalized students and new students into the ministry.
Manage Strategically: Plan events that serve the church’s mission, coordinate with the church calendar, and enlist helpers (sponsors, drivers, teachers, encouragers, and cleaners). Budget the expense of these activities using church finances and participant fees. Host fundraisers as necessary to defray costs. Assist teens that need financial help to attend. Advertise. Promote. Communicate. Be very detailed.
Teach the Word: Set out a plan for the biblical instruction of the students. Use curriculum, resources, and personnel to connect students with the message of God’s grace. Foster a passionate desire for living out the Word of God. Involve, recruit and equip other members to teach.
Worship Boldly: Provide opportunities for students to engage in singing praise, praying together, and celebrating their faith. Sing at fun activities, sing in the van on the road, sing at camps, sing at devotionals, and sing on Mission trips. Help students engage in a lifestyle of worship.
Build a Team: No one can be effective alone. Ask for the insight of parents, volunteers, and student leaders. Lean into the skills of those around you; if teaching, let them teach; if planning, let them plan; if money management, let them manage. Use social media and communication platforms to keep everyone informed.
Stay Connected to the Body: Be engaged and an active participant in church assemblies, attend a small group, go to church-wide events. Share the “wins” with the entire church. Get to know church members outside of the youth group. Proactively attend Elders’ meetings periodically (at least four times a year), share the needs and direction of the program, and look to them for wise counsel.
Serve as a Role Model: Model for your students how to actively pursue a Christ-centered and Spirit-formed life. Pray over them and with them. Read God’s Word and help them engage in regular Bible reading. Provide Godly advice and point them constantly to the Lord. Be physically present in times of crisis and ready to help them find good counseling when necessary. Go to the hospital. Attend the funeral. Have the hard conversation.
Facilities and Equipment: Maintain the Youth Ministry facilities, vehicles and equipment in good condition and repair.
Confidentiality: Maintain confidentiality regarding students, church members, staff members and church business.
Feed and Grow Your Own Soul: Find a mentor. Attend conferences. Read broadly. Engage in refreshing spiritual disciplines. Take Sabbath rest. Have colleagues that run alongside you. Find younger ministers to pour into. Cultivate a team of encouragers.
Engage the Kingdom: Collaborate with other churches, go on retreats, camps, youth rallies and mission trips with other groups. Share ideas, join the Youth Ministry collective meetings. Stay aware of what’s happening across the entire Kingdom. Make connections with other Youth Ministers.
Seek Constructive Input: Engage in a yearly performance review. Conduct listening sessions with parents and teens. Debrief with sponsors after trips and events. Be coachable. Look to the Elders, Senior Minister, and other staff members for advice and counsel.
The qualities and experience of the Person of the Youth Minister includes the following:
• Baptized believer in Jesus as Savior and evidence of a relationship with God • Active prayer life and study and knowledge of the Word
• Able to lead worship and teach students
• Must be spiritually and emotionally mature
• Great communication and interpersonal skills with students and adults • Passion for sharing biblical, gospel-centered messages to young people • Creativity and willingness to try new things for reaching students with the gospel • Excellent organizational skills for preparing and managing events and programing • Availability and flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and long hours • A team player that encourages, collaborates with, and supports other ministers on staff • Member of and affiliated with the Church of Christ
• Significant prior experience in Youth Ministry
• Degree in Youth Ministry or a related field preferred