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presents

STUDENT PASTOR


​Flagstaff, AZ

www.allaboutgrace.com


WATCH THIS: Are YOU the next Student Pastor?

A message from Mark Smith, Pastor (Grace Community Church)


HISTORY

Located in the mountainous region of Arizona, Grace Community Church has been helping people love God and love each other in the city of Flagstaff since 1994. This non-denominational, family-friendly, Bible-preaching church seeks to be a light in the community and the world.

Grace Community Church is a solid, well-respected church. In its 30-year history, the church has experienced effective long-term ministry under the godly leadership of Pastor Mark Smith. Pastor Mark and his wife Laurie, moved to Flagstaff in 1993 to lead a struggling Baptist church. They gave it a new name and location, and launched, what would become, one of the more prominent churches in the region. Pastor Mark’s practical Bible teaching and strong sense of community is what draws and keeps people coming to Grace.

While the heritage is strong and the message has never wavered, ministry methods at Grace continue to evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of this unique, Northern Arizona city. For 29 years, the church met in the auditorium at Sinagua Middle School. An amazing team of volunteers faithfully set up for church week in and week out. In 2019, Grace purchased 10 acres of land and began making plans for a beautiful, new church campus. The building is now completed and Grace Church opened its new location on historic Route 66 in January of 2024.

Grace Community Church is a warm and friendly place made up of people who genuinely love each other. There is a strong core of volunteers who embrace its mission of reaching the world by loving its neighbor with the Gospel. Practical Bible preaching has long been a priority for the church as it seeks to be known for its pursuit of the great commission and its obedience to the great commandment.

The staff at Grace is gifted, humble, and committed to serving well. While hard work and effective ministry is deeply valued, it is done in a highly relational context where everyone has a voice at that table. What began with just 25 people in a school auditorium 30 years ago, has grown to a church family of 650 who continue to embrace the mission of taking the message of God’s grace to the community of Flagstaff.

LOCATION

Nestled at the base of the San Francisco Peaks (with its nearly 71,000 residents), Flagstaff has the charm of a small mountain town with the opportunities of a big city. Although it is rural in nature, Flagstaff is also the hub of many of the state’s major attractions, including the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and Lake Powell. Northern Arizona University also calls Flagstaff “home”, and the greater Phoenix area is located just two hours south.

Unlike its neighbors in the Valley of the Sun, Flagstaff is situated at 7,000 feet above sea level and has four distinct seasons, making it a desirable location for outdoor recreation year-round. In 2009, Kiplinger rated Flagstaff in the top 10 “Best Cities for Jobs” list—featuring locations that have stable employment and the talent to create new, well-paying jobs.

Many residents of Flagstaff enjoy its slower pace, great schools, and family-friendly community. They enjoy hiking, skiing, mountain biking and being able to get out and enjoy nature in some of the best weather in Arizona. In many ways, Flagstaff offers the best of Arizona with all the allure of a small town, together with the resources of a large community.

VISION
​MISSION
​&VALUES

“Now is our time to show the world around us that we are ALL IN."

Beautiful new location along the historic West Route 66!

VISION

We seek to introduce people to the Gospel both in Flagstaff and beyond. We mobilize followers of Jesus Christ in areas of fellowship and into their gifted area of service so they may be equipped to share the Gospel city-wide.

MISSION

The mission of Grace Community Church is to live and preach the Gospel with the desire to introduce people to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As followers of Christ, we seek to worship and serve Him fervently and equip believers toward maturity in their faith.

VALUES

Life at Grace also means co-laboring together in ministry. Relationships are cultivated through our Grace Groups that meet weekly in homes throughout the Flagstaff area. Relationships move to yet another level when we become partners in serving the Lord.

At Grace Community Church, we are...

WORD-DRIVEN:

We are committed to teaching from the Bible and learning what God has for us in today’s world.

SPIRIT-LED:

We believe the Holy Spirit indwells those that trust in Jesus as Savior and so we lean on Him to lead us in the everyday stuff of life.

JESUS-FOLLOWING:

We are committed to being intentional followers of Jesus Christ. Through His Word and Spirit we can know how to live a life that is growing in the grace and knowledge of Him.

GOD-HONORING:

We love to gather as a fellowship and worship God through music, teaching and submission to His Word and ways.

A BODY OF BELIEVERS:

We are His church. We’re not here because we’re good enough or dress right, or have earned God’s favor. We’re a group of redeemed people in love with Jesus and learning to grow together to accomplish His will in our lives and in our world.

SERVING THE LORD TOGETHER:

We serve the Lord together in a community of believers as an act of worship to God. Together we can minister to each other’s needs, build community by serving side by side, and obey Christ’s design for community.

To learn more about Grace Community Church, click here.

LEADERSHIP

Grace Community Church is an elder-led congregation. The elders are primarily responsible for protecting the teaching, the pastors, and the mission of the church.

Mark Smith has been the pastor at Grace since 1994. He and his wife, Laurie, are well loved and respected and bring a vibrancy to the church community. Mark is a gifted teacher, as well as a collaborative, highly relational leader.

Complementing Mark’s leadership is Director of Operations, Gabe Gomez; Director of Adult Ministries, Brian Ketter; Worship Leader, Travis Hathaway; Children's Ministry Director, Kaitlyn Russell; Executive Assistant to the Pastor, Stephanie Patrick; and Administrative Assistant, Wendy Worley. The team at Grace enjoys a healthy work/life balance as well as strong friendships.

Grace Community Church Grace Community Church is an elder-led congregation. The elders are primarily responsible for protecting the teaching, the pastors, and the mission of the church.

Mark Smith has been the pastor at Grace since 1994. He and his wife, Laurie, are well loved and respected and bring a vibrancy to the church community. Mark is a gifted teacher, as well as a collaborative, highly relational leader.

Complementing Mark’s leadership is Director of Operations, Gabe Gomez; Director of Adult Ministries, Brian Ketter; Worship Leader, Travis Hathaway; Children's Ministry Director,Kaitlyn Russell; Executive Assistant to the Pastor, Stephanie Patrick; and Administrative Assistant, Wendy Worley. The team at Grace enjoys a healthy work/life balance as well as strong friendships.

WORSHIP STYLE

Worship at Grace is well received and appreciated. The church has kept pace with the changing trends of modern worship. Services today are engaging and led by their Worship Leader and volunteers who embrace authenticity and musical excellence.


CURRENT STATUS

Grace Community Church is a multi-generational church—from families to retirees. Grace is also home to a vibrant college group with many students from the community college and Northern Arizona University. This beautiful mountain community continues to be drawn to this family-friendly church for its commitment to practical Bible teaching and strong sense of community. There is a sense of excitement for what’s to come as Grace continues to grow and experiences many firsts in their new, beautiful building.

STUDENT MINISTRY APPROACH


Youth ministry is of high importance at Grace. It plays a huge part in our church culture, and others as we reach out to the community. We aim to provide a dynamic, Jesus-centered space for youth to grow in their faith in Christ. Planning and execution of its services is not showy; yet reflects a high standard of excellence and draws families of all ages. The church genuinely desires for people to experience a growing and deepening relationship with God through teaching, community, and passionate worship.

SUNDAY EVENINGS

On Sunday evenings, 6th-8th grade students arrive early to enjoy a time of fellowship and games. Our leaders often come early to review each week’s lesson and join in the fun before the night begins. Some of our middle school students utilize their talents and organize a worship team. Students will experience a lesson and small groups where their leaders faithfully lead discussions and create meaningful relationships. This is a very welcoming environment for new students and we’ve had many students invite their friends!

WEDNESDAY EVENINGS


This is the main ministry experience for high school students, grades 9th-12th grade. Here, students experience much of the same as middle school, however it’s tailored to their experiences in becoming godly adults. Students experience a night of high energy games, relevant teaching, and a time in their age-appropriate small groups. High school students have also taken initiative to join the worship team and invite others to participate as well. There is a high relational and fun element among students and leaders balanced with deep teaching and discipleship. We’ve often seen students stay late as they love this mid-week ministry!

EVENTS including HUME LAKE CHRISTIAN SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCE


One of the highlights each year is a week at Hume! This life-changing week at camp has impacted hundreds of Grace kids over the years. We’ve experienced many Flagstaff kids join for the first time and then continue to attend church following camp. There is a contagious "all hands on deck" mentality as leaders help students with fundraising events to help off-set cost of a week at camp and make the road trip to Cali for this impactful event each year. This is one event students and leaders and leaders want to miss with support from the whole church!

CHALLENGE & OPPORTUNITY

Grace is a well-established church with a solid student ministry that is poised and ready for strong leadership that will help take it to the next phase of ministry in their new building. There is a consensus among staff and volunteers to see the church maintain authenticity and ministry excellence while expanding its reach in shepherding, equipping, mentoring, and leading passionate leaders and students.

This is a great solid ministry with strong leader buy-in for a new student pastor to step into during this healthy season of transition.

Grace is seeking a leader who loves to preach and teach to students. He should have a heart for discipleship and student leadership training and a passion for service through outreach opportunities. His skills should include parent and student communication, development and communication of resources, tracking participation and student databases, and general organizational skills for budget and fund-raising events.


TEACHER-COMMUNICATOR

A high bar of excellence in communication and biblical teaching exists at Grace Community Church. The student pastor must have highly developed skills to communicate to students in an engaging way, as well as a deep and personal understanding of scripture. Evangelism is very important to this community and the ability to communicate in a relevant and engaging way to students is important to ensure life-change and to create disciples. 

VISIONARY and ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Grace is in need of a strong visionary student leader that has the ability to develop systems for a growing church and effectively cast vision to garner support of volunteers and the congregation. The amazing volunteers and leaders within the Student Ministry are looking for leadership and direction. They are ready to fully embrace a new leader with a compelling vision and solid organizational skills to strategically carry out the vision for their ministry.

TEAM BUILDER

The Student Ministry team has some amazing core leaders serving at Grace. They are excited to find a passionate leader of kids who can recruit and build on the ministry and provide efficient structure for future . A strategic leader and a developer who can help the staff team continue to grow in their leadership as the church continues to grow and expand. They also need a unifier and someone who will be consistent to bring stability and teamwork to the whole team around a unified vision.

SOLID FOUNDATION

A high bar of excellence in communication and biblical teaching exists at Grace Community Church. The student pastor must have highly developed skills to communicate to students in an engaging way, as well as a deep and personal understanding of scripture. Evangelism is very important to this community and the ability to communicate in a relevant and engaging way to students is important to ensure life-change and to create disciples. 

DEVELOPER

With core leaders and need to recruit more for increased potential future growth, it is vital that the student pastor be a developer leader who invests in the ministry leadership to help them reach their greatest potential. The leader in this role must have the ability to develop a team approach to ministry and create an atmosphere of challenge and support for good leader care and discipleship.

What would a strong candidate look like?

  • Loves Jesus: Has a continually growing in your relationship with Jesus and a passion for caring for and helping people grow closer to Jesus. 
  • Loves students and parents: Has a heart for people and a passion to help youth and their parents take next steps towards Jesus.
  • Builder + Leader: Energized by an opportunity to shape and continue to build upon a thriving ministry with expected future growth as they transition locations.
  • Team Player: Thrives in a collaborative environment, and has a "we" not "me" ministry approach as leaders love ministry and seeks to be "led and heard."
  • Organized: Gifted at providing systems, structure and administration to help power middle school and high school student ministry in a healthy and sustainable way.
  • Biblical Teacher: Engaging and effective communicator with foundational Biblical foundational training. Ability to speak the Word to students in a relevant and life-changing way.
  • Culture Fit: Flagstaff is an amazing and unique Arizona mountain and college-town community with so much opportunity for adventure!

POSITION OVERVIEW

Student Director/Pastor

Title:

Pastor of SM is an ordained minister taking on some pastoral responsibilities as deemed necessary. Director of SM is not yet ordained but qualified to lead the students and leaders with a desire for continued training and probable ordination. This role oversees all ministries of grades 6 – 12, along with other staff responsibilities listed.

Profile:

The Director/Pastor of Student Ministries must be a lover of God and students. His passion for students is to be directed toward their growth in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. He must be a leader, leading students in a Jesus-following lifestyle. He is to have a passion for the gospel. He is to have educational credentials in this area with a desire to grow in shepherding and growing a local church youth ministry. He is to able to confidently and graciously share the gospel with non-believers, of all ages. He is to fit the culture of Grace and the ministries represented and represent well within the Flagstaff community.

Ministry Responsibilities:

  • Provide oversight, lead, plan, and execute all high school and middle school ministry meetings.
  • 36-40 Office hours weekly (Subject to change due to meetings with students/leaders)
  • Ensure that the ministry is functioning in an effective, focused manner
  • Recruit, train, and mobilize a leadership team of adults
  • Grow students in Christian maturity and discipleship with a plan for developing youth leaders and ministry opportunities within the church and within community.
  • Study for the purposes of teaching the Bible to the middle school and high school
  • Create and distribute small group materials for small group leaders
  • Pre-schedule all activities (student ministry calendar) and publish in a timely manner
  • Promote all student ministry events via various social media outlets and online communications.
  • Communicate well and regularly with parents of students.
  • Oversee and maintain online GSM presence, via Grace website
  • Plan and execute camps and retreats for Grace students.
  • Pray with church members and guests who express difficulties in their life.
  • Cooperate with all staff to promote the entire ministry plan of the church.
  • Maintain a continued growth of personal calling and walk with the Lord through Bible study and prayer.
  • Maintain personal priorities with home and family as the spiritual leader.
  • Develop and exercise personal evangelism within and outside the church.
  • Give faithfully and graciously to the church through tithes and offerings.
  • Perform other ministry duties as assigned by the Lead Pastor.
  • Attend staff meetings to discuss other issues, as well as projects we are all giving time and energy to.
  • Attend normal Grace events such as weekly worship services.
  • Supports the church ministries and activities as a whole.
  • Reports to Lead Pastor
  • Works as a team member with all Grace staff and leadership

Reports to:

  • Pastor Mark Smith

Provides Direct Oversight to:

  • Middle school and high school youth volunteers

Relates Closely With:

  • Church staff
  • Youth ministry volunteers and parents

Compensation Package:

  • Total compensation is negotiable, based on experience and education. The Student Pastor position is a full-time (40hr/wk) position with salary and benefits, including family medical/dental/vision coverage; and vacation/holidays/sick PTO.

CONTACT

Ready to take the next step?


To find out additional information about Grace Community Church, please visit www.allaboutgrace.com to discover their core beliefs, vision and values and to learn about many other ministries of the church.

If, after prayerfully reviewing this information, you sense this role and church culture could be a good fit for you, please contact Tari Holtorf via any of the options below.


​Tari Holtorf // 720-314-4223 // [email protected]