Summary The Lead Shepherd is responsible for developing a dynamic ministry to children, three years of age through fourth grade, in collaboration with the full children’s shepherd team. Communicates and demonstrates The Woodlands Methodist Church’s (TWMC) mission to reach people to Jesus Christ, disciple them in faith, and help those in need to children through applicable programming.
Essential Functions Provide prayerful, visionary leadership for the overall function of Next Gen Ministries, ages three through fourth grade. This includes:
Relational Leadership
Create a culture where volunteers love to serve by recruiting, coaching, equipping, and empowering a full team of volunteer leaders for Next Gen Ministries.
Implement creative training and connection opportunities for volunteers through regularly scheduled gatherings, individual connections, pre-service huddles, and regular written communication.
Provide supervisory leadership and oversight to the Early Childhood, Elementary and Loft Ministry Assistants and Ministry Leads, along with volunteer teams, and interns; ensuring each member’s consistent execution of vision, values, and programming to create a vibrant ministry environment that leads children toward maturity in their faith through teaching the Word of God on a weekly basis.
In coordination with the Next Gen Ministry team, create and follow a plan for consistent communication with early childhood and elementary parents, utilizing multiple platforms to ensure effective reach and interaction.
Performs all job duties in accordance with the theological beliefs and standards of TWMC.
Provides pastoral counseling to children in age-appropriate ways, in compliance with TWMC’s Safe Sanctuary and Sexual Ethics guidelines.
Align ministry activities with the mission, goals, and values of the Next Gen Ministry and The Woodlands Methodist Church.
Work in tandem with the Next Gen Kids Shepherd Director and the Ministry Assistant teams to develop a unified approach to children’s ministry.
Collaborate with the Special Blessings team to support families of kids with special needs.
Attend children’s ministry staff meetings, church staff meetings, and other meetings deemed appropriate by the Shepherd Director.
Perform other duties as requested by the Shepherd Director or executive leadership.
Strategic/Operational Leadership
Collaborate with Next Gen Ministry leadership to develop and implement an ongoing and effective orientation, placement, and onboarding process for volunteers. Ensure alignment to these policies.
Maintain a consistent presence during services, supporting ministry teams as needed, interacting with parents, and observing needs and improvement.
Collaborate with Next Gen Shepherds to research effective ministry to these age groups. Selects and/or creates religious content and curriculum for children including worship experiences, Bible study, and other programs.
Maintain agreed upon policies, procedures, and standards that ensure the health, safety, and security of children and volunteers. Ensure all Next Gen Early Childhood, Elementary staff and volunteer leaders are confident in their role in emergency response.
Recognizing parents as a child’s primary faith trainer, provide weekly follow-up materials that empower parents to continue faith conversations based on weekly lessons. Coordinate this material with the other Next Gen Kids Lead Shepherds.
Oversee/administer a range of care, teaching, fellowship, and discipleship opportunities for first through fourth grade students including, weekly services, mid-week ministry, and special events.
In collaboration with Ministry Leads ensure preparation of lesson plans, organize materials, schedule volunteers.
Evaluate ministry programs for effectiveness and adjust as needed.
Manage materials preparation, including ordering, planning for volunteer preparation, set-up, and storage.
Qualifications
Exemplify the core values of The Woodlands Methodist Church:
Live Faithfully – integrate your beliefs, values, and principles into your professional life.
Love Compassionately – foster a caring and supportive environment where individuals feel valued and supported.
Embody Integrity – trust and be trustworthy, demonstrate consistency in actions and values, and respect confidentiality.
Offer Encouragement – Foster a positive work environment by expressing appreciation, offering constructive feedback, and providing support and resources when able.
Remain Teachable – demonstrate a genuine desire to learn, an open mind, and a willingness to put in the effort to improve.
Be Accountable – take ownership of tasks and responsibilities; consistently practice clear, open communication (verbally or via email), learn from mistakes, and seek continuous improvement.
Multiply Yourself – search for wats to be more efficient and productive; maximize your impact and productivity, leverage the resources and skills available.
Ability to develop leaders through identifying areas of giftedness; training and releasing them to do the work of the ministry.
Strong relational skills, with the ability to successfully recruit people to serve children.
Excellent communication [written and oral], teaching and training skills for work with staff, parents, volunteers, and the children.
Ability to envision, plan, and implement age-appropriate programming that supports the vision and values of the Next Gen ministry.
Ability to lead people and provide them with encouragement, guidance, feedback, and follow-up – to coach, train, and motivate volunteers.
Ability to work well independently, consistent with biblical truths and church policy.
Excellent organization, planning, goal setting, and time management skills.
Ability to write, plan, and teach lessons; to research, analyze, and communicate information for ministry and projects.
Computer and tech literacy: Basic competence with Microsoft Office, CMS, presentation software, website, and social media, and willing and able to be trained further.
Bilingual (Spanish) preferred
Physical Demands
This position requires sitting, standing, lifting, reaching, and crawling.
Other Specifications:
Reports to: Next Gen Kids Shepherd Director
Position Type: Full Time
Schedule: As is typical for ministry, this position requires a flexible schedule. It includes agreed upon onsite office hours, Sunday services, occasional Saturday services, evening activities and meetings, and camps requiring travel
Compensation: Dependent on experience
Benefits: Full benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, 403b
This job description is intended to describe the general nature of this job and may not include all responsibilities that
might be required of the person holding this position. This job description is subject to change at any time at the sole
discretion of The Woodlands Methodist Church and does not establish a contract for employment.
