Youth Ministry Associate

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & Preschool - Irvine, CA; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 36,000; Part time

Job summary

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is seeking a Youth Ministry Associate to nurture Junior High, Confirmation, and High School students through discipleship, mentorship, and meaningful connection with families. This role emphasizes relational ministry and focuses on female students' spiritual formation, working with staff to create safe, engaging environments.

The position requires building relationships, coordinating female-led groups, and supporting Sunday programming and winter camp.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience mentoring middle and high school students.
• Ability to build trust-based relationships with students, parents, and volunteers.
• Strong communication and organizational skills, including comfort with social media and basic administration.
• Availability for Sunday programming (morning and evening), select mid-week evenings, and key events including Winter Camp.
• Must pass a background check and complete safeguarding training.

Responsibilities

• Build meaningful relationships with Junior High, Confirmation, and High School students.
• Disciple and mentor students, with focus on spiritual formation and support of female students.
• Lead or facilitate female small groups, Bible studies, prayer, and age-appropriate discipleship conversations.
• Assist with prep for Sunday youth programming, including curriculum, supplies, room setup, activities, and follow-up.
• Welcome and follow up with new or less-connected students and connect them to the life of the church.
• Collaborate with the Communications Director for creation, scheduling, and promotion of social media content and other marketing initiatives.

Skills

Youth mentorship

Relationship building

Communication

Social media familiarity

Volunteer coordination

Tools

Facebook

Instagram

Job description

• Part-time, Hourly, Non-Exempt Position
• $23–26/hour, 15–20 hours per week

Job Description

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is seeking a Youth Ministry Associate to help cultivate a youth ministry that nurtures and plants seeds leading to resilient disciples. This individual will invest in Junior High, Confirmation, and High School students through discipleship, mentorship, and meaningful connection with students and their parents.

The right candidate is relationally driven and spiritually grounded, with a heart for students and a gift for creating environments where young people encounter and learn about the way of Jesus. This role carries focused responsibility for the spiritual formation and support of female students, and works alongside staff, volunteers, and families to build a ministry marked by trust, consistency, and care.

• Build meaningful, appropriate relationships with Junior High, Confirmation, and High School students
• Disciple and mentor students, with focused responsibility for the spiritual formation and support of female students
• Lead or facilitate female small groups, Bible studies, prayer, and age-appropriate discipleship conversations in Junior and High School Sunday programming
• Assist with prepping for Sunday youth programming, including curriculum, supplies, room setup, activities, and follow-up
• Welcome and follow up with new or less-connected students and connect them to the life of the church
• Collaborate with the Communications Director for the creation, scheduling, and promotion of social media content and other marketing initiatives

Ministry Events

• Attend a 3-day Winter Camp in January
• Assist in creating quarterly serve opportunities and community-building events, from planning through completion
• Participate in church-wide community-building events and complete responsibilities as scheduled
• Assist in mid-week evening programming as needed
• Assist in the organization of and attend the annual Confirmation banquet

Family & Servant Leader Support

• Develop positive relationships with congregation members to assist with ministry needs
• Help recruit, schedule, orient, equip, and encourage adult servant leaders and student leaders
• Support family ministry events, intergenerational opportunities, and appropriate church-wide events

Administrative & Team Support

• Maintain registrations, attendance, ministry records, calendars, schedules, receipts, and supply requests
• Collaborate with the Communications Director for the creation, scheduling, and promotion of social media content and other marketing initiatives
• Follow church policies for safeguarding, reporting, confidentiality, and healthy relational boundaries
• Collaborate with staff and ministry leaders and attend relevant meetings, training, and planning sessions as assigned

Organizational Structure

• Reports to the Youth Director
• Works closely with youth ministry staff, adult servant leaders, and student servant leaders
• Collaborates with the broader church staff team and ministry leaders as needed
• Supports the family and youth ministry of Good Shepherd

Qualifications

• A growing personal faith in Jesus and alignment with the mission and values of the church .
• 2+ years' experience working with or mentoring middle and high school students in a ministry, camp, school, or similar setting
• Ability to build appropriate, trust-based relationships with students, parents, and volunteers
• Strong communication and organizational skills, including comfort with social media and basic administration
• Availability for Sunday programming (morning and evening), select mid-week evenings, and key events including Winter Camp
• Dependable, coachable, and able to work collaboratively as part of a staff team
• Must pass a background check and complete required safeguarding training

Additional Information

All Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Staff:

• Love Jesus and call themselves Christians.
• Display Christ-like attitudes and behavior through personal conduct and lifestyle.
• Are Coachable and open to feedback and growth.
• Do Whatever It Takes to serve the mission of the church and support the team.
• Are actively Growing in Christ through their personal faith and participation in the life of the church.
• Create a Warm and Inviting environment for everyone who walks through our doors.
• Show accountability in their role and on the team.
• Exhibit a passion to build God’s Kingdom.
• Invest in Good Shepherd’s community of faith.