Church- Middle School Pastor

About the Middle School Pastor

The Middle School Pastor at Real Life Christian Church is a compassionate shepherd who prioritizes authentic relationships and genuine connection over simply running a program. At the heart of this role is a passion for the “Jesus > everything” discipleship model, which comes to life by actively knowing and caring for 6th through 8th‑grade students so they truly feel seen and loved.

Rather than just hosting events, this pastor serves as a leader of leaders, pouring energy into equipping dedicated adult volunteers and partnering deeply with parents. Ultimately, the goal is to foster a fun, welcoming community where middle schoolers can build a solid foundation in Christ and transition seamlessly into high school with a lasting, vibrant faith.

• Recruit, onboard, and train dedicated adult volunteer leaders to disciple students through personal connection and relationship.
• Foster genuine relationships with students and parents to help them live out the “Jesus > everything” discipleship model.
• Develop and deliver engaging weekly gatherings for students, both on Sunday mornings and during mid‑week small groups.
• Plan, execute, and evaluate successful ministry events, including camps, retreats, and serving opportunities.
• Provide pastoral care and specific resources to students, leaders, and families who are experiencing a crisis.
• Follow up with newcomers to ensure guests are intentionally welcomed and quickly connected to both peers and Jesus.
• Model biblical priorities by consistently spending personal time in God’s Word and prayer.
• Collaborate with other ministry directors to help middle school students serve regularly inside the church walls.
• Select, prepare, and teach relevant curriculum tailored specifically for middle school students.
• Ensure a safe environment by requiring volunteer background checks, collecting student liability forms, and actively avoiding dangerous activities.
• Communicate the ministry’s vision clearly to parents and students while promoting upcoming meetings, events, and local or overseas trips.
• Work seamlessly alongside the High School Director to smoothly transition older middle schoolers into the High School Ministry.
• Partner with the Children’s Ministry Director to help create intentional transitions and connections for incoming 6th‑grade students.

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Middle School Pastor:

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
• 3 or more years of relevant experience in a church setting.

• Volunteer Development: Ability to recruit, onboard, and train adult volunteer teams to effectively disciple students.
• Event Management: Skill in creating, planning, executing, and evaluating successful ministry events, retreats, and camps.
• Curriculum Selection & Teaching: Knowledge and ability to appropriately select, prepare, and teach curriculum tailored for middle school students.
• Strategic Alignment: Ability to align the student ministry’s vision, small groups, and overall programming with overarching church strategies and values.
• Administrative Ability: Strong administrative skills, including the ability to plan the ministry budget and responsibly monitor financial spending.
• Pastoral Care: Ability to provide pastoral care and direct appropriate resources to students and families navigating times of crisis.
• Public Speaking & Communication: Skill in communicating relationally to both large and small groups, and the ability to cast ministry vision with clarity and conviction.
• Technical Proficiency: Good technical skills for operating computers, sound boards, and lighting equipment.
• Safety & Compliance Knowledge: Understanding of safety protocols, including managing volunteer background checks, ensuring student liability release forms are completed, and avoiding dangerous activities.
• Small Group Oversight & Discipleship Planning: Ability to organize small groups and implement targeted discipleship paths, such as creating a specific 8th‑grade plan to prepare students for high school.
• Cross-Ministry
  
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