Student Pastor

Acts 29; Renton, Northern (WA, KY); Hybrid; USD 73,000 - 122,000; Full time

Job summary

Highlands Community Church in Renton, WA seeks a Student Pastor to oversee ministry to middle and high school students and their families. You will provide leadership, teaching, strategy, and pastoral care to help students grow as followers of Jesus and connect meaningfully to the life of the church.

The role requires biblical/theological conviction, strong teaching skills, and a heart for parents. You will recruit and train volunteers, develop a ministry calendar, and ensure safety while

Qualifications

• Character and spiritual maturity aligned with Highlands’ values
• Strong biblical and theological convictions in line with Highlands’ Statement of Faith and evangelical framework
• Ability to teach Scripture clearly and age-appropriately to students
• Love for students and families, with a heart to disciple and equip parents
• Experience in pastoral leadership, recruiting/training volunteers and staff
• Clear, effective communication in public teaching and written form
• Entrepreneurial spirit with willingness to innovate and improve ministry
• Relational presence and ability to build trust with students, families, and volunteers
• Commitment to integrating students into worship, service, and overall church life
• Understanding and adherence to safety policies and procedures

Responsibilities

• Provide gospel-centered biblical teaching for middle and high school students.
• Develop and implement a clear ministry strategy and annual calendar.
• Recruit, train, lead, and care for adult volunteers.
• Connect students into small groups for support and discipleship.
• Communicate regularly with parents and equip them to disciple at home.
• Plan and lead camps and retreats to support discipleship goals.
• Maintain high safety standards and enforce policies.
• Provide leadership and pastoral care to Student Ministry staff.
• Create welcoming environments where students invite friends not connected to church.
• Help students participate in worship, service, relationships, and mission of the church.

Skills

Character

Biblical and Theological Conviction

Bible Teaching

Calling to Students and Families

Pastoral Leadership

Communication

Initiative and Creativity

Relational Presence

Church Integration

Commitment to Integrity and Safety

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Job description

JOB OVERVIEW

Planted in 1946, Highlands Community Church is a non-denominational, multi-generational church on the eastside of Seattle committed to helping people find and follow Jesus.

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.

WhatWe’reLooking For

• Character //Someone who enjoys God, loves people, and is passionate about serving in the local church. Cherishing the gospel,demonstratingthe 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 TGC stream of evangelicalism, bothin regard totheology, 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 onlyparticipatein 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.

Job Description

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 studentsparticipatein the worship, service, relationships, and mission of the broader church.

Education + Experience

• ABachelor’sdegree isrequired.
• AMaster’sdegree in relatedfieldis preferred.
• 5+years experienceworking in a church ministry setting strongly preferred.

About Our Community

Highlandsis located inRenton, 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 Range

$72,500-$122,000

Contact email address: [e-mail]