Youth Pastor

About Us Who We Are

Crossroads Church is a come-as-you-are church full of youthful families and deeply committed to our mission of helping people love God and love others through faith in Jesus Christ. We are passionate about being involved in our community and creating a welcoming place where people from every stage of life and every point along their spiritual journey can belong and grow.

At Crossroads, we seek to help people journey with Jesus through our discipleship pathway of Gather, Grow, and Go; encouraging people to encounter God and connect with one another, become more like Jesus, and serve others both locally and globally.

Monticello, IL is a welcoming and growing small town in East Central Illinois known for strong schools, a safe community, and a family friendly atmosphere. Located between Decatur and Champaign-Urbana, it offers small town living with convenient access to larger city resources and opportunities.

Crossroads Church began in 2004 when several local families partnered with Grace Church in Mahomet, IL to plant a church in Monticello. The church quickly grew from meeting in a hotel to moving into its current facility in 2007. Through every chapter of its story, Crossroads has remained committed to helping people meet, know, and follow Jesus.

The Youth Pastor leads and develops the student ministry (middle school and high school) in alignment with the mission and discipleship pathway of Crossroads Church.

This role centers on helping students follow Jesus in a real and growing way as they learn to walk with him personally and together with others. The aim is to see students become mature disciples of Jesus who are rooted in the gospel, engaged in the life of the church, and prepared to follow Christ faithfully into the next season of life.

• Students who are exploring faith are welcomed to gather, experience community, and begin considering the claims of Christ.
• Students who trust in Jesus learn to gather and grow, developing spiritual foundations and rhythms of walking with him.
• Students who are maturing are challenged to gather, grow, and go, stepping into ownership, service, and emerging leadership.

• Plan and lead weekly student gatherings that are biblically grounded and engaging.
• Provide both outreach-oriented and discipleship-focused environments.
• Create spaces where students feel welcomed, known, and connected.
• Ensure teaching is clear, relevant, and faithful to Scripture.

• Recruit, train, and shepherd a team of adult leaders to assist in the ministry.
• Equip leaders to build relationships, disciple students, and lead effectively.

• Build relationships with students “where they live” in the community, including schools and local events.
• Create discipleship environments that are accessible to unchurched students.
• Encourage students to live on mission in their everyday lives.

• Partner with parents as the primary spiritual influencers in their students’ lives.
• Communicate clearly and consistently with families.
• Provide encouragement and support as families disciple their students.

• Cultivate healthy and ongoing communication with students and parents through appropriate personal, digital, and social media interaction.
• Regularly share meaningful updates and testimonies of what God is doing within the student ministry with church leadership and the broader church body.

• Participate in the overall ministry life of the church.
• Collaborate with staff and leadership to advance the mission.
• Preach or teach occasionally as opportunities arise.
• Support the development of Crossroads Life Groups (small groups) in alignment with the church’s discipleship pathway.

• As the student ministry becomes healthy and established, begin exploring opportunities for broader next generation ministry development, including ministry to young adults (college age and early…