Pastor Jobs in Alton, IL (NOW HIRING)

At Awana, we believe true change happens in the communities when children and youth are transformed by the gospel and engaged in Biblical discipleship in the presence of a caring adult. We believe that kids can come to know, love and serve Jesus, following Him for a lifetime. This is why, for 75+ years, Awana has been working with leaders in local churches in the US and around the world, providing solutions that equip these women and men to make disciples in children and youth.

Today, God is using Awana to reach over 10 million kids in 140 countries around the world. With over 500,000 equipped leaders in 91,000 clubs/churches, Awana is able to play a vital role in global evangelism and discipleship of children and youth. If you are passionate about being integral to reaching kids with the gospel, join us, and become a part of our global cause.

Summary

Missionaries serving with Awana are Child Discipleship Missionaries (CDM) who work to fulfill the great commission, to go and make disciples. We advance and expand the disciple-making ministry of Awana by establishing and developing relationships with the local church and organizations. In the process of developing this relationship, the CDM will explore solutions that will assist the local church in achieving its desired Child Discipleship goals and objectives using the Awana ministry solutions. The CDM has both an equipping and a solutions-centric mindset as they continue their ongoing support and relationship with the church.

This position is a full-time “field” position (working in close proximity to the St Louis area) and must have the ability to attend both in-person and virtual organizational meetings as needed.

The Hiring Range for this position is $55,000 to $65,000, depending on location and experience.

Who We Are Looking For:

• Team player who supports, upholds and demonstrates the Awana values in internal and external communications and relationships.
• Collaborative partner who has a natural ability to create genuine relationships with our internal team and external partners.
• Logical problem solver who proactively communicates workflow and/or deadline status to the team.
• Self-motivated, goal-oriented professional with a passion for helping fuel exponential ministry growth.
• Flexible team member who is open to taking on new responsibilities and easily adapts to shifting priorities and needs.
• Champion of children to belong, believe and become resilient disciples.

Key Responsibilities:

Church & Ministry Engagement

• Build relationships with pastors, ministry directors, and volunteers to establish a Child Discipleship ministry aligned with the church’s goals.
• Encourage churches to participate in additional Awana-sponsored Child Discipleship events (e.g., Child Discipleship Forum, Awana Ministry Conference, Summit, Resilient Child Discipleship Training).
• Engage local pastors and church leaders to discuss the importance of child discipleship and the potential addition or expansion of Awana solutions, including Awana Clubs, Brite, and parenting tools, among others.

Training & Equipping Leaders

• Equip and train loving, caring adults to effectively disciple children and youth.
• Communicate the 3B (Belong, Believe, Become) ministry philosophy to ministry leaders and volunteers.
• Provide digital, online, and in-person training resources to help churches implement Awana ministry solutions.

Communication & Donor Relations

• Effectively communicate vision and information with donors and churches.
• Maintain clear lines of communication with Field Leadership and the Central Office.
• Engage in donor care through regular communication, newsletters, thank-you letters, and small appreciation gifts.

Financial & Organizational Stewardship

• Raise and maintain financial support for ministry expenses, including salary and benefits, following the Awana Fully-Funded Policy.
• Uphold and demonstrate the Awana cultural values in all internal and external communications and relationships.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What You Need:

• A clear, definitive call of the Holy Spirit to Christian child discipleship ministry.
• A Bible Studies Certificate from a Bible College/Institute and/or seminary or equivalent training and experience. Basic Bible doctrine, Old/New Testament surveys, as well as courses in Evangelism, Missions, and Christian Education, are highly encouraged.
• Must be commissioned and assigned for missionary service by a sending church. May be licensed or ordained.
• Desired technology skills include intermediate skills in Microsoft Office and Google Suite skills.
• Working knowledge of CRM (preferably Salesforce) & Canva, a plus.
• A general understanding of the Bible and the Christian church in its various expressions is preferred.
• Working knowledge of children’s inspirational or ministry space, including demonstrated program/product familiarity, is preferred.
• Experience with Awana Club, curriculum, resources, & solutions is a plus!
• Valid State driver’s license.
• Eligibility to work in the United States is required; this position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship.

Spiritual Life

Must be a born-again Christian. Must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Must be in agreement with the Awana Doctrinal Statement. Must be in fellowship with the body of Christ through a local church. Regularly engages in reading the Holy Bible as a guide and standard for living.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

While performing the duties of this job, the team member is regularly required to communicate. The team member is also required to regularly utilize computer equipment (e.g., screens and keyboards) to perform work. Awana recommends maintaining an ergonomic posture, utilizing properly positioned computer equipment to minimize strain, and taking regular breaks to stretch and move around. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. The employee is regularly required to move about the work environment, including climbing, crouching, and kneeling, often with equipment in use. Must be able to lift 50 lbs. Local and out-of-town travel is required. Overnight travel and the ability to drive or travel long distances are occasionally required.

What We Offer:

As a ministry that equips leaders to reach kids with the gospel and engage them in lifelong discipleship, we value our team that makes this happen and are excited to offer:

• Mission-driven work that changes the lives of children and youth around the world.
• Intentional connection, flexibility, family, and community engagement are part of our culture.
• Benefits package, including a variety of programs you can choose from to meet your and your family’s needs. Some of these include medical, dental & vision health insurance, paid family leave, 401(k) & Roth 401(k) retirement savings plans with employer match, generous paid vacation & holidays, adoption assistance, an employee wellness program, and more!
• Ministerial housing allowance available.

This Job Description reflects the current assignment of essential functions and is not meant to be all-inclusive. Responsibilities may be assigned or reassigned to this job at any time based on the needs of the organization and may be modified to reasonably accommodate an individual with a disability or for other reasons. Please note, this opportunity is contingent upon favorable completion of a reference check, background check, and I-9 completion.