Next Gen Pastor Opportunity Profile Journey Church - Bozeman, Montana February 2021 - NL ...
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Next Gen Pastor
Opportunity Profile
Journey Church – Bozeman, Montana
February 2021
Overview
Journey Church (journeyweb.net/) is excited and eager to invite an experienced, energized and
relational Next Gen Pastor to join their team, to bring a renewed vision and help write the next
chapter in the Journey story. Journey is an active and loving congregation of about 1,700
attenders located in beautiful Bozeman, Montana. Planted in 2005 through Harvest Church in
Billings, Journey has grown to be a consistent and positive presence in the Gallatin Valley as
they strive to reach more people for Jesus. Affiliated with the Western Conference of the
Evangelical Church, Journey aligns with the mission of the denomination to “be on mission by
seeking God in prayer, sacrificing through service, sharing the Gospel, showing believers a
Spirit-filled life and sending laborers into the harvest.”
As one of the largest churches in the Gallatin Valley, Journey is well known with a strong
reputation for Biblical teaching, exceptional worship, and a come-as-you are, no frills posture
that people find welcoming. People from all walks of life with a variety of faith stories have found
community and transformation through Christ at Journey. The church continues to be a positive
presence in the community, providing support, resources and funds to area organizations.
Journey is a true community partner, and they have been working strategically to strike the right
balance between evangelism and outreach to those outside the church while growing and
engaging discipleship for those that call Journey their church home. This approach has
NL Moore & Associates | Journey Church | Next Gen Pastor Opportunity Profile | February 2021 1
continued to make Journey an ascending church in the area; the sense of family, energy and
fun is easily experienced when one interacts with the people of Journey Church.
The Opportunity
This newly-formed Next Gen position at Journey is an attractive opportunity that is bursting with
potential as this incoming pastor will oversee all ministries cradle to college, with direct oversight
and responsibility for middle school and high school ministries. Large numbers of students are
already present at Journey, but not active in the student ministry; they are just waiting for a
compelling reason to be involved. Parents are eager to be a support network and offer up help
wherever and however they can as they desire to partner with this Next Gen Pastor in the
discipleship of their children. The physical resource of a fantastic church building brings plenty
of space, and the strategic proximity to Montana State University’s campus provides easy
access to an untapped volunteer base.
Despite all this potential, something has been missing. For the past several years, there has
been an evident need for the mission of Journey to be better reflected within the student
ministry. While other ministries at the church have grown or seen consistent seasons of health
and impact, the student ministry has remained flat. Leadership in the student ministry at Journey
has historically placed a premium on strong individual relationships, but it often came at the
expense of any strategic outreach or focus to effectively interact with students that were either
on the edges of the ministry or not engaged at all. Journey’s attenders and families have
described the student ministry as “deep” and “intense,” placing a heavy emphasis on personal,
spiritual reflection, yet often failed to effectively communicate the rationale as to why. The
biproduct of this approach produced a disproportionate focus on relational challenges without
providing students with the necessary spiritual and relational tools to manage these challenges
in a healthy way.
Other Journey attenders and families have perceived the student ministry as more experiential
than substantive, and more conversational than developmental despite a focus on a small group
of intense, core relationships. These varying descriptions as to how the ministry was known and
experienced indicates there has been a long-term lack of clarity within the ministry, and a
change in leadership is needed to bring a renewed focus and a refreshed vision.
Many families with middle and high school-aged children that attend Journey are currently not
active in the student ministry, with church attenders describing the student ministry as
“stagnant” and “leaderless.” Journey’s overall church attendance is about 1,700 but the
combined middle school and high school ministry is only about 75 students (4.5 percent of the
overall attendance). These metrics alone point to something that has not been working within
student ministry, and a new leader will be tasked with assessing the current state, identifying
gap areas, prioritizing objectives, and crafting a clear plan to help increase overall engagement.
A new component to this role will be the oversight of all Next Gen ministries, distinguishing it
from how the position has operated in the past. Journey Church values the team approach and
has placed an emphasis on collaborative leadership, yet the student ministry has often felt
siloed. In an effort to mitigate this dynamic and ensure effective “bridging” and partnership with
children’s ministry, this next leader will bring supervision, oversight and leadership to all of Next
Gen ministries (“cradle to college”). This next pastor will be called upon to collaborate with
Children’s Pastor Peggy Baldwin, who does a great job leading the children’s ministry. The ideal
candidate will bring a complimentary gift mix and personality that meshes well with Peggy as the
two lead children and students from their respective positions.
NL Moore & Associates | Journey Church | Next Gen Pastor Opportunity Profile | February 2021 2
While it is obvious to see the many good things happening at Journey, it is equally clear there is
significant work that needs to be done in the Next Gen area, specifically in the student ministry.
In many ways, this next leader will have the opportunity to craft a new vision and reframe the
ministry accordingly. Yes, there is a healthy core group of students that remain and some
dedicated leaders have done their best to provide a sense of consistency, but many students
that attend Journey are not involved with student ministries, and several volunteers no longer
serve. This next pastor will face the challenge of recruiting additional volunteers and crafting a
compelling vision that brings more students into the ministry. The flipside to this challenge is the
exciting opportunity to engage students, leaders and parents that want to be involved. A key
piece to this dynamic will be identifying and inviting people into the ministry in a way that is
compelling but also deploys them into areas they are passionate about, placing them into their
“sweet spots” of giftedness and interest.
This is an important job that requires a healthy, high-capacity, experienced and energized
leader. It requires someone who can bring a deep love for Jesus, clear leadership, a heart for
students, and a fresh vision that aligns with the overall mission of Journey. With a leader like
this in place—one who can communicate and implement this new vision effectively—there is no
telling the exciting level of impact that can be experienced through the Next Gen Ministry at
Journey Church!
The Candidate
The ideal Next Gen candidate for Journey Church will be a leader who is passionate about
Jesus and people. Modeling a leadership that is dependent on the Holy Spirit, this Next Gen
Pastor will clearly have a love for Jesus. The incoming Pastor will know how to cast a
compelling vision, draw people into greater participation, and move the Next Gen ministry
forward into a new season.
Journey Church desires a Next Gen Pastor who is experienced in leading and loving students.
With an energizing, relational and engaging personality, this dynamic leader will possess the
ability to equip and empower volunteers, communicate and partner with parents, and generate
an enthusiasm to draw students to the ministry. The right candidate will see the resource and
potential that awaits at Journey and will be excited by the opportunity and privilege to join a
church with a solid foundation. With an ability to assess and measure, this new pastor will
collaboratively work with the Children’s Pastor and others to identify goals, prioritize objectives
and maximize efforts to optimize the Next Gen ministry as it looks to the future. As a leader that
can utilize a “wide lens,” this individual will recognize potential in others, encourage them to use
their gifts, and place them into their “sweet spot” of ministry.
As a relational and outgoing “people person,” relationships will be at the heart of this individual’s
ministry. Laughter comes easily at Journey, and the ideal candidate will be fun, approachable
and warm with a good sense of humor. A natural conversationalist, this next pastor will be
passionate about people and have a heart for those that do not know Jesus. The right leader
will be an exceptional communicator, will collaboratively work with others, and champion the
Next Gen ministry churchwide. As a leader who can lovingly motivate and inspire others, the
selected candidate will be an experienced student ministry and next gen leader who knows how
to articulate clear ways for students to live out a love for Jesus in everyday life.
The Details
NL Moore & Associates | Journey Church | Next Gen Pastor Opportunity Profile | February 2021 3
Journey Church has an operating budget of $1.9M and welcomes about 1,700 attenders to two
in-person Sunday services (9 and 11 a.m.) with live online streaming at both hours. The worship
services are exceptional. Journey has a high value on making the Sunday morning experience
be of the highest caliber in all phases: preaching, music, fellowship, and children’s ministry.
Preaching is biblically-based, Christ-centered and applicable to the complexities of real life. The
church building (known as The Commons) was intentionally built to be a resource not only for
the church but also for the community. Journey has hosted hundreds of community-wide groups
and events, including Family Promise of Gallatin Valley (an organization to eradicate
homelessness) and TEDxBozeman. In living out their desire to show the love of Jesus to the
community even further, Journey has leased a portion of their land for the Gallatin Valley YMCA
to build their new home. This strategic and generous partnership is a wonderful example of how
Journey is always looking for ways to transform their beliefs into action.
The Next Gen Pastor will lead and collaborate with Children’s Pastor Peggy Baldwin as well as
dozens of volunteers and report directly to the Lead Pastor, Bob Schwahn. A Church Council of
12 men and women govern Journey Church, providing spiritual oversight, accountability,
encouragement, and guidance for the church and its staff.
Bozeman is a very attractive location for a variety of reasons, as the city’s economy and
population continue to grow. Bozeman is one of the fastest growing cities in America with a
population under 50,000. According to Niche.com, Bozeman is the #1 ranked place to live in
Montana. While the cost of living and housing has increased over the years, families and
businesses continue to flock to the community from larger, more expensive metro areas in the
Mountain and West Coast regions. Home to Montana State University and the gateway to
Yellowstone National Park, Bozeman is a bustling, active community with a high quality of living
and numerous outdoor activities to choose from. Add in a thriving tourism industry (world-class
skiing, fishing, hiking and hunting), a growing tech sector, a variety of great restaurants and a
nationally recognized public-school system, Bozeman is the ideal place to call home.
Preferred Candidate Qualifications
• Must be a born-again Christian, committed to continually maturing in one’s walk with
Jesus Christ; devoted to Scripture, and in alignment with Journey Church’s beliefs,
mission and values.
• Bachelor’s degree required. Relevant master’s degree a plus.
• A clear passion for students and Next Gen ministry.
• 3 – 5 years of ministry experience leading in a church or ministry.
• Experience in recruiting, supervising, equipping and empowering volunteers.
• Highly relational and approachable.
• Spiritually mature and emotionally intelligent.
• Exceptional communication and organizational skills.
Inquiry Process
If after reading this description you have some interest in the Next Gen Pastor role at Journey
Church, and you feel you meet the qualifications for the role, you are invited to submit the
following information for consideration:
1. Your resume or CV (in Word doc format only).
NL Moore & Associates | Journey Church | Next Gen Pastor Opportunity Profile | February 2021 42. Previous results of any personal assessments you have taken in the past three years
(i.e.: StrengthsFinder, DiSC, Myers-Briggs, Enneagram, etc.).
3. A current headshot of yourself, current family picture (if applicable), and a brief bio (in Word
doc format only).
4. Five references, including: at least one supervisor or overseer (could be a board member
or staff supervisor), at least two staff associates or peers, with at least one from someone
you have supervised, and one personal. NOTE: These references will be contacted later in
the process and only with your prior approval.
5. Written responses to the following questions (in Word doc format only). We believe
that one can learn only so much from a resume. Your responses will help us to gain a more
complete picture of you and your leadership.
1. Describe your faith in Jesus Christ. Tell us how you came to personal faith and
something about your journey in ministry that prepares you for this role.
2. What is it about the Next Gen Pastor opportunity at Journey Church that attracts you to
this position?
3. What are two or three of your core strengths? Please share two or three examples of
situations where you used your core strengths to move forward the church or ministry
you were leading.
4. Share a ministry experience that refined you through failure and a ministry experience
that refined you through success.
5. What are the key factors you need present in your ministry environment in order to be
optimized?
Please submit your information to:
Megs Kubiszewski
NL Moore & Associates
megs@nlmoore.com
(612) 202-4006
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