Job Details
Job Description:
The Student Pastor oversees ministry to middle school and high school students and their families. This person will provide the leadership, teaching, strategy, and pastoral care necessary to help students grow as followers of Jesus and become meaningfully connected to the life of the church.
What We’re Looking For:
Character // Someone who enjoys God, loves people, and is passionate about serving in the local church. Cherishing the gospel, demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit, and relating well to people matter most in this role.
Biblical and Theological Conviction // Someone with established theological convictions who is strongly aligned with Highlands’ Statement of Faith and feels at home in the The Gospel Coalition stream of evangelicalism, both in regard to theology, ministry, and cultural engagement.
Bible Teaching // Someone who loves Scripture and can communicate it to students in a clear, engaging, age-appropriate, and theologically faithful way.
Calling to Students and Families // Someone who genuinely enjoys students, understands their world, and is energized by helping them find and follow Jesus. This person should also value parents and desire to equip them as the primary spiritual influence in their children’s lives.
Pastoral Leadership // Someone who leads through others and enjoys recruiting, training, coaching, encouraging, and caring for adult volunteers and ministry staff.
Communication // Someone who communicates clearly and effectively in public teaching, written communication, conversations with parents and volunteers, and collaboration with church staff.
Initiative and Creativity // Someone with an entrepreneurial spirit who is hardworking, creative, and willing to build, evaluate, and improve ministry.
Relational Presence // Someone who is approachable and able to build trust with students, parents, volunteers, staff, elders, and the broader congregation.
Church Integration // Someone who believes students should not only participate in Student Ministry programming but should also be meaningfully connected to the worship, relationships, service, and mission of the whole church.
Commitment to Integrity and Safety // Someone who understands the importance of safety policies and procedures and is deeply committed to following and reinforcing them with integrity.
Primary Responsibilities
- Provide clear, engaging, gospel-centered biblical teaching for middle school and high school students.
- Develop and implement a clear ministry strategy and annual calendar that helps students grow in their faith.
- Recruit, train, lead, and care for adult volunteers.
- Connect students into small groups where they are known, supported, and discipled.
- Communicate regularly with parents and equip them to disciple their children at home.
- Plan and lead camps, retreats, and other key events that support the ministry’s discipleship goals.
- Maintain the highest standards of safety and ensure all policies and procedures are consistently followed.
- Provide clear leadership, development, and pastoral care to Student Ministry staff.
- Create welcoming environments where students feel comfortable inviting friends who are not connected to a church.
- Help students participate in the worship, service, relationships, and mission of the broader church.
Education + Experience
A Bachelor’s degree is required.
A Master’s degree in related field is preferred.
5+ years experience working in a church ministry setting strongly preferred.
About Our Community
Highlands is located in Renton, Washington on the east side of Seattle, near Lake Washington and within easy reach of Seattle, Bellevue, and communities throughout South King County. The region offers access to mountains, hiking trails, Puget Sound, and the cultural opportunities of the greater Seattle area. Our surrounding communities are economically, culturally, and ethnically diverse. This creates a tremendous opportunity for gospel ministry.
Salary: $72,500-$122,000
