Jr High Pastor
About the role
Friends Church Junior High Ministry is one of the largest and most influential ministries in our church. Serving nearly 300 students and supported by approximately 40 volunteer leaders, the ministry provides a unique opportunity to lead at significant scale while investing deeply in students during a pivotal season of their spiritual development.
The Junior High Director/Pastor is a relational leader, disciple-maker, and team builder who provides vision, leadership, and pastoral care for this thriving ministry. Partnering closely with the NextGen team, this leader shapes and executes a holistic discipleship strategy that helps students encounter Jesus, build meaningful relationships, take ownership of their faith, and live it out in the world.
This role is ideal for an experienced student ministry leader who is ready to focus deeply on one age group while expanding their leadership influence, team development responsibilities, and organizational impact.
What You’ll Do
- Lead with vision and strategy
- Serve as an architect and champion of the junior high ministry strategy, collaborating with NextGen leadership to shape vision, culture, systems, and long-term growth.
- Provide direct leadership and support for all aspects of JHM programming, camps, spiritual formation, and events.
- Build a culture where every student has a caring leader and a safe place to belong.
- Champion student discipleship
- Oversee weekly junior high gatherings (weekend services, Wednesday nights, and small groups), ensuring excellence in teaching, worship, small groups, and hospitality.
- Develop and implement a discipleship strategy that helps students know Jesus, grow in community, discover their gifts, and take ownership of their faith.
- Provide pastoral care to students and families, especially in times of need, while connecting them to additional resources as appropriate.
- Develop and empower leaders
- Recruit, develop, and lead a volunteer leadership team of approximately 40 adults, creating a culture of ownership, discipleship, and excellence throughout the ministry.
- Create leadership pathways for students and volunteers to step into greater responsibility.
- Provide regular training, coaching, and encouragement for leaders to thrive in ministry.
- Directly supervise and develop a full-time Junior High Associate, providing strategic direction, coaching, performance feedback, and leadership development opportunities.
- Engage and partner with parents
- Champion a parent-partnership strategy that equips and encourages parents as the primary spiritual influencers in their students' lives.
- Create opportunities and resources that help parents disciple their junior high students at home.
- Partner with the NextGen and Discipleship teams to connect parents into groups and broader church community.
- Create life-changing experiences
- Provide visionary leadership for camps, retreats, outreach events, and milestone experiences that accelerate spiritual growth and community.
- Provide safe, fun, and spiritually engaging experiences that help students connect deeply with God and one another.
- Champion service opportunities that help students live out their faith locally and globally.
- Collaborate church-wide
- Serve as a key contributor to the broader NextGen strategy, collaborating across ministries to create a seamless discipleship experience for students and families.
- Participate in and contribute to church-wide events (Family FunFest, Tree Lighting, Baptism Celebrations, etc.).
- Partner with Friends Christian Middle School and cultivate a presence on local school campuses throughout North Orange County, building meaningful relationships and bridges of influence with junior high students and their families.
- A passionate follower of Jesus with a heart for junior high students and their families.
- A strategic leader who thrives in developing teams and building community.
- Strong communicator, both on stage and in personal interactions.
- Organized, creative, and collaborative, with the ability to execute both details and vision.
- Team-oriented, humble, and adaptable in a fast-paced ministry environment.
- Bachelor’s degree in ministry, education, or related field required.
- 3–5+ years of experience in student ministry (preferably junior high) in a mid- to large-sized church.
- Experience recruiting, equipping, and leading teams of volunteers.