Director of Student Ministry — Northside Church

Northside Church began in 1959 as a group of families meeting in a small house in Jackson, Tennessee. Sixty-four years later we are a church body of over 800 sharing God’s love and making disciples who follow Jesus Christ. Our ministries serve the needs of people not only in Jackson, TN but around the world.

Northside operated as a United Methodist Church until 2020, when over 94% of the membership and all 3 pastors felt led to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. While a difficult decision, God led us through the disaffiliation process and the COVID-19 pandemic with a courageous will only He can give. Northside is now an independent, non-denominational congregation. We value our Wesleyan/Arminian theological roots, have a legacy of strong lay leadership, and are known for our involvement in not only in the Jackson community but also around the world. With a strong foundation, we are preparing for exciting new opportunities for ministry and growth.

Northside Church began in 1959 as a group of families meeting in a small house in Jackson, Tennessee. Sixty-four years later we are a church body of over 800 sharing God’s love and making disciples who follow Jesus Christ. Our ministries serve the needs of people not only in Jackson, TN but around the world.

Northside operated as a United Methodist Church until 2020, when over 94% of the membership and all 3 pastors felt led to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. While a difficult decision, God led us through the disaffiliation process and the COVID-19 pandemic with a courageous will only He can give. Northside is now an independent, non-denominational congregation. We value our Wesleyan/Arminian theological roots, have a legacy of strong lay leadership, and are known for our involvement in not only in the Jackson community but also around the world. With a strong foundation, we are preparing for exciting new opportunities for ministry and growth.

One of the most exciting opportunities is fulfilling God’s commission in the area of student ministry at Northside. Northside has a rich history of serving students from a mixture of socio-economic and schooling backgrounds. The ministry is blessed with parents and students willing to engage. Northside is committed to providing the resources necessary to provide a safe and welcoming environment for our students to grow in their relationship with Christ.

Northside is currently seeking a Director of Student Ministry. The successful candidate will maintain relationships with students and parents, as well as develop and grow the adult volunteer base within the student ministry. They will lead in inspiring students to build and sustain a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. This culture is thoroughly relational, grace-driven, safe, honest, Christ-centered, and fun. The Director of Student Ministry will work closely with the Children’s, Worship Arts, Recreation, and Community Outreach Ministries to create a holistic strategy to reach and engage students wherever they are on their spiritual journey. They will work together to come alongside families to better enrich the quality of the relationships between students and their parents.

The successful candidate will have a proven track record of working in a setting committed to reaching both the spiritually mature and the spiritually disengaged with a high degree of innovation, recruitment, and retention of new members. The candidate will also have a history of success in creating a structure that disciples and grows students spiritually. Proven experience in creative thinking and problem-solving is strongly preferred. Work history in communication and leadership is important. Organizational skills are a must, as is the implementation of ideas. Experience in conceiving and producing experiences that will connect students to Christ and to one another is essential.

As the Director of Student Ministry grows within the culture and context of Northside, additional responsibilities will include the supervision of additional student ministry staff and interns.

The successful candidate will hold, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Youth Ministry, Theology, Biblical Studies, Leadership, or other fields of study relevant to ministry. Prior relevant experience is highly preferred and will be considered in lieu of educational requirements in some instances.

Northside’s students attend a variety of public and private schools and universities in the region. Northside also has families that homeschool their students as well. Lastly, Northside has some young adults who are not in a formal educational environment and transitioned directly into the workforce. These students and families represent a diverse cross-section of the community.

The ideal candidate would recognize and rise to the challenge of designing a student ministry that builds bridges to the widely diverse “communities” that exist in our church and our neighborhood. Your efforts would be supported by the generous resources of our church budget, our committed lay volunteers, and great campus facilities.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Lead the student ministry at Northside Church in a manner that upholds the Northside Statement of Faith.
2. Plan and execute biblically accurate and culturally relevant teaching.
3. Develop and design student programs, including Sunday School, Sunday Evening programming, Wednesday evening programming, and special events.
4. Recruit, train, and oversee teachers, leaders, and interns for student ministry.
5. Select materials and supplies for student ministries.
6. Oversee promotion and publicity of student ministries, including but not limited to Student Ministry social media channels, Constant Contact, Remind App, and others.
7. Plan student opportunities for spiritual growth by involving them in outreach ministry, Discovery retreats, Chrysalis, etc.
8. Create opportunities for students to grow and serve experientially through local and international mission trips, community service projects, etc.
9. Build bridges between student life and the overall life of Northside Church, creating a pipeline of young leaders who can step into leadership.
10. Build and foster relationships with students through consistent communication via social media, text, attending their school activities, etc.
11. Ensure all youth leaders, workers, volunteers, etc. are trained on the Safe Sanctuary program.
12. Oversee the ministry to those in their first year of post-secondary education programs, helping with the transition to college/trade schools/career.
13. Collaborate with other pastors and directors to carry out the church’s strategic initiatives to effectively accomplish the mission and vision of the church.
14. Maintain strict confidentiality.
15. Seek opportunities for educational and/or visionary learning activities to further the mission of the church.
16. Develop and manage the Student Ministry budget according to Northside’s Finance Policy and Guidelines.
17. Create an environment that attracts students who currently do not participate in the student ministry.
18. Create a strategic plan to reach out to, engage, and collaborate with each Middle School and High School Campus.
19. Perform other duties as assigned.

Strengths & Skillset

• A personal relationship with Jesus and a passion for reaching students.
• Strong leader with a solid work ethic.
• Excitement for creating and implementing new ideas.
• Effective communicator (verbal, written, and body language).
• Vision caster who is able to clearly communicate what could be and how people can be a part of it.
• Ability to prioritize and manage own work and the work of others to effectively and efficiently accomplish tasks with excellence.
• Proven track record of leading a successful and growing student ministry.
• Bachelor’s Degree or in a field relevant to student ministries from an accredited college, university, or seminary or commensurate experience.
• Strong cultural competence and the ability to minister effectively in a multi-ethnic, culturally diverse setting.
• A team player mentality with a commitment to the unity of the staff team and church.