Situated north of Tampa in the picturesque western bay area of Florida sits the expansive property of Idlewild Baptist Church. Idlewild was founded in 1934 in a garage in the Seminole Heights neighborhood. The church moved into its first sanctuary in the 1940s just around the corner from the original location. Growth has always been part of the equation at Idlewild as they needed to move and build a few times from the 1940's through the 1990's. Because of the explosive growth they broke ground on a new Sanctuary on their 143 acre campus in North Hillsborough County in 2002 and held their first services in 2005. They are now thriving in their nearly 500,000 square foot building and in an auditorium that can fit nearly 5000.

Idlewild Baptist is a church that desires for their community to know Jesus. This is shown even as you approach their property-- before you see a building you'll encounter ball field after ball field as their sports ministry serves as a massive outreach for those in the area. The people of Idlewild are authentic, lively and committed to telling the life-transforming story of Jesus so that lives can be transformed by the Gospel. By being faithful in their Bible-teaching and providing a wide-spectrum of worship styles (worship band, orchestra, choir) Idlewild creates experiences rooted in scripture that are both culturally relevant and deeply personal.

Idlewild is a church for all people. This Bible-grounded church is committed to leading people towards a life focused on Jesus, the hope of the Gospel as declared in God's Word, and the way this truth transforms us into followers of Jesus. The goal at Idlewild Baptist is to create environments where people can encounter God and grow in their relationship with Jesus and others. The environment is casual and they simply want people to come as they are.

STUDENT MINISTRY APPROACH

ENGAGING

The goal for Idlewild Student Ministries is to create a place where students can encounter Jesus and grow and serve Him. Both the middle school and high school groups seek to be the most welcoming place a student can land. Leaders and students alike seek to be real with one another and provide a welcoming environment for any student who comes through the doors.

LARGE GROUP

The Idlewild Student Ministries utilize the large-group experiences to help break down relational barriers, engage students with the Gospel, equip believers to grow in their faith, and invite all into a worship experience with the Lord.

Both Middle School (grades 6-8) and High School (grades 9-12) offer a large group environment as the cornerstone of the ministry. Midweek (Wednesday) has more of an outreach edge, whereas the Sunday morning gatherings are small-group driven.

SMALLER ENVIRONMENTS

There is a lot of activity and engagement on a typical Sunday but it isn't just about the activity. It's about the quiet moments with leaders pouring into the students in smaller settings that stand out to the families at Idlewild. Small Groups are offered for each grade & gendering during the Sunday morning worship hours and in a dedicated education hour prior to the services.

CAMPS, RETREATS, EVENTS

Throughout the year Idlewild Students have the opportunity to participate in outreach events, camps and retreats. Weekend retreats, summer camps, evening outings, and color wars are just a few of the offerings that Idlewild students may experience.

CHALLENGE & OPPORTUNITY

CHANGE WITH STABILITY

The student ministry team has undergone major staffing changes in the last two years. Though change can be scary, these changes are being celebrated as God has led the individuals to roles with even greater influence (inside and outside of Idlewild). However, the Student Pastor, Andrew Evans, has been on staff for 15 years and has been the constant amidst all the changes and brings the needed voice of stability. The new Middle School and High School Pastors will team with Andrew to lead a new pathway forward as a metaphorical reset button has been pushed.

INFLUENCE

The new Pastor will be responsible for leading the middle school ministry (grades 6-8) and work with the Student Minister in providing leadership to the intern staff as well. There is vast opportunity to impact and develop leaders and systems to make a lasting legacy of ministry and impact thousands of families at Idlewild. The structure in Idewild is collaborative in nature where voices are heard and valued.

TEAM PLAYER

It is vital this new Pastor be a collaborator and a developer-leader who is investing in the other team members 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 all of the Student Ministry teams (paid and volunteer).

VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT

It is imperative that the new leader designs a ministry structure that is scalable to grow with the church. Though there is a solid foundation in volunteers, they have expressed a desire for more training and development. It is also crucial for the team to grow (espeically the Wednesday evening crew), so that the ministry continues to scale appropriately. The new Pastor will need to lead the others on the team to create systems for development that equips and releases volunteers into leadership.

STRONG FOUNDATION

The new leader should come in and build off of an already solid foundation, but also know there are some great opportunities to enhance relationships, bring new energy and develop the volunteer and student leadership even more.

GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION

Ministry Position Name: Minister - Middle School

In addition to meeting the qualifications and requirements detailed in this Position Description and as a condition of employment at Idlewild Baptist Church, for any and all positions of employment, each employee agrees to abide by the Constitution and Bylaws of Idlewild Baptist Church. Each employee is required and expected to be a member, in good standing, of Idlewild Baptist Church. The employee also agrees to abide by and follow all guidelines of the most current, approved revision of the Employee Handbook. The standards of conduct contained in both documents are expected to be strictly followed, especially the code of Biblical Christian conduct.

The purpose of this specific position, within the defined documented scope of responsibilities contained in this Position Description, is to assist Idlewild Baptist Church toward its purpose of fulfilling its mission. This position, as does every position of employment at Idlewild Baptist Church, exists to support and carry out the mission of Idlewild Baptist Church.

Employees are expected to act in a manner consistent with the mission and values of the church. Employees are expected to use good judgment and common sense by avoiding acts that could violate biblical principles or cause harm to the church, its members and/or other employees. Off-duty conduct which may adversely affect the reputation or interests of the church will not be tolerated.

Ministry Position Title:

Minister - Middle School

Reports to:

Minister - Students

Department:

Student Ministry

Position Status:

Exempt, FT

Salary Level:

6, 7, 8

Ministry Purpose of this Position:

To oversee the spiritual, logistical, and administrative leadership of the Middle School Ministry (grades 6-8), placing a significant importance on reaching, equipping, discipling, and developing Middle School students to love and live for Jesus Christ. The aim of the Middle School Minister is to champion the mission and vision of the church and its Senior Pastor in the context of Middle School Ministry.

Summary of the Ministry Position:

The student ministry consists of students between the grades of 6 to 12. The Minister to Middle School students works in tandem with the Minister to Students and Minister to High School Students as the voice of the Middle School ministry. This role takes many forms and includes (but is not limited to) preaching weekly at the Middle School Worship Gathering, teaching weekly in a Sunday AM small group, communicating with and resourcing parents, training and equipping volunteers, discipling students, raising leaders, etc. This person works very closely with the Minister to Students and filters all programs and events through their overarching vision for the student ministry.

Key Ministry Areas of Responsibility: *Responsibilities for this position can be added to, decreased, and/or modified within existing primary and secondary responsibilities.

1. Administration of Middle School Ministry

2. Coordination of Middle School Small Groups

3. Coordination of Middle School Midweek Service

4. Execution of Middle School Special Events

5. Leadership of Middle School Adult Volunteers

6. Leadership and development of Middle School interns

7. Implementation of ministry on local Middle School campuses

8. Partnering with parents in the discipleship of Middle School students

Additional Ministry areas of responsibility:

1. Performing baptisms on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights.

2. Counseling Students and Parents

3. Visiting members or friends/family of members in the hospital.

4. Overseeing, planning, and executing missional, evangelistic opportunities for Middle School Students

5. Stewarding the Middle School Ministry Budget.

Work Hours/Schedule:

Custom schedule that is driven by the ministry’s programs which will involve time in the offices, relational time with students, opportunities on school campuses, etc from Monday to Thursday (8:30am-4:30pm) and until 8:30pm on Wednesday nights. Will also be required to work from 8:00am-1:00pm on Sunday mornings.

Education required and preferred: Bachelor’s degree in Biblical/Theological Studies or something similar

Alternative: Experience in pastoral leadership of a Student Ministry.

Experience required and preferred:

Minimum of 2 years of experience in Student Ministry.

Skills required and preferred:

An experienced teacher with good verbal communication skills. Good written communication skills. Able to cast vision and lead a team of volunteers.

Characteristics required and preferred:

Godly character. Flexible schedule, timely, dependable. Comfortable working in a team setting.

Physical required and preferred:

Comfortable working at a desk but equally as comfortable performing physical activities. Must be able to lift 40lbs.