Youth Pastor

Westminster Theological Seminary; St. Clair (MO); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Roots Church in St. Clair, Missouri seeks a Youth Pastor to shepherd rootsYOUTH for middle school and high school students, fostering a culture of love, discipleship, and spiritual growth. The role involves pastoral presence, teaching, and building healthy teams in a thriving church family.

Youth Pastor will lead with vision, partnering with parents and volunteers to create meaningful student experiences while modeling biblical truth and a commitment to excellence in all ministry operations.

Qualifications

• Experience leading youth ministry or equivalent.
• Ability to recruit, train, and sustain volunteers.
• Strong relational skills with students, parents, and volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Oversee rootsYOUTH for middle and high school students.
• Create a safe, welcoming, and spiritually meaningful environment for students.
• Teach and communicate in ways that connect with students and apply biblical truth.
• Build relationships with students through gatherings, events, and presence outside the church.
• Help students take next steps in faith, service, and spiritual maturity.
• Recruit, onboard, train, encourage, and pray for volunteers.
• Lead the rootsYOUTH team with clarity, consistency, and care.
• Develop leaders who own the ministry and maintain a healthy team culture.
• Plan ahead with the team and ensure gatherings are well-led and aligned with Roots Church.

Skills

Pastoral leadership

Volunteer development

Student mentorship

Communication with families

Team leadership

Job description

The Opportunity

Roots Church is seeking a Youth Pastor to lead and strengthen rootsYOUTH, our ministry to middle school and high school students.

Roots Church is looking for a leader who can pastor students, build strong volunteer teams, partner well with parents, and help create a ministry culture where students are loved, discipled, and equipped to follow Jesus.

Who We Are

Roots Church is a thriving, non‑denominational church in St. Clair, Missouri with a mission to be a church that truly cares for people.

We are a go‑big, all‑in church committed to seeing changed lives change lives. Our culture values excellence, honor, passion, generosity, Biblical truth, and meaningful community.

Roots is currently reaching 1,000 people every weekend, with strong momentum among young families. Our weekend experiences are growing, Roots Kids is thriving, small groups are strong, and our Dream Team culture continues to expand.

The Position

The Youth Pastor will provide pastoral leadership to rootsYOUTH, helping middle school and high school students grow in their relationship with Jesus, connect in meaningful community, and take next steps in faith, serving, and spiritual maturity.

rootsYOUTH currently serves students through a weekly Wednesday night gathering. The ministry has a committed volunteer team, great facilities, and significant growth potential.

This is an opportunity to step into a healthy, existing ministry and bring fresh leadership, pastoral presence, teaching, structure, and vision.

Primary Responsibilities

Lead rootsYOUTH with Vision and Pastoral Care

1. Oversee the ministry to middle school and high school students.
2. Create a safe, welcoming, fun, and spiritually meaningful environment where students can grow closer to Jesus.
3. Teach and communicate in a way that connects with students and helps them apply biblical truth to everyday life.
4. Build relationships with students through Wednesday gatherings, weekend experiences, events, and presence in their lives outside the church building.
5. Help students take next steps in faith, community, serving, and spiritual maturity.

Build and Develop Volunteer Leaders

1. Recruit, onboard, train, encourage, and pray for rootsYOUTH volunteers.
2. Lead the rootsYOUTH team with clarity, consistency, and care.
3. Develop leaders who take ownership of the ministry, care for students well, and help create a healthy team culture.
4. Plan ahead with the team, communicate clearly, and ensure volunteers are equipped for each gathering and event.
5. Create a culture where leaders are growing spiritually, relationally, and practically.

Partner with Parents and Families

1. Communicate consistently and professionally with parents and guardians.
2. Build trust with families by being accessible, responsive, and pastoral.
3. Support parents as they disciple their students and navigate challenges with wisdom and care.
4. Work with staff and ministry leaders to help families feel known, supported, and connected to the broader life of Roots Church.

Strengthen Systems, Structure, and Excellence

1. Oversee curriculum, teaching plans, gathering flow, supplies, purchases, and ministry environments for rootsYOUTH.
2. Ensure Wednesday gatherings and related ministry events are well‑planned, well‑led, and aligned with the culture of Roots Church.
3. Work within the annual ministry budget.
4. Maintain clean, organized, and excellent ministry spaces.
5. Help evaluate and improve systems, forms, processes, manuals, and team communication.

Staff and Church Engagement

1. Participate fully as a member of the Roots Church staff team.
2. Connect regularly with this role’s direct report, the Executive Pastor.
3. Attend weekly staff meetings, devotional rhythms, Dream Team Nights, Area Coach meetings, and key church gatherings.
4. Support the broader mission and culture of Roots Church.
5. Be present and engaged during weekend experiences and ministry events.
6. Model the values, language, culture, and expectations of Roots Church.

What Success Looks Like

A successful Youth Pastor at Roots will help create a ministry where:

1. Students feel known, loved, challenged, and excited to be part of rootsYOUTH.
2. Parents trust the ministry and feel supported.
3. Volunteers are consistent, equipped, encouraged, and growing.
4. The team takes ownership instead of waiting for one person to do everything.
5. Student gatherings are engaging, organized, and spiritually meaningful.
6. Students are taking next steps in their relationship with Jesus.
7. Future leaders are being identified, developed, and released.

At Roots, winning is not only about attendance. It is about shepherding people well, developing leaders, building healthy teams, and executing ministry with excellence.