Director of Student Ministries
/At St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, we are an open community of Christians helping people find and give hope through Jesus Christ. We are committed to our community on the northside of Indianapolis and have seen our reach grow regionally and beyond through our digital presence. With a membership of over 6,000 we are the largest United Methodist Church (UMC) in Indiana and one of the largest in the U.S. People are attracted to St. Luke’s for our values: Our commitment to live the mission of the UMC, “To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world” and living the Christian faith in a way that is open to everyone - regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, nationality, disability, or socioeconomic background. As a church we are working to ensure that our congregation and its leadership represent the diversity of the community in which we are located. We are dedicated to including women, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ as staff and in positions of leadership and decision making. We invite you to join us.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Director of Student Ministries gets to make God real for students by connecting faith to the questions we’re asking in the most formative years of our lives. Our ministry spans 5th through 12th grade and is extended by our support of college students while they are away. We have a vision for growth, launching a second campus 6 months ago and believing that opportunities exist for us with the upcoming divide in the UMC (we’ll stay UMC – no question), and for online ministry. In May of 2023, we invited Ministry Architects to assess our Student Ministry and provide recommendations on areas of focus for our team and our next leader. We seek a collaborative leader with experience casting vision to students and parents, a willingness to experiment and evaluate strategies, and a track-record of empowering teens and adults to live their faith with conviction and grace.
In 2-3 years, success for this person/ministry area would look like:
● A clear vision for student ministry that integrates with our emerging multi-site model and discipleship process. This communicates our why and how to families (and their role in faith formation) and provides clarity for future staffing and facility needs.
● Growth in the number of students engaged. We’ve averaging 104 students per week and believe that number should be over 150 and approaching 175. (Per Ministry Architects’ Report)
● Continuing the strong engagement from small group leaders and volunteers so that every student has another adult investing in their life.
● Developing a stronger culture of service, where teens can use their gifts in worship and other areas of ministry throughout our church and community.
● Greater parent engagement, where their growth in faith fuels that of their families.
RESPONSIBILITIES
● Own the vision for our student ministry. Work collaboratively with our Student Ministry Council to shape programing that generates an eagerness for teens to engage.
a. Develop a vision for the next 3-5 years that incorporates our Ministry Architect’s Assessment, our Student Ministry Council, and feedback we’ve gathered from our volunteers, parents, and families. We expect that this vision results in growth.
b. Ensure we are creating a “Sticky Faith” environment that cultivates faith in our students and that honors our values of diversity, inclusion, and openness.
c. Continue the strong engagement and retention of small group leaders and volunteers.
d. Have in your vision students and families not engaged in student ministry and how we might serve them.
● Organize the work of the student ministry team, providing the direction, structure, and oversight necessary to create a highly effective team that achieves our goals.
a. Assure team ownership of the vision, strategies, and outcomes of our programming and help each team member see how their gifts and perspective contribute to our success.
b. Manage the day-to-day “business” of the youth department—budget, communications, facilities, fundraisers, scholarship funds, etc.
c. Build effective volunteer leadership teams, including Student Leadership Teams.
d. Supervise direct reports: Associate Director of Youth Ministry (Full-Time), Youth Ministries Administrative Assistant (Half-Time), and Volunteer Staff (Varies). Provide direction to dotted line reports: Special Needs Coordinator and Midtown Campus Staff.
e. Lead our Summer Internship Program (generally 1-2 students).
● Build a culture of collaboration to foster wholistic discipleship for students and families. Create intentional bridges in and out of student ministry, connect students to worship and serving opportunities, and help other ministries meet the needs of parents and families for connection, growth in faith, and service.
a. Work with the Pastor of Discipleship and colleagues (Director of Kids, Director of Outreach & Justice, etc.) to align our milestones of faith and program offerings with our discipleship process. This will create new opportunities for adults to develop their own faith and for families to serve together.
b. Work with the Director of Kids’ Ministry to design seamless transitions for kids from one ministry to another (currently 4th to 5th grade) and to have older students serve with our kids’ programming.
c. Identify and develop the gifts and talents of our students and work to deploy them within the broader context of St. Luke’s congregation and ministry areas.
d. Respond compassionately to students, families, and adult leaders; intentionally seek to build relationships with others, provide care, pray with and for students, creatively meet students where they are, and remain accessible and approachable by students.
● Ensure compliance with our Safe Sanctuaries program to keep students and volunteers safe.
● Model a Christ-filled life, maintaining appropriate boundaries with work and others, caring for self, and growing in faith and in profession.
● Attend Worship, weekly Staff Chapel, Department Meetings, and be an active team member and participant in the life of St. Luke’s UMC.
QUALIFICATIONS
Demonstrate passion about the Christian faith, actively seek to grow in personal relationship with God, and be committed to the mission and purpose of St. Luke’s.
● College Degree and at least 3-5 years of experience leading a Youth Ministry.
● Experience in leading change and growth in organizations.
● Experience in managing staff and volunteer teams.
● The ability to communicate faith in specific and age-appropriate ways.
● Excellent organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
● Effective decision-making skills.
● A willingness to have fun!
● Scheduling flexibility required. (Sunday is a normal workday, flexibility is needed for trips, retreats, and other activities.)
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
TO APPLY
St. Luke’s has partnered with Ministry Architects on the search for our next Director of Student Ministries. If you have interest in this position, please contact Renée Wilson at renee.wilson@ministryarchitects.com.
Ministry Architects will begin reviewing applications immediately. Our prayerful hope is to have a new director in place as we start the fall semester.
Applicants should visit
director_of_student_ministries_.pdf (https://leadershipvitality.wufoo.com/cabinet/e7fe1e28-5e97-4a6d-97ed-408fbcdb146c)