I happen to see this ad for a youth pastor and I don’t like it. The first half of the ad went through the entire history of the church, the progress of the city it was founded in Zzzzzzzzzzzz, Hey! Wake up, I’m writing here. See what I mean. I don’t know who they are targeting in this ad but whoever it just fell asleep before they got to the really bad parts. That may be a good thing.
In the middle of the ad were these statements, and along with the introduction, make for a terrible pitch to work at their church. I have not linked the article or named the church because my intention is not to be mean but rather to express my feelings about the ad and maybe to help anyone posting an ad like this to come up with a better way to attract who they really want or need.
Church is seeking a Pastor of Student Ministries and Young adults to lead students (grades 6-12 and post-high school through age 23) into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ by providing strategic leadership to the staff and volunteers
It starts off good. The ad clearly states what the hired persons responsibilities would be but it takes special people to handle the 19-21 year old range.
The successful candidate will be a strategist, able not only to envision the desired results, but also able to put together a plan for how to achieve those results.
A strategist. I like the word but I haven’t many youth workers who would consider themselves a strategist. It sounds like you’d be hearing about BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) or SMART GOALS in staff meetings. Shiver!
They will also be a compelling communicator able to teach in a way that leaves people with the desire to hear more and inspires students to bring their friends back to listen as well.
They are definitely wanting to grow. It sounds little desperate with the “bring their friends back” line. I mean, if your preaching the gospel this would be a natural desire and result. Now, I don’t know what the salary would be but if you’re a dynamic communicator you’ll know whether what they are paying is worth your time or if they simply want something for nothing (and it sounds like they do)
The successful candidate should be a connector, possessing a love for networking and meeting new people as well as fun, able to tell a good joke and doesn’t take themselves too seriously.
Wait as a sec. You want a strategist and goal driven person who can tell a good joke and doesn’t take themselves too seriously? I’m not saying this person does not exist but it sounds you want to hire a schizophrenic or someone who is bi-polar. It sounds like this hire would be so busy being strategic and the pressure to perform so crushing I don’t think a person with a great sense of humor would last too long here. O.k., I would not last too long here.
They should be competitive, persistent and unyielding when it comes to achieving personal and/or team goals as well as a proven leader, possessing a history of leading, growing, and managing a healthy ministry with students and young adults.
Again with the conflicted request. Don’t take yourself too seriously but be competitive? ( I read as cut-throught) . They are looking for a CEO not a pastor. They want to hire a retired, 55 year old man living off his 401k with a history of building great companies.
The successful candidate will have an eye for talent/giftedness and will enjoy seeing the team succeed. A bachelor’s degree is required.
Not only will they need a bachelor’s degree but a host of medications to keep their sanity and keep up with this church. The article did not say the size of the church but it sounds like this church is struggling and it thinks the answer is to hire a business man rather than a Pastor.
The greatest grievance I see in this ad for a youth pastor is that the church offers nothing. It says what it wants and what it needs but does not share what it will do to support the candidate, etc. They are definitely not looking to hire a Millennial. In other words,
Your Turn
Would you apply for this job? Why
What are some other things you spot that makes you leery of this position?