Student Director/Pastor

Riverside Church is a growing, multi-generational congregation of 1,200 to 1,400 weekly attendees located in a thriving suburban community in Southwest Florida. Planted over 100 years ago in 1916 as a Southern Baptist church, Riverside became an independent church 12 years ago. Today, we operate with a highly collaborative leadership approach. Our Lead Pastor and Executive Pastor share responsibility for leading the church, each bringing complementary strengths to the role. The Lead Pastor focuses on teaching and doctrine, while the Executive Pastor leads vision, strategy, and leadership development. Currently, Riverside is in a strong season of ministry, with excellent external metrics in finances, attendance, and discipleship. We embrace a relationally driven staff culture that values hard work, proactive communication, risk-taking, and having genuine fun together. As a church, we are deeply committed to a groups-based model of life‑on‑life discipleship, moving away from academic or pressure‑driven programs to foster authentic relationships that help our people genuinely find and follow Jesus. Position Description The Student Pastor at Riverside Church is a critical leadership role responsible for leading middle and high school students to follow Jesus and become disciple‑makers through intentional, life‑on‑life relationships. We are looking for a strategic builder to step into a ministry with a meaningful foundation, stabilize what exists following a transition, and guide it into its next season of healthy growth and impact. This leader will prioritize recruiting, developing, and empowering a team of adult volunteer leaders who will directly disciple students, rather than trying to perform all the ministry themselves. Ultimately, you will partner closely with parents and the broader Next Gen team to create a connected, discipleship‑driven pathway from nursery through graduation. Key Responsibilities Provide clear vision, direction, and strategic momentum to move the student ministry into its next season, going beyond simply maintaining existing programs. Recruit, train, coach, and care for a strong team of volunteer leaders, investing the majority of your time in developing the adults who will directly disciple the students. Ensure every student is connected to meaningful relationships and small groups by building a clear discipleship pathway that helps them genuinely follow Jesus and join His mission. Proactively identify and pursue students who are quietly disengaging, utilizing your pastoral instincts to build follow‑up processes that keep them connected. Partner with, resource, and equip parents as the primary disciplers of their children, building strong, trust‑filled relationships with families. Oversee all weekly environments, events, camps, retreats, and mission opportunities with excellence in planning, communication, and execution. Collaborate seamlessly with the Next Gen team to align ministry vision and strategy, ensuring a cohesive and connected experience from birth through graduation. #J-18808-Ljbffr Slingshot Group