Job Board

Are you a faithful follower of Jesus and passionate about the next generation? We are searching for a Collegiate/Children’s Pastor who will oversee our collegiate ministry, Stepping Stone Ministry at Johns Hopkins University, while providing support for our children’s ministry. They will be responsible for the groundwork of discipling and reaching the college campus at Hopkins, where we have been serving for the past 25 years. They will also join in on supporting our growing children’s ministry to inspire the love of God to take root in each child. The Collegiate/Children’s Pastor will lead a growing team of volunteer leaders, partner with families from a diverse community, and collaborate with a staff team that is excited to support them.

We recognize that the skill sets for both college ministry and children’s ministry may be different, so we are open to the possibility of making two hires—(1) a full-time or part-time collegiate pastor and (2) a part-time children’s pastor.

Church Description:

Our church is called Grace Life Church (GLC). We are located in Catonsville, a suburb of Baltimore, MD, and we consist of about 45 adults and 20 kids ranging from 0 to 12 years old. We also have a collegiate ministry at Johns Hopkins called Stepping Stone Ministry (SSM) with about 30 students, including about 10 freshmen. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the collegiate ministry had about 60-80 students. Our vision through SSM is to make disciples at Johns Hopkins and send them out to be pillars of faith wherever God leads them.

Our church was originally founded in Elkridge, MD, but during the pandemic, we moved to Catonsville, MD, where we rent out a Sunday meeting space from another church. One of the core values for our church is the participation in the mission of God, both locally and globally. We have a long history of partnering with organizations in Baltimore City for service and outreach, and we are also in the process of planting roots in our new diverse community of Catonsville to do the same. Additionally, we are committed to church planting. Over the past 15 years, we have assisted in the planting of two churches in Baltimore and one church in Lima, Peru.

Our church is currently in a state of possible transition. While the people of GLC is predominately Asian-American (~85%), we are growing towards being multi-ethnic. We also recently officially affirmed female pastoral leadership, and we will be discussing a probable change in our denominational affiliation.

Ministry Specific Responsibilities:

• Collegiate Ministry Responsibilities
  • Oversee our Stepping Stone Ministry, and especially in the areas of discipleship, evangelism, and pastoral care
  • Develop a dynamic leadership team of volunteers and student leaders by providing resources and training
  • Establish a continual presence on the campus of Hopkins and serve as a liaison between SSM, other student groups, and Johns Hopkins
  • Lead and preach occasionally at our twice a month Friday Night Services for college students
  • Implement and continually develop discipleship and evangelism materials that engage the spiritual growth of students
  • Meet weekly with select students for discipleship
• Children’s Ministry Responsibilities
  • Execute our vision for a vibrant Children’s Ministry that will allow kids to experience God in a relevant and relational way, so that the Gospel may not only be heard, but also seen and felt
  • Oversee our GLC Kids curriculum (KidSpring) to ensure that all content is contextualized to our church needs
  • Implement and evaluate strategies to ensure children are known, loved well, and safe, including check-in tools and procedures, attendance tracking, first-time guest follow-up, and safety policies for leaders and GLC Kids spaces
  • Recruit, train, and resource volunteers who serve in the GLC Kids ministry
  • Work with other staff to explore and lay the groundwork for future middle school and high school ministries
• Other Responsibilities
  • Potentially join the GLC preaching rotation on Sundays if desired and trained
  • Serve with other staff to perform administrative tasks and other church duties as needed

Qualifications:

• Be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, continually learning and growing
• Embrace a vibrant vision for Collegiate Ministry consistent with our mission
• Demonstrate flexibility; be a grace-filled problem solver
• Continue to study and grow in knowledge and practical ministry strategies current with culture, trends, and societal changes
• College degree or experience in related fields preferred
• Seminary training is a plus but not required
• Ability to relate to a wide diversity of congregants, including strong cross-cultural skills
• Be relational and intentional with students, leaders, parents, and staff
• Live about 30 minutes of commute to the church in Catonsville, MD
• Pass a criminal background check

To Apply:

• Please submit your resume with at least 3 references (cover letter optional) to phil.yang@gracelifechurch.com.
• We provide a paid salary that is relative to the cost of living in our area, and we are excited to share more specifics about compensation as we get into the hiring process.
  • Salary range is 45k-60k (depending on training and experience)
  • Health benefits for full-time employees
  • Retirement contributions
  • 3-month parental leave used within the first year of new child
  • Up to 3-month sabbatical through the approval of the leadership for every 5 years of serving