Willow Students Pastor

We believe kids and students are not just the future of the church, they are the church, and we want to create engaging environments where they can experience God’s love, take steps in their faith, and use their gifts and talents to lead and serve. As the Willow Students Pastor you will build, develop, and execute the Jr. High Ministry (JHM) and High School Ministry (HSM) for students in 6th-12th grades at Willow North Shore. You will host impactful programs, train and empower volunteers, and support and equip families. In addition, you will collaborate with the central team and campus leadership to set the direction, vision, goals, and initiatives of the ministry and contribute as a key part of the overall vision for the campus. This role has dual line reporting to both the Campus/Associate Pastor and the Central Student Director.

Willow Creek Community Church is an egalitarian non-denominational, multi-site church in and across Chicagoland passionate about helping people take next steps to love God, love people, and change the world. Our church is a place where you can make a significant impact for God's kingdom based on how He has uniquely designed you, leading the people around you to become more like Jesus and showing the tangible love of Jesus both locally and globally. As a staff, we aim to foster a culture that has open hands to do whatever it takes to serve and support that mission, serving with humility and open hands. Wherever the need is, we step in. Nothing is above or beneath us to serve one another or our Church.

The salary range for this position is around $44,000 - $60,000 depending on experience and skill set. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, retirement savings with company match, generous paid time off, mental health counseling reimbursement, and more

Job Responsibilities

• Champion the vision and strategy for student programming for 6th-12th grade at Willow North Shore in alignment with the overall mission, vision, and strategies of Willow and the Students Central team.
• Work with the Central Team Student Director and Next Gen team to determine curriculum for large and small groups, plan for major events, and develop best practices around protection, volunteer and parent engagement.
• Develop collaborative relationships with all the Student Pastors at each campus. Establish strong channels of communication with leadership and peers, serving as the primary advocate between your campus staff and core staff.
• Be a presence in the community, nurturing relationships with local student leaders from the village or city, school district, and others, as a way to gauge where Willow can bring the tangible love of Jesus to students in the community.
• Recruit, train, and develop a highly engaged and motivated volunteer team, ensuring they are well equipped, supported, and encouraged.
• Develop and deliver creative, engaging, and transformational messages aligned with the overall student ministries content scope and sequence.
• Uphold the risk and protection policies, including correct minimum student to leader ratios, to deliver a safe experience for every student in the ministry.
• Plan and manage the budget for your ministry, utilizing resources effectively to achieve maximum impact.
• Serve as the primary support to all parents of students at the campus as they help their students take their next steps with God.
• Enthusiastically champion all-in church-wide efforts.
  
  

Staff Values

• Believing the Best | Trust is our default
• Commit to Candor | Kindness is our way
• Embrace Challenge | Grit is our style
• Setting the Tone | Joy is our attitude
• Choose Unity | Diversity is our strength
  
  

Success is Defined As…

A thriving student ministry that fosters creativity and innovation, where volunteers are equipped and encouraged, and the students of Willow know they are loved by God and take steps in their faith

Skills/Competencies

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Team Building -- can build teams and identify high capacity leaders to build more teams.
• Collaborative - Loves working with others and assumes the best in each other
• Developer -- proven track record of developing leaders.
• Talent Scout -- always on the lookout for new leaders and volunteers
• Ministry Builder - constantly builds ministries through others that grow and multiply
• Cheerleader -- encouraging volunteers and staff constantly.
• Solution Specialist -- able to identify problems and find solutions.
• Pastor -- has a heart to care deeply for your staff, parents, leaders, volunteers and kids.
• Organizer -- can effectively manage details personally, and recruit others to do the same.
  
  

Personal Characteristics

• Self-starter - ability to own a project and run with it.
• Learner- Someone who desires continued growth in their area of ministry.
• Innovative - Seeks out new ideas and is unafraid to fail.
• Collaborative & Team Player - Loves working with others and assumes the best in each other
• Team Mobilizer- Able to build effective teams
• Self Aware - Knows their own strengths and weaknesses and is moving towards health, exemplifies humility and confidence
• Encourager- Able to see the good in others and is intentional in affirming it.
• Approachable- Is warm, inviting and easy to get along with.
• High Emotional Intelligence - Intuitive about others emotions and able to respond appropriately.
• Hard working - Is aware of the importance of their role and works hard to do their best.
• Effective communicator - Able to give and receive healthy feedback
• Loves kids, loves students - Feels passionate about ministering to kids and students
• Jesus Follower - Lives a life of integrity and pursues a personal relationship with Jesus.
• Aligned with Willow Creek Community Churches beliefs and values and willing to regularly attend a Willow Creek campus
  
  

Education And Experience

• Undergrad degree preferred, ideally in the field of education, social work, biblical studies, youth or family ministry, or adolescent development (or equivalent experience)
• Likely served in a leadership position at a church
• Experience working with students (6th-12th grade)
• Has proven experience leading teams.
• Has experience caring for and shepherding others.