Associate Pastor - Youth & College

POSITION SUMMARY: 

This position furthers the spiritual mission of Harvest Christian Fellowship.

The Youth & College Pastor’s main duties are to strengthen the leadership of and participation in Harvest’s youth and college ministries*, especially those of a specific campus. The Youth & College Pastor is responsible for all of the participants, volunteers, and staff members associated with the youth and college ministries of a Harvest campus. In addition, the Youth & College Pastor is directly responsible for recruiting, training, coordinating, retaining, and leading existing, new, and potential volunteers. The Youth & College Pastor builds healthy relationships with young men and women from age 12 to age 25, both those that attend Harvest and those that live in the surrounding area. This includes establishing a presence at all nearby schools, colleges, and universities. Harvest expects the Youth & College Pastor to utilize ministry programs for introducing young people to Christ, to be available as a mentor, to disciple and equip young believers to serve Christ, and to assist parents/guardians in raising their teenagers and college students to a wholesome maturity level and a lively faith.

This position requires a basic understanding of the physical, emotional, psychiatric, and spiritual developments that commonly occur in young men and women. The Youth & College Pastor must display evidence of an active and growing relationship with God. The Youth & College Pastor is also expected to listen well, communicate effectively with people of all ages, be skilled in planning and implementing ministry strategies, work well with others, and delegate responsibility with enough follow-up to ensure task completion.

*Harvest’s youth and college ministries are currently known as Catalyst and Compass, respectively.

KEY PERFORMANCE FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Youth & College Pastor is responsible for leading the youth ministry and the college ministry of a Harvest Christian Fellowship campus. This Pastor will work to provide services and establish operations that are congruent to those provided and established at other Harvest campuses. Primary areas of responsibility include:

• Championing the mission and vision of Harvest Christian Fellowship to teenagers and single young men and women;
• Implementing strategies and tactical elements for all programs, activities, and events related to youth and college ministry at Harvest;
• Managing, overseeing, and directing all youth and college ministry activities;
• Identifying, encouraging, and mentoring participant leaders; and 
• Recruiting and developing volunteer leaders involved with the youth and college ministries.

LEADERSHIP

The Youth & College Pastor is expected to exhibit strong leadership qualities in the following ways:

• Utilize Appropriate Skills - The Youth & College Pastor accepts assignments and responsibilities related to his or her position willingly, and contributes to the overall operation of the ministry by encouraging teamwork and effective communication.
• Demonstrate Excellence – The Youth & College Pastor understands, participates in, and contributes to the quality improvement strategies of his or her campus.
• Keep a Spiritual Focus – The Youth & College Pastor ensures that Harvest’s ministry remains biblically-grounded and spiritually-focused, addresses the personal issues of students through counseling and discipline, and provides opportunities for students to express their faith through worship, ministry, and evangelism. 
• Recognize the Challenges – The Youth & College Pastor remains sensitive to the life-shaping impact of choices and challenges for students in their high school and college years. This means being responsive to students who are facing challenges, whether those challenges are related to faith, lifestyle, parental relationships, or vocational issues. The Youth & College Pastor is also prepared to counsel students through the contemporary cultural challenges of drug abuse, alcohol, sexuality, depression, and financial struggles. 
• Stay Fresh: The Youth & College Pastor seeks out further knowledge and education related to personal and ministry growth. This further education should provide insight, present alternative ministry strategies, or increase spiritual understanding.
• Guard Your Heart: The Youth & College Pastor persistently maintains a serious regiment of disciplines that nourish personal life, build confidence in faith, and increase assurance in ministry. The Youth & College Pastor remains honest with his or her peers and asks for prayer faithfully. 

QUALITIES OF POSITION

The Youth & College Pastor shall exhibit the following qualities in leading the youth and college ministries of his or her campus:

• A growing personal relationship with Christ made apparent by increasing spiritual depth and maturity;
• An engaging presence and a desire to connect relationally with people who don’t know Christ;
• A willingness and ability to model biblical principles and priorities; 
• A high-energy, self-motivating attitude that communicates enjoyment during both personal interactions and the management/performance of tasks;
• Strong people skills, including a focus on “customer service” and a value for effective teamwork with colleagues;
• Trustworthiness that results from honesty, keeping commitments, and conducting personal behavior in a consistent manner.;
• The ability to listen to others and objectively consider their ideas and opinions, even when they conflict with one’s own;
• A willingness to treat all people with respect and fairness, giving proper credit to others;
• Well-developed communication skills strong enough to clarify message purpose in a positive manner, emphasize major points, and focus on the main idea while using appealing style, candidness, and humor;
• A decisiveness made evident by the ability to identify problems, make appropriate decisions in a reasonable time frame, and take action based on those decisions;
• A readiness to take initiative when confronted or made aware of a problematic situation;
• The ability to implement new ideas or solutions without prompting, taking action beyond job requirements in order to achieve ministry objectives;
• Spiritual, emotional, and intellectual growth brought about by personal goals to increase knowledge of scripture, cultural awareness, and confidence in leadership; and
• The ability to manage organizational systems. 

RESPONSIBILITES

The Youth & College Pastor, in the fulfillment of the role, is expected to:

• Recruit, train, schedule, and oversee volunteer teams for the purpose of ministering to youth and college-aged students;
• Create and, after approval, implement curriculum that facilitates the development of Christian worldviews;
• Offer pastoral care and encouragement to both ministry participants and leaders;
• Serve as a communicator, conference speaker, worship leader, or classroom facilitator/instructor as necessary;
• Manage online content and communications; 
• Manage volunteer teams by consistently accomplishing the following tasks: 

1. Provide clear and sufficient information regarding schedules, assignments, ministry goals, and church regulations
2. Provide ongoing training and support to all volunteers with the goal of helping them to integrate into the broader spectrum of Harvest life
3. Connect with individual volunteers at least once a month through email, phone, and/or individual meeting,
4. Meet with the youth ministry team and the college ministry team at least quarterly

• Encourage and equip the whole church body to be spiritually and relationally involved in the youth and college ministries.
• Prepare objectives, goals, and strategies that allow for the evaluation of ministry;
• Report to the Campus Pastor a minimum of one time per month, presenting a summary of completed activities, upcoming events, and any problems or issues that occur;
• Brainstorm with other campus leaders for future educational needs, teaching opportunities, and in rising up volunteer leadership;
• Recruit new leaders and volunteers based on staffing needs; 
• Regularly discuss vision for the ministry with the Campus Pastor to ensure agreement and consistency with Harvest values;
• Assist in other Harvest leaders in planning, organizing, and executing both Catalyst Summer Camp and Compass Retreat;
• Maintain a desire and a strategy for reaching and assimilating new students and their families;
• Connect with young people on an interpersonal level; 
• Connect with parents amicably and respectfully, being prepared to accept constructive criticism at any time;
• Be visible and available to the church and community, setting himself or herself up as an example for all by leading a life consistent with that of a disciple of Christ;
• Display a desire for students to be lead into worship, whether such leadership is accomplished personally or delegated to others;
• Ensure that the campus’s youth and college ministry remains consistent to the Harvest’s mission, values, and vision at all times;
• Pray regularly for the Harvest and for the students and their generation; 
• Work to create multigenerational ministries and teams; and 
• Work to improve congruency with other Harvest campuses and better accomplish Harvest’s goal to be one church in multiple locations.
• Be available to complete official and unofficial ministry functions both during normal working hours and for reasonable amounts of time outside of normal working hours.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Youth & College Pastor will oversee and be personally responsible for the fiscal management of his or her campus’s youth and college ministry activities. This should be accomplished through collaboration with the Campus Administrator, compliance with the campus budget, and expense management.

REQUIREMENTS:

Potential candidates for the Youth & College Pastor position, as well as incumbent employees filling the role, must have the following:

• A born-again relationship with Jesus Christ 
• An excellent attitude, a strong work ethic, and a professional mentality 
• A willingness to guard and protect sensitive information 
• The ability to maintain integrity and self-motivation in everything 
• Humility and a servant’s heart 
• A cooperative manner extended towards staff, volunteers, and the church 
• Excellent attendance records and good health 
• Willingness to learn new tasks and job functions 
• Personal dress and appearance appropriate to the business of the ministry 
• A “whatever it takes” attitude 
• Attend monthly CORE services for Harvest leadership staff and volunteers 

PHYSICAL AND SENSORY capabilities

The Youth & College Pastor must possess the following abilities:

• Able to read, write, and converse in English 
• Able to communicate with all types of members, guests, staff, and vendors if necessary.
• Able to remain calm and composed when under stress. 
• Able to bend, lift 10-20 pounds, push/pull objects, and/or tolerate extended periods of standing or sitting.
• Able to respond to phones of all types and other auditory stimulations. 
• Able to communicate effectively through telephone and email. 
• Able to accurately quantify and demonstrate sufficient mathematical skills. 
• Able to evaluate and interpret information, then use it to make independent decisions.
• If filling a specifically-bilingual position, the Youth & College Pastor must be able to read, write, and converse in Spanish as well. If applicable, this requirement will be communicated during the hiring process.

EQUIPMENT and WORK AID proficiencies

Below is a list of all tools used regularly in the fulfillment of the position. Proficiency in the use of these items is required.

• Computers 
• Smartphones (use of a smartphone is required)
• Telephone and voicemail 
• Calculator 
• Fax machine, copy machine, and scanner 
• Various audio and video equipment 

Note: Musical ability and proficiency with one or more instruments is considered an added value but is not mandatory.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE

The most important requirement for the Youth & College Pastor position is a passion for ministering to youth and college students coupled with a genuine interest in responding to the hopes and concerns of young people and their families. However, Harvest believes that in order to accomplish ministry effectively, prior experience is necessary. Potential candidates for the Youth & College Pastor position must have experience successfully leading a ministry for high-school-aged students, college-aged students, or adults. Below are the basic experience-related requirements for the position:

1. Preferred minimum of a Bachelor's degree (B.A. or B.S.) from a four-year college or university (bible college or seminary would be considered added value)
2. At least three years of experience leading a youth or college ministry with substantial growth
3. Experience managing personnel and developing thriving teams 

EVALUATION STANDARDS

Individuals in this position will be evaluated according to this job description and according to the success of the ministries they oversee. Success may be based on the volume of attendance to the ministry, but may also be based on subjective measures like spiritual intensity, volunteer/participant leadership growth, and the perceived wisdom of ministry decisions.