Job Details

College and Young Adult Pastor

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, United States

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Job Description:

WEST SHORE EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR FUTURE COLLEGE & YOUNG ADULT PASTOR

WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO...

HAS A CONTAGIOUS PASSION FOR JESUS
An Individual who is “On fire” for Christ
• His spiritual heartbeat aligns with our vision for this ministry.

IS GENUINE
A person who values transparency and displays authenticity
• Young adults, more and more, are searching for genuine followers of the Lord Jesus Christ who are sincere, open, and honest.

HAS A PASSION TO LOVE AND MINISTER TO A DIVERSE COMMUNITY
The young adults we intend to reach range in life experiences, ethnicity and church back-ground
• This passion should include college students, young professionals, singles, and married couples.
• This passion should include seeking after “the churched” (those who were raised in the Church) and “unchurched” (those who have never set foot in Church or have turned their back on the Church).

IS AN EXCEPTIONAL COMMUNICATOR A vibrant speaker with the ability to engage audiences of various types and sizes from the pulpit, in small groups, and through social media
• Ability to build relationships and communicate clearly to groups of varying life seasons, demographics, spiritual history, Biblical knowledge, etc.
• Effectively and creatively communicates the Truth of God’s Word.

IS RELATIONAL
An individual who is committed to building intentional community
• Young adults need someone who can understand and identify with their lives.
• An individual who models a life of hospitality and deep value for community.

IS THEOLOGICALLY rooted, but open
An individual who fits well with our open, evangelical spirit
• Committed to the ethos statement, in essentials unity, in non-essentials charity, and in all things, Jesus Christ.
• Theologically wise, able to discern truth from error and the essential from the non-essential.

IS A SERVANT LEADER
Ability to disciple leaders and delegate responsibilities
• Forming leadership teams is key to running a healthy ministry.


MINISTRY POSITION DESCRIPTION: PASTOR OF COLLEGE AND YOUNG ADULT MINISTRIES

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Develop and lead a healthy and effective discipling ministry
to young adults, including college students, in accordance with the vision and mission of West Shore Free Church. Preach as a member of the preaching team, under the leadership of the Senior Pastor.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. In partnership with the Senior Pastor (and other members of the pastoral staff) develop and implement a vision and strategy for college and young adult ministries consistent with the mission of the church.
2. Coordinate with existing ministries to young adults while focusing on the emerging generation (college and immediately post-college).
3. Facilitate the development of authentic community.
4. Mobilize young adults to engage in the mission of God in the world.
5. Cultivate an environment of spiritual transformation.
6. Develop and coach leadership teams; minister with and through these teams.
7. Participate on the pastoral team and share in our common activities; help the members of your ministry experience the whole church as a common, interconnected body of believers.
8. Preach under the direction and leadership of the Senior Pastor, when requested.

QUALIFICATIONS:
1. A stable, mature and growing disciple of Jesus who is able to serve as a model to the young adults under his care. Loves God; loves people.
2. Emotional maturity, relational authenticity, personal integrity.
3. Demonstrated leadership ability and ministry experience.
4. The ability to relate naturally and well to young adults, both inside and outside the church.
5. Excellent communication skills. The ability to preach and teach well.
6. Theological training and wisdom. A master’s degree strongly preferred.
7. Agreement with our doctrine and excitement about our mission.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: The Pastor of College and Young Adult Ministries reports directly to the Executive Pastor, who is responsible for the oversight of all ministry staff. In the envisioning and preaching role, however, he will work directly with the Senior Pastor.


A CONTEXT FOR MINISTRY

Every church has a history which creates a culture and sets a direction for the future, and every new leader, whether he realizes it or not, inherits that culture. There is always opportunity for change, but those changes occur within and in relation to the church’s existing culture. So a wise leader must ask, Do I fit into this church culture and do I believe I can be an agent of positive change in this place?

To help you answer that question we will try to paint a picture of our culture, and how we think it might affect the future of young adult ministry. One way of approaching the question of culture is by asking, What defining characteristics would most people notice after being here a few months?

At the top of any list of defining marks would have to be devoted to the Word of God. West Shore is known in the surrounding area, and inside its own walls, as a teaching church. From pulpit to classroom a high value is placed upon understanding and obeying God’s Word, and our church has been blessed with many gifted teachers. One implication is that the young adult pastor must be a spiritually gifted teacher with a genuine passion for God’s truth. But our passion for truth always serves a higher purpose: to know and love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind. So really, a heart for worship fuels our pursuit of God; and worship is the chief end of this church.

We are also committed to a deeply rooted but open evangelicalism. What do we mean by that? We mean that the motto of the Evangelical Free Church is not just a motto for us: in essentials unity, in non-essentials charity, and in all things, Jesus Christ. As an evangelical church we are deeply committed to the evangel, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we are devoted to an historically rooted and biblical faith. But under the authority of God’s Word we affirm the freedom of men and women to come to different conclusions about what the Bible teaches. Yes, we require affirmation of the doctrinal statement of the church. But outside of that we support, value and even encourage difference of opinion. I guess one way to describe it is that you might find West Shore a more “free” evangelical church than some others you have known. If that raises questions in your mind, good. Check us out and see what we mean.

Something else people who spend time at West Shore soon notice is our commitment to the family. Many people are drawn to this church because of the quality of our children’s and youth ministries. We are also actively pursuing a new “faith at home” emphasis, calling our people to own the primary responsibility of passing the faith from one generation to the next, and not expecting the church to do it. One of the implications is that the young adult pastor will be able to partner with a team of pastors in developing a spiritual formation strategy that starts well before a young person enters adulthood.

A teaching church with a passion for worship and an open, evangelical spirit; a family church, with a commitment to raise up the next generation of leaders; and also a college church. On any Sunday in term several hundred Messiah College students are attending West Shore’s worship services (since the regional, Christian college is only a couple of miles away). These students are involved in our youth ministry, our children’s ministry, and our worship ministry, and many stay in the area and settle down. In fact, over the years a good percentage of the church has been comprised of Messiah College graduates, professors and staff. Yet here is an odd observation: as a church we have never mobilized a large college class or a focused and fruitful ministry to the college students in our midst. Ministering to Christian college students, who often have an abundance of opportunities on the campus, presents unique challenges. But this is an area for real growth and opportunity.

What about ministry to young adults? Has that been a part of our church culture and what approaches to ministry do we currently practice? The center of our young adult ministry presently is our “SixTen” Fellowship Group that meets on Sunday morning and is led by Nate Winters, our Pastor of Discipleship, and his wife, Kim. About one hundred single and married young adults in their twenties and early thirties consider this their church ‘home’. Most of the leadership team, however, is comprised of married couples and the average age of the group is in their later twenties and aging. So, there is significant work to be done in providing a community for ‘younger’ young adults and also, as mentioned above, reaching the college-aged person.

It would also be fair to say that we have been better at reaching the ‘churched’ young adult than those who are either outside the church or are leaving the church because they find it increasingly difficult to connect with it. But we are seeking a leader who has a passion for and an ability to reach the ‘lost and leaving’ as well.


A WORD ABOUT OUR LOCATION & More Information

West Shore EFC resides on 93 acres located in a picturesque setting in South-Central Pennsylvania, 12 minutes from the state capital, Harrisburg, and in close proximity to New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Feel free to get to know us better by checking out our website at www.becominglikeJesus.org .


TO APPLY:

Please send an electronic copy of your resume to John Nesbitt, Executive Pastor, at jnesbitt@westshorefree.org (phone 717-697-0226, ext. 121). We also strongly encourage the electronic submission of, or link to, one or two samples that will demonstrate your preaching/ teaching. Audio is acceptable but video is preferred.

West Shore Evangelical Free Church encourages applications from individuals with diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds.