Associate Pastor: Children, Youth, and Families

Reports to: Lead Pastor
Status: Full Time (Exempt)
Experience Required: 3-5 years of ministry experience
Education Required: Bachelor’s in Ministry, Theology, or related field
Education Preferred: Master’s degree in Ministry, Theology, or related field

Job Summary

The Associate Pastor: Children, Youth, and Families will lead a congregation-supported, family-integrated, neighborhood-loving ministry with children and students from birth through high school aged. This individual will cultivate spiritual and holistic formation for kids and youth by leading a volunteer team in implementing discipleship programs, practices, and relationships that nurture the identity, belonging, and purpose of diverse kids and youth towards Christian life and faith. The Associate Pastor will have a regular public role in the Sunday worship gathering and will be expected to participate in the congregational body life of Coast Community.

This leader will work with parents, volunteers, and other adults in the church to cultivate an environment for intergenerational discipleship and will excel in strategizing and implementing plans that prioritize this.

This position is a full-time, salaried, ministerial function, and as such, the employee is designated as a Licensed Minister for as long as they are in this staff role.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Spiritual Formation (25%)

•   Coordinate and lead regular youth ministry discipleship programming to support the development of Jesus-centered identity, belonging, and purpose.

•   Support children’s ministry volunteers as they lead children’s ministry discipleship programming.

•   Alongside the pastoral team, tend to the theological imagination and practice of Coast Community towards intergenerational and family-integrated ministry.

•   Collaborate with parents to assist in facilitating spiritual growth in their children and to foster support for ministry

•   Assist in leadership of Sunday morning worship, based upon applicant’s interests and experience. This may include reading scripture, praying, joining the worship team, or preaching.

•   Occasional pastoral prayer, counseling, hospital visits and other pastoral duties as assigned may be required beyond those involved in children’s and youth ministries.

Relationship Building (25%)

•   Cultivate a ministry in which everyone belongs and no one is excluded. Create and hold spaces in which young people feel safe to be themselves and to be accepted by adults and other students.

•   Build personal relationships with students and with their families. Provide pastoral care and support as needed.

•   Engage students regularly and appropriately via technology (text, social media, email, phone).

•   Visit students where they live most of their lives—at their homes, schools, sports, arts, events, and in the community.

•   Initiate contact with visitors to welcome and invite connection.

•   Actively invite volunteers and adults at Coast Community into these practices of relational support.

Equipping the Saints (25%)

•   Provide ongoing support and supervision of kids and student ministry teams, including periodic volunteer meetings and occasional training coordinated with the Lead Pastor.

•   Equip and support parents to be the primary disciplers of their children and youth.

•   Equip and support students to lead in various ways in the youth ministry, broader church, neighborhood engagement, and in their everyday lives.

•   Actively recruit and engage Coast Community members in ministry with young people.

•   Cultivates parent volunteer participation in all aspects of youth and children’s ministry.

•   Support students and parents through the developmental stages of adolescence and how to navigate faithful discipleship in a complex world.

Community Engagement and Involvement (10%)

•   Facilitate age-appropriate leadership and service opportunities for kids and students in Coast Community ministries.

•   Work with volunteers and parents to plan occasional service projects in the community for students and their families as they seek to know and share God’s loving and redeeming purposes for the world.

Leadership (10%)

•   Assist in planning and implementing intergenerational events such as the Back to School Bash, End of Year Celebration, Fall and Advent Connections, and family retreats.

•   Oversee volunteer teams and scheduling for children’s and youth ministries.

•   Develop an annual calendar that aligns with the overall vision of Coast Community and considers youth and children’s ministry best practices.

•   Provide general ministry support, including event planning, communication, coordinating meetings, maintaining a database of participants, and tracking ministry budget.

•   With lead pastor, oversee volunteer protection process and ministry safety guidelines.

•   Facilitate parent and volunteer communication and event and retreat planning, utilizing volunteers and parents as much as possible to distribute tasks.

•   Join L.A. District NYI camps, retreats, and other gatherings as appropriate.

Other Duties: (5%)

•   Participation in weekly staff meetings as well as other strategy and visioning processes

•   Perform other duties as assigned

What makes you qualified?

•   Profess and demonstrate a commitment to the Christian faith and the embodiment of these commitments in practice and relationships

•   A passion for and an enthusiasm to contribute to the mission and vision of Coast Community.

•   Desire to collaborate with Coast staff, ministry volunteers, kids and students, and others in the community

•   Completion or pursuant of a bachelor’s degree or higher

•   Willingness to grow in theological education and leadership

•   Proven interpersonal, written, and oral communications skills

•   Proficiency using various technology platforms, including MS Office, Google Apps, and social media

•   Valid driver’s license and automobile insurance coverage preferred

•   Availability for evening and weekend programming.

•   Ability to manage the physical demands associated with youth ministry activities.

•   Completion of a background check, live scan, and training in sexual abuse prevention

•   Agreement with the Manual of the Church of the Nazarene regarding doctrine and conduct

Additional Remarks:

•   Regular travel is required to attend and lead youth-focused events, including seasonal retreats, summer camps, and mission trips.

•   Priority will be given to those ordained or pursuing ordination in the Church of the Nazarene (or willingness to pursue credentials).

Application Documents

Interested candidates should submit the following documents at https://forms.gle/527o6w4obWXCQ6ST7

•   Cover letter describing call to ministry and connection to Wesleyan–Holiness theology

•   Philosophy of Ministry

•   Résumé

•   Three professional or pastoral references

•   Optional: a teaching or preaching sample