Pastor/Director of Student Ministries – GracePoint Church

Pastor/Director of Student Ministries – GracePoint Church

GracePoint Church is located in Lodi, California, a very charming, medium-sized town in central California, inland of San Francisco and just south of Sacramento. We are a 75-year-old church and part of the North American Baptist Conference. We have recently gone through a leadership transition. Our new lead pastor, Ben Smith, was hired in September of 2022 to guide the church into its next phase of life, as our former lead pastor moved into the role of pastor of Church Care. Pastor Ben came to the church after serving for over four years in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with Grace Church Abu Dhabi, bringing a passion for the gospel and missions with him.

The vision for the church is to be a growing community of believers passionate about knowing, loving, and sharing the glory of God in Christ. We are committed to expository preaching, passionate worship, a plurality of elders leading the church, a compelling community of believers, each member using their gifts to serve, and the priority of discipleship.

We are a multigenerational church that currently has an average of around 340 in our worship gatherings and another 50–70 watching online on a consistent basis who call the GracePoint their church home. The leadership of GracePoint is committed to the sufficiency of Scripture and the “five solas” of the reformation. We follow a plural-elder-led congregationalist model of church government (see Gregg Allison’s Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church, pp. 294–317).

Our high school and middle school ministries are at a pivotal transition moment, and we are looking for a pastor of Student Ministries to provide leadership and direction for the future. The primary focus for this position will be providing that leadership to students (6th–12th grade) and their parents within our church, as well as in our community. The pastor of Student Ministries will also work closely with our kids and young adult ministries and may serve in other ways as their gifts, capacity, and desires align. There are two private Christian schools, Lodi Christian School (K–6) and Jim Elliot High School, that are on our campus, and we plan to continue to foster a great relationship with them.

Position Overview

Pastor/Director of Student Ministries, depending on qualifications and experience, that serves GracePoint Church by providing leadership and oversight of high school and middle school ministries.

General Summary of Responsibilities

• Develop and implement clear and cohesive plans for the Student Ministry in line with the vision and ministry priorities set by the elders.
• Be the primary teacher for Student Ministry, with an emphasis on expositional teaching/preaching.
• Select and use appropriate curriculum to help guide lay leaders in their ministry to students.
• Recruit, train, and equip staff and volunteers serving with the Student Ministries.
• Maintain appropriate relationships with students and parents for ministry, discipleship, and counsel as needed.
• Seek to strengthen and equip parents to grow in the discipleship of their students.
• Develop and plan opportunities for both students and parents outside of the normal meeting schedule for outreach, spiritual growth, and connections with other students and parents within the ministry.
• Oversee the Student Ministry budget and all graphic or promotional needs related to the ministry.
• Other general ministry duties as agreed upon by the elders and pastor/director of student ministries (e.g., counseling, preaching, teaching, etc.).

Requirements and Qualifications

Education Requirements and Experience

A bachelor’s degree from a Bible college, or an equivalent degree and experience in pastoral ministry required. Seminary degree preferred. Specific experience in teaching, student ministry, and pastoral leadership.

Qualifications

• Meets the qualifications of elders in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:6–9, or deacons in 1 Timothy 3:8–13, depending on level of spiritual authority determined by the elders.
• In agreement with the faith, doctrine, and practice of GracePoint Church as outlined in our Statement of Faith and Church Covenant.
• Spiritual giftedness in the areas of teaching and leadership.
• Demonstrates a growing relationship and sincere profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
• Demonstrate effectiveness in the implementation of an effective youth ministry, discipleship, and leadership development.

Special Notes

To express interest, please reach out to elders@gracepointlodi.com.