General Ministry & Job Description:
To effectively lead and develop Lakeshore Students for Middle School (grades 6-8) & High School (grades 9-12) with the goal of helping students know God through a relationship with Jesus Christ and make a difference in their world. To identify and develop ministry team volunteers and leaders to do the work of the ministry. To perform pastoral responsibilities as needed for the larger church.
Big Four:
- Discipleship of Middle School students.
- Discipleship of High School students.
- Development of adult ministry volunteers/leaders.
- Pastoral responsibilities.
Position Responsibilities & Vision:
- Advance the mission of Lakeshore Students to help more students come to know God through a relationship with Jesus Christ and make a difference in the world around them.
- Program Wednesday gatherings, Sunday Bible studies, and special events for students so they are fun, engaging, and effective at reaching students at various stages of spiritual maturity.
- Select teaching curricula that is biblically accurate, has engaging content, and addresses the felt needs of students and their unsaved friends.
- Identify, raise up, and develop volunteers and leaders who help carry out the ministry to students. The Student Pastor must be a leader of leaders.
- Continually develop our student small groups so more students are connected to caring, adult leaders and are consistently challenged to take the next step in their relationship with Jesus.
- Ensure consistent and effective communication with the parents of students.
- Steward and manage the ministry’s annual budget.
- Perform pastoral responsibilities outside of the student ministry such as the occasional wedding, funeral, and other pastoral care activities.
- Report directly to the Executive Pastor.
Personal Abilities & Skills:
- Organizational and administrative abilities to plan effective events and coordinate volunteers.
- Strong giftedness and confidence in public teaching and preaching.
- Ability to continually recruit, train, develop, and unleash a growing team of adult volunteers.
- A consistent self-starter who is willing to accept responsibility for the success of their ministry.
- Strong ability to work with people of various temperaments, gifts, passions, & church backgrounds.
- Ability to communicate effectively with students, parents, leaders, & staff members.
- Desire to work closely with people and staff to develop meaningful friendships with them.
- Creative abilities to regularly think “outside the box” and be a “calculated risk taker”.
Spiritual Gifts & Passion Areas:
- Leadership
- Administration
- Teaching
- Shepherding
Personal Qualifications:
- Experience: Minimum 2-year’s experience in a similar role.
- Education: Minimum 4-year degree from an accredited college, preferably with a Bible degree.
- An intimate & authentic relationship with God exemplified by a deep love for people.
- Striving to live with integrity and honesty in all areas.
- Regular observance of spiritual growth disciplines: Bible reading/study, prayer, Sabbath, solitude, journaling, accountable relationships.
- Has experience within an attractional philosophy of ministry.
- Decisions marked by a genuine faith and trust in God.
- Biblical leadership of the family, with intentional focus on living authentically at home and church.
- Possesses a teachable spirit and attitude.
Compensation Package:
$50,000 - $65,000 (Salary + Medical Benefits)
Paid Time Off
ABOUT LAKESHORE STUDENTS
Lakeshore Students is a ministry dedicated to helping students to know God through a relationship with Jesus Christ, and make a difference in their world. It is an extension of the larger church and has a heart to reach students who may not feel comfortable with church or have no church background whatsoever. Lakeshore Students ministry happens in the following context. To get all the details on this position and Lakeshore Community Church, visit https://www.lakeshorechurch.org/studentpastor
Wednesday Evening:
Lakeshore's Middle School and High School students come together on Wednesday evenings, averaging around 30 students weekly. Relational connection, practical teaching, and small group conversations are the core that makes up this gathering. There is a combined teaching time followed by small groups divided by age and gender.
Sunday Morning:
In addition Lakeshore Students offers an in-depth Bible study during the 11am service on Sundays for both Middle School and High School students who want to GO deeper in their understanding of the Bible and GROW deeper in their faith.
Small Groups:
The leaders of Lakeshore Students have invested time and energy developing small groups for students. This is where students deepen their connection with one another, with their adult Small Group Leaders, and learn how to apply their faith in the world they live in.
Special Events:
Lakeshore Students also holds special events that create a fun, safe place for students to invite their friends who may not normally attend church. These are scheduled throughout the year and include things like Capture The Flag, Youth Connect Overnight, Corn Maze, Ice Skating, etc.
Missions:
Regular missions trips is a part of the strategy for Lakeshore Students. Having done multiple Global and Local missions trips, Lakeshore knows the value of supporting our Missions Partners by sending adults and students on short term missions trips. Our adults and students get to work with our missionaries by serving people and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as they are exposed to other cultures and realities outside of Rochester.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
Lakeshore is eager to get behind a Student Pastor with a strong drive to advance the mission of Lakeshore Students and continue building on the strong foundation that was built over the last five years. They are looking for a Student Pastor who can build into the core group of students, creating an exciting, fun, and life-changing atmosphere where students can invite and bring their friends.
A STRONG CORE
The volunteers who are serving in Lakeshore Students are the reason why the ministry is going strong! They are a passionate group with a huge heart for students. They are ready for a Student Pastor who is a Leader of Leaders and is excited to further develop the team and unleash them to do the work of the ministry.
NEW SPACE, NEW BRANDING
In 2019, Lakeshore added a 1,600 square foot Large Gathering Space onto the existing Lakeshore Student classrooms, for a total of 3,160 square feet of dedicated student space. This new space allows Students to gather for worship, teaching, fun activities, and special events. Simultaneously, a new Lakeshore Students brand was revealed giving Lakeshore Students their own clean, fresh, and exciting identity within the larger Lakeshore community.
A HEART FOR THE LOST
Because of the demographics of Lakeshore, we are reaching families who are far from God. This means many of the students who attend Lakeshore Students’ gatherings come with an unchurched background. Lakeshore Students is the ministry for a Student Pastor who has a special heart for those who don't have a churched background. This can make ministry at times more messy, but definitely a lot more exciting and rewarding.
CONTACT US
Ready to take the next step? If, after prayerfully reviewing this information, you sense this role and Lakeshore’s culture could be a good fit for you, please click the blue APPLY NOW button at the top of the page to get the process started.
"How does the church reach people who may be interested in God but not necessarily in church?"
"How does God's truth change people's lives?"
These two questions are the driving force behind why Senior Pastor Vince DiPaola and his family decided to start Lakeshore Community Church in 1994. Rochester, NY is in desperate need of a church like Lakeshore, with less than 10% of people in the area identifying as Christian.
With 50% of first-time visitors at Lakeshore identifying as "not Christian," Lakeshore can say they are effectively answering the 2 questions that drove Pastor Vince to start the church. Today Lakeshore has grown to the mid 600’s in weekly attendance, with a beautiful 40,000+ square foot facility in the heart of Greece, NY (a suburb of Rochester) and a new student addition completed in 2019. The community truly views Lakeshore as a place for non-church types. It's common to hear stories of other church's members inviting their friends to Lakeshore instead of their own church because they believe it's a safer environment for their friends to hear the Gospel and get plugged into church.
Moving forward Lakeshore desires to continue being a driven, smart, family friendly church. They lead with down-to-earth teaching, make the depth and beauty of the gospel accessible, while compelling people to grow deeper in their walk with Christ.
LAKESHORE’S MISSION & VISION
Mission
To reach people who are indifferent towards Christianity and turn them into difference-makers who are fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ in our church.
Vision
We dream of helping people discover and develop a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
LAKESHORE LEADERSHIP
Vince DiPaola is the founding and Sr. Pastor of Lakeshore Community Church. His down-to-earth style of leading helps make church accessible to people in the Rochester, NY region. Vince is super like-able and fun, leading the staff of Lakeshore with enthusiasm, passion, and humility. Excelling in leadership, Vince enjoys developing people and then setting them free to lead. Lakeshore's staff is a team of hard workers, self-starters, and visionaries. They are passionate about what they do and love to have fun!
STAFF VALUES
1. We treat one another with respect and kindness.
2. We value open, honest communication.
3. What is said in a meeting, stays in the meeting, unless it is for public consumption.
4. We always have each other’s back until the other person is indefensible.
5. We value an open-door policy for all staff.
WHY ROCHESTER?
1. A great place to raise a family. Rochester has many highly rated schools and universities and there is excellent medical care throughout the region.
2. Super affordable housing. You get way more house and land for the dollar than compared to other places in New York.
3. A great local arts scene and dozens of festivals. Rochester boasts the Rochester International Jazz Festival, the Lilac Festival, The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and more.
4. Sailing, fishing, and jet-skiing on Lake Ontario; close proximity to mountains for skiing and hiking; and Rochester boasts one of the highest density of golf courses per capita in the US.
5. Rochester is a sports town offering Rochester Americans Ice Hockey, Rochester Red Wings Baseball, and Rochester Nighthawks Indoor Lacrosse. Plus Buffalo is only an hour or so away offering Buffalo Bills Football and Buffalo Sabres Ice Hockey.