Vincennes First Church of God Student Ministries Bio
History of the position:
The Student Ministry: The previous ministry model was wide and not deep, which led to behavioral problems and a transition in leadership. An interim pastor was brought in to create a new vision and direction that focused on relational discipleship to give us some stability to move forward with a full-time staff hire. Positive steps were made, but more can be done.
Opportunities: There is a strong, dedicated core of younger members of the youth program who carry a lot of leadership possibilities. Many of them were born and raised in the church and have families that are extremely supportive of their children and the VFC mission. Someone who would commit to the student ministries program long term has a really bright future.
Room for Growth: Some of the behavioral issues among older, longtime youth still linger, and the history of the programing has been inconsistent which has stunted the growth and consistency of attendance with the youth. Someone who comes in with clear expectations and stability will make a positive impact.
What I’m looking for:
The foundation of student ministries is relationships, so I am looking for a committed individual who is passionate about youth-age students and how a relationship with God will help them in these fraught, volatile times in their lives. It must be someone who is highly relational, a person with a high EQ (emotional intelligence) that will dive into the lives of our students. It must be someone who will focus on discipleship and growth based on relationships with adult and student leaders. Student ministries with youth is too vast for just one person to handle it; job one should be to work with and potentially grow a team of volunteers to assist in your efforts to lead.
I am also looking for someone to come in with creativity and vision, someone who is willing to take risks to move the ball forward. The ministry is at a unique spot; there are no preconceived expectations because the recent history of this programming has been somewhat non-existent. So, there is freedom, but there is also skepticism. Big-picture thinking combined with long-term planning and clear communication can mitigate these issues and provide reassurance. That being said, we need someone to come in with some excitement about what the future can hold.
The Town:
Vincennes is the oldest town in Indiana and the first capital of the Indiana Territory. That fact scared me at first, but then I visited and that changed for me. Even though it is a smaller town of just over 18,000 people, the church in Vincennes serves a bigger collection of counties which includes a population of 90,000 in cities and rural communities. This affords us to have some amenities that towns our size do not usually have. I am amazed that with the age of the town how dedicated the community is to keep the town current and thriving. Most towns this size have towns that are dilapidated and vacant, but Vincennes has streets and sidewalks filled with people. There is a good mixture of “mom and pop” shops and larger department stores, a mixture of chain restaurants and unique dining experiences. There are fun and unique community events, including the Vincennes Rendezvous over Memorial Day weekend, the Parade of Clowns in July to celebrate hometown-native Red Skelton, the Watermelon Festival in August, and so much more. Vincennes is also a college town, home of the Vincennes University Trailblazers. There are a half-dozen unique parks spread all over town, a YMCA, and several gyms and wellness centers. It’s a great place to raise a family or start one. The city is tucked in the southwest side of Indiana an hour between Terre Haute and Evansville. Our central location also gives access to a multitude of major cities for weekend getaways, including St. Louis, MO and Louisville, KY.
The Church - Vincennes First Church (VFC):
The church is currently in a great spot, with a lot of potential to grow. In 2019 (pre-Covid), the church was averaging attendance around 220 per service. Right now, post-Covid, VFC averages 275. Will Huebner, the current Lead Pastor, is 34 years old and has 14 years of ministry experience, 12 of which were in Student Ministries. The church contributes missions efforts abroad and locally and has a rich heritage of music ministry and powerful worship. The Church is currently in a rebranding process and slowly forging forward with new vision with a special emphasis on serving families and growing the next generation of God-fearing young people. The culture of the church is shifting in a positive direction, and we are blessed to be debt free.
Vincennes First Church of God Mission Statement:
Creating Kingdom Culture
Transform... heads, hearts, and hands with God's Word
Invest... in people by gathering and reaching
Serve... our neighbors by sharing our gifts
Elevate... the kingdom through praise and worship
