Director of Youth Ministry

The Director of Youth Ministry helps oversee and carry out the youth ministry mission to Love God, Love Others, and Live Weird. This position is responsible for creating a collaborative environment between the youth, their parents and the adult leader teams to nurture the spiritual formation of this age group, with the ultimate goal being to help the youth form into the image of Christ. They will be responsible for the oversight and have a very active hand in Sunday Morning youth programs, Sunday evening youth group activities, midweek small group Bible studies, mission trips, and retreats. They also have direct oversight and responsibility for the paid youth staff and adult leadership teams. This job description should not be interpreted as all inclusive. It is intended to identify the major responsibilities and requirements of this job. The incumbents may be requested to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this job description and should perform all job duties in alignment with the following mission and vision statement and with the beliefs of the United Methodist Church Book of Discipline.

Vision Statement: Seek first the Kingdom of God and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.

Mission: To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Work together with pastoral staff members to ensure a smooth implementation and integration of youth ministries with other ministries of the church.

• Be involved in teens’ lives as their pastor — establishing healthy and spiritually fruitful relationships with teens to equip them to love God and others.

• Recruit, strengthen and nurture an adult leadership team which meets regularly, comprised of motivated and equipped parents/adults.

• Provide on-going opportunities for discipleship, service and outreach, maximizing an intergenerational approach to ministry.

• Oversee the programmatic needs of teaching, training, budget, event participation, and risk management/Safe Sanctuary management as it relates to youth ministry.

• Connects regularly with youth and families outside scheduled programming including school, sports activities and informal meetups.

• Complying with and overseeing the Youth staff and adult leadership team’s compliance with Safe Sanctuary Guidelines.

• Seek opportunities to connect in new ways with the community where our youth and families are present and involved.

• Responsible for equipping and resourcing parents to be spiritual leaders for their families through offering regular classes, training, and resources.

• Ensuring regular communication to parents and youth through weekly email newsletter and various social media platforms.

• Oversee the outreach, implementation and development of college aged outreach.

• Network with area/regional ministries who share a common purpose in ministry.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• 5-7 years of youth ministry experience, preferably in the same age group within a church or a parachurch organization.

• A vibrant and growing relationship with Jesus Christ with evidence of a contagious love for the lost.

• A discernment of call from God to youth ministry.

• Ability to lead, develop, and evaluate staff members to grow and develop as youth ministers.

• A commitment to team focused ministry with the pastoral and church staff and congregational leadership.

• Managing multiple ministry projects and meet deadlines.

• Set annual youth ministry goals and benchmarks to ensure clear direction and expectations.

• Creating and delivering engaging messages and facilitating small group conversations.

• Fully embraces Franklin First United Methodist’s mission, vision and values.

• The desire and willingness to be a member of the church staff team and to grow relationally in ministry with and to them.

• Member of United Methodist Church or demonstrates knowledge of and belief in Wesleyan theology and organization.

• Models being a disciple of Jesus through actions, words and lifestyle.

• Embraces a collaborative approach and works well in a team environment.

• Bible Knowledge and the Ability to Translate It

Physical Requirements:

• Essential physical tasks include driving, stooping, bending, lifting, and transporting up to 50 pounds.

Franklin First United Methodist Church is a vibrant and growing congregation located on 105 beautiful acres just north of historic downtown Franklin, Tennessee. Since our founding in 1799, we’ve been deeply rooted in the community and committed to sharing God’s love through worship, service, and meaningful relationships.

We offer three dynamic worship services each Sunday, along with flourishing children’s and youth ministries. Our outreach includes impactful mission efforts—like our Giving Garden, which grows and donates over 20,000 pounds of fresh produce each year to help feed our neighbors in need.

Many who visit Franklin First say it feels like coming home. We work hard to create a church where everyone is known, valued, and encouraged to grow deeper in their faith while finding meaningful ways to serve.