Student Ministry Pastor Candidate Questionnaire

Instructions: Please complete this questionnaire thoughtfully and honestly. Your responses will help Journey of Faith understand your ministry philosophy, leadership style, and potential fit with their church culture. Please return this completed form to Austin Payne at austinpayneconsulting@gmail.com.

Part 1: General Information

Full Name:

Current Position/Church:

Years in Student Ministry:

Education/Seminary:

Briefly describe your journey into student ministry (2-3 sentences):

Part 2: Ministry Philosophy & Approach

Question 1:

Describe your philosophy for discipling students (6th-12th grade). How do you help them grow from attendance to ownership of their faith?

Question 2:

How do you approach partnering with parents in student ministry? Give a specific example of how you've successfully engaged parents in the past.

Question 3:

Journey of Faith has both a Manhattan Beach and Torrance campus. How would you approach building unity while honoring the unique contexts of each location?

Part 3: Cultural Fit - Journey of Faith DNA

Journey of Faith's Core Cultural Values:

1. Rooted in Mission - Strong sense of identity and purpose in the South Bay

2. Better Together - Highly collaborative and supportive across all departments

3. Healthy People = Healthy Ministry - Strategic rhythms to prevent burnout

4. Excellence Is Hospitality - Planning ahead to care well for all involved

5. Just Plain Fun - A culture of laughter and celebration

Question 4:

Which of these cultural values resonates most with you and why? How have you lived this out in your current ministry context?

Question 5:

Describe your approach to collaboration. Give an example of a time you worked across departments or ministry areas to accomplish something greater together.

Question 6:

How do you maintain personal health and model healthy rhythms for your team? What practices do you have in place to prevent burnout?

Part 4: Leadership & Vision

Question 7:

How do you approach volunteer recruitment, training, and development? Describe your strategy for building a healthy volunteer culture.

Question 8:

What excites you most about the possibility of serving at Journey of Faith? What unique gifts or experiences would you bring to this role?

Question 9:

If hired, what would be your priorities for the first 90 days? The first year?

Part 5: Final Thoughts

Question 10:

Is there anything else you'd like Journey of Faith to know about you, your calling, or your vision for student ministry?

References (Please list 3 references with contact information):