Youth and Family Pastor

Job Description

Victory Life Church in Stow, Ohio is seeking a Family and Youth Pastor to join our growing pastoral team during an exciting season of momentum and opportunity. This role provides pastoral leadership for both youth and children’s ministries, with an emphasis on building a pathway that disciples students from childhood through young adulthood.

The ideal candidate will bring confident, emotionally intelligent leadership, strong conflict-resolution skills, and a collaborative spirit that sets the table for a healthy team culture and inspires volunteer engagement. With a solid support structure already in place including a part-time Children’s Director overseeing weekly ministry operations, a Children’s Programming Specialist focused on seasonal and special events, and a committed team of youth volunteers, this pastor will step into a ministry that is already well-staffed and ready for leadership, teaching, and shepherding.

Beyond the church, Stow offers an excellent setting for family life, located in Northeast Ohio near a national park and between Cleveland and Akron, with a reasonable cost of living and access to strong Christian education options made affordable through Ohio’s EdChoice program. This is an opportunity to join a healthy church, operate as a key leader on pastoral staff, and invest deeply in the next generation within a supportive community. The base salary is $65k plus health, dental, vision insurance, and retirement match plan.

An applicant should be in possession of the following character description, competencies, and experience:

Character

We are seeking a Family and Youth Pastor whose life and leadership flow from an active, personal relationship with Jesus Christ and a deep confidence in the inspiration and authority of Scripture. This pastor will serve with genuine humility and model everyday faith that naturally shares the hope of the gospel through both word and action. This candidate will be passionate about the local church as God’s primary instrument for His work in the world and will thrive in a collaborative, team-oriented environment, partnering closely with staff and volunteers to disciple families, invest in the next generation, and build a Christ-centered ministry that strengthens the whole church.

Competencies

The ideal candidate will bring a strong and thoughtful command of the Bible, allowing scriptural convictions to shape a clear and compelling philosophy of ministry. They will be able to craft and deliver messages that are prayerfully prepared, grounded in biblical authority, and communicated with a Spirit-led sensitivity that connects with the congregation. This pastor will excel at discipleship and investing personally in individuals. This pastor will also understand and embrace the rhythms required for a thriving ministry to shepherd families and students well.

Experience

We are seeking a Family and Youth Pastor who brings meaningful ministry experience and a readiness to serve within a collaborative, multi-staff church environment. The ideal candidate will have a proven background in leading effective youth and/or children’s ministry, with evidence of fruitfulness in discipleship, volunteer development, and program leadership. Formal education appropriate for pastoral ministry is required, with a minimum of a completed bachelor’s degree.

Who This Role Is For

This role is for an experienced pastor who has served in at least one full-time church leadership position. The ideal candidate can demonstrate readiness to lead a role with extensive volunteer engagement and regular interaction with a large portion of the congregation. Because this position sits at the intersection of multiple ministries and relationships, it requires strong interpersonal skills, self-awareness, and a high level of emotional intelligence. This role is well suited for a pastor seeking their next step after proven experience as a youth pastor or associate pastor.

Who This Role Is Not For

This role is not intended for pastors who are new in their career, lack full-time church staff experience, or are unable to demonstrate readiness to serve as the primary leader over two ministries that collectively engage nearly all families within the church.

Please apply by emailing your resume to search.committee@vlchurch.com to ensure it is received by the designated search committee and that your formatting is preserved.

If you are selected to move forward with an interview we will contact you within two weeks.

Thank you,

The Victory Life Search Team