Job Description

We believe kids and students are not just the future of the church, they are the church, and we want to create engaging environments where they can experience God’s love, take steps in their faith, and use their gifts and talents to lead and serve. Willow Creek Community Church is an egalitarian non-denominational, multi-site church in and across Chicagoland passionate about helping people take next steps to love God, love people, and change the world. Our church is a place where you can make a significant impact for God's kingdom based on how He has uniquely designed you, leading the people around you to become more like Jesus and showing the tangible love of Jesus both locally and globally.

As the Willow Kids pastor you will champion the small group driven vision and Orange strategy for children's programming for infants-5th grade at Willow Wheaton in alignment with the overall mission, vision, and strategies of the campus and the Central Willow Kids team. This includes providing a dynamic weekend experience, training and empowering volunteers, and supporting and equipping families. In addition, you will collaborate with the central kids team and campus leadership to set the direction, vision, goals, and initiatives of the ministry and contribute as a key part of the overall vision for the campus. This role has dual reporting lines to both the Associate Campus Pastor and the Central Willow Kids Director.

The salary range for this position is around $44,000 - $60,000 depending on experience and skill set. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, retirement savings plan with company match, parental leave, generous paid time off, mental health counseling reimbursement, tuition reimbursement and more.

Job Responsibilities

• Work with the Central Kids Director and Next Gen team to execute curriculum for weekend experiences and small groups, plan for major events, and develop best practices around protection, volunteer and parent engagement.
• Develop collaborative relationships with all the Willow Kids Pastors at each campus and establish strong channels of communication with leadership and peers, serving as the primary advocate between your campus staff and central staff.
• Oversee, develop, and support the Kids Set-Up Staff Team to ensure excellent and safe environments for kids who attend on weekends.
• Ensure commitment to Willow Kids central alignment policies.
• Recruit, train, and develop a highly engaged and motivated volunteer team, ensuring they are well enlisted, equipped, empowered, and encouraged.
• Support and uphold the risk and protection policies, including correct minimum kid to leader ratios and volunteer protection requirements to deliver a safe experience for every child in the ministry.
• Plan and manage the budget for your ministry, utilizing resources effectively to achieve maximum impact.
• Serve as the primary support to all parents of young children at the campus as they help their kids take their next steps with God.

Staff Values:

• Believing the Best | Trust is our default
• Commit to Candor | Kindness is our way
• Embrace Challenge | Grit is our style
• Setting the Tone | Joy is our attitude
• Choose Unity | Diversity is our strength

Success is Defined As…

A thriving kids ministry where creativity and innovation are fostered, staff and volunteers are equipped and encouraged, and the kids of Willow know they are loved by God.

Preferred Skills and Experience

Skills/Competencies:

• Team Building - can build teams and identify high capacity leaders to build more teams.
• Developer - proven track record of developing leaders.
• Talent Scout - always on the lookout for new leaders and volunteers
• Total Quality Manager -- looking for ways to improve; sensitive to misses; committed to excellence.
• Cheerleader - encouraging volunteers and staff constantly.
• Solution Specialist -- able to identify problems and find solutions.
• Pastoring - has a heart to care deeply for your staff, parents, leaders, volunteers and kids.
• Organizing - can effectively manage details personally, and recruit others to do the same.
• Conflict Management - able to navigate tough conversations in a healthy and helpful way.

Personal Characteristics:

• Self-starter - ability to own a project and run with it.
• Learner- Someone who desires continued growth in their area of ministry.
• Innovative - Seeks out new ideas and is unafraid to fail.
• Collaborative & Team Player - Loves working with others and assumes the best in each other
• Team Mobilizer- Able to build effective teams
• Self Aware - Knows their own strengths and weaknesses and is moving towards health, exemplifies humility and confidence
• Encourager- Able to see the good in others and is intentional in affirming it.
• Approachable- Is warm, inviting and easy to get along with.
• High Emotional Intelligence - Intuitive about others emotions and able to respond appropriately.
• Hard working - Is aware of the importance of their role and works hard to do their best.
• Effective communicator - Able to give and receive healthy feedback
• Loves kids, loves students - Feels passionate about ministering to kids and students
• Jesus Follower - Lives a life of integrity and pursues a personal relationship with Jesus.
• Regularly attends or is willing to attend a Willow Creek Community Church campus

Education and Experience:

• Undergrad degree or higher preferred (or equivalent kids ministry experience)
• Served in a leadership position at a church or campus preferred
• Proven experience leading teams
• Experience working with kids (birth-5th grade)
• Experience caring for and shepherding others

Job Tags

Similar Jobs