The mission of Hart First Baptist Church is to make disciples of Jesus. We want to help people find real life in Jesus Christ through real relationships with His Word and His people, the local church. The Pastor of Discipleship and Education exists to oversee the FBC discipleship ministry, shepherd the school as a ministry of the church, serve alongside the elders, represent the school to the church and the church to the school, work alongside the other pastors, and participate in the church's teaching/shepherding ministry according to gifting.

We believe the work of ministry belongs to the whole church. Our leaders are called to equip God's people to do His work, empowering FBC members to participate actively in worship, teaching, discipleship, service, and communicating the gospel to the world.

The Pastor of Discipleship & Education is a pastoral role centered on advancing FBC's mission of making disciples through two primary areas of responsibility:

1. Church-Wide Discipleship Leadership - assessing FBC's current ministries and helping develop a clear, cohesive discipleship model that equips people to grow in biblical knowledge, deepen their theology and love for God, engage in meaningful Christian community, and become disciple-makers themselves.
2. Oceana Christian School Administration - serving as the Administrator and spiritual leader of Oceana Christian School, providing hands-on leadership to the school as a major ministry of FBC.

Oceana Christian School serves preschool through 5th grade and ministers to both church families and community families seeking a quality Christian education. We desire OCS to be a place where Christian education supports the shared discipleship work of the church and home, while also building meaningful relationships with families in our community.

Qualifications

• Meets the qualifications of an elder described in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1
• Agrees with and supports Hart FBC's Statement of Faith
• Demonstrates a mature Christian faith, a servant heart, and clear dependence on the Lord in ministry and leadership
• Loves the local church and understands and values the relationship between FBC and Oceana Christian School
• Has a genuine passion for Christian education, learning, and academic excellence
• Holds a high standard for education while thoughtfully developing an approach that reflects the mission and distinctives of Christian education
• Degree or advanced degree in biblical/pastoral studies, education, leadership, or a related field, or equivalent experience
• Preferred degrees include an MDiv, MA in Christian Education or Leadership, or a four-year degree in a related field
• Experience in ministry, Christian education, educational leadership, administration, or a comparable leadership setting preferred

Core Competencies

• Pastoral & Servant Leadership: Leads with humility, care, and a willingness to serve people at every level of the ministry
• Educational Leadership: Loves learning, values strong teaching, and is committed to maintaining a high academic standard within a distinctly Christian educational philosophy
• Relational Leadership: Builds trust with church members, teachers, staff, parents, students, and community families
• Listening & Staff Support: Values the perspective of teachers and staff, listens well to those closest to the day-to-day work, and looks for practical ways to help them succeed
• Communication: Communicates clearly, consistently, and proactively
• Follow-Through: Is dependable, takes ownership of responsibilities, and does what he says he will do
• Administration & Financial Stewardship: Possesses strong organizational skills and is comfortable working with budgets, financial information, and basic bookkeeping oversight
• Facilitation & Equipping: Looks for ways to remove obstacles, meet practical needs, and equip others to carry out their responsibilities effectively
• Teamwork: Works collaboratively with school staff, church staff, support personnel, and the other elders

Areas of Responsibility

1. Church-Wide Discipleship Leadership

Our desire is to develop a robust culture of discipleship at FBC through a clear and intentional ministry model that strengthens both church-based discipleship and discipleship within the home.

The Pastor of Discipleship & Education will help assess our current ministries, develop a cohesive discipleship strategy, and equip leaders to carry that strategy forward. This person is not expected to personally lead every ministry connected to discipleship, but rather to provide vision, alignment, leadership development, and support across them.

Responsibilities include:

• Assess FBC's current discipleship ministries, structures, and pathways
• Develop and help implement a clear church-wide discipleship model
• Identify gaps, overlap, and opportunities for greater alignment between ministries
• Recruit, equip, coach, and develop ministry leaders and volunteers
• Provide vision, resources, and support to ministries that fall under the broader discipleship umbrella, including:
• • Small groups, Bible studies, home groups, and mentoring ministries
  • Adult and children's Sunday School
  • Wednesday children's ministries
  • Men's and women's ministries
  • Family and home discipleship
• Help establish clear pathways for people to connect, grow, serve, and become disciple-makers
• Participate in the preaching, teaching, shepherding, and general pastoral ministry of FBC according to gifting and need

2. Oceana Christian School Administrator

A significant portion of this role is serving as the Administrator of Oceana Christian School. The Pastor of Discipleship & Education will provide both spiritual and administrative leadership to OCS, working closely with faculty, staff, families, church leadership, and designated support staff.

Responsibilities include:

• Serve as the spiritual leader of OCS faculty and staff
• Maintain and strengthen a distinctly Christian culture throughout the school
• Provide day-to-day leadership and oversight of school operations in cooperation with support staff
• Listen to teachers and staff, value their on-the-ground perspective, and look for practical ways to help them succeed
• Oversee curriculum review and selection, including biblical integration
• Maintain strong academic standards and promote a culture of learning and educational excellence
• Conduct regular staff observations and annual evaluations
• Recruit, hire, develop, and when necessary terminate OCS staff
• Communicate clearly and consistently with faculty, staff, parents, and church leadership
• Serve as the primary administrative point of contact for faculty, staff, and families
• Serve as the public face of OCS to the church and wider community
• Recruit new students and support enrollment growth
• Build relationships with OCS families, including community families who may have little or no current connection to FBC
• Help create pathways for OCS families to become connected to the life and ministry of FBC
• Develop and manage the annual school budget and provide appropriate financial oversight
• Schedule and oversee professional development for faculty and staff
• Manage the shared-time agreement with North Muskegon Public Schools
• Work with church leadership to evaluate the long-term health, direction, and sustainability of OCS

Responsible To

The Pastor of Discipleship & Education serves as an elder of Hart First Baptist Church and is accountable to the other elders and the congregation.