We’re Hiring: Youth Pastor

Location: Grace Community Church, Guelph, Ontario

Type: Full-time

Salary: Starting salary range of $50,000 – 70,000 CAD, commensurate with experience and qualifications. Compensation above this range may be considered for candidates with significant relevant experience.

Preferred Start Date: January 2027, with flexibility based on candidate availability

Application Deadline: Saturday, October 31, 2026

Grace Community Church is seeking a full-time Youth Pastor to lead and disciple students in Grades 7-12. Grace Youth is a vibrant and growing ministry with approximately 70 students regularly participating across our Junior and Senior Youth programs. Junior Youth and Senior Youth meet on separate nights each week, with approximately 30-35 students attending each program.

We’re looking for someone who loves Jesus, believes in the transforming power of the gospel, and is passionate about helping the next generation develop a resilient, lifelong faith. If you thrive in relational ministry, enjoy developing and equipping volunteer leaders, and want to serve on a collaborative staff team within an active youth ministry, we’d love to hear from you.

About the City – Guelph, Ontario
Located about an hour west of Toronto, Guelph is a thriving city of approximately 154,000 people that combines small-city amenities with a strong sense of community. Known for its parks, trails, vibrant downtown, and the University of Guelph, it’s consistently recognized as one of Ontario’s best places to live.

About Grace Community Church
Grace Community Church is a contemporary evangelical church located in north Guelph (7427 Wellington County Road 30). We are a growing congregation with an average Sunday attendance of approximately 450 people. We are led by a board, elders, and a collaborative staff team of six. We are a gospel-centred church rooted in Scripture as our final authority. We aim to make a meaningful impact in our community through discipleship, evangelism, and lives shaped by biblical truth. As an egalitarian and team-oriented church, our mission is simple: to help people follow Jesus, love God, and love others. We pursue this through vibrant worship, strong leadership, and a culture grounded in grace and truth.

About the Role
The Youth Pastor reports to the Lead Pastor and serves as a member of Grace Community Church’s pastoral staff, working collaboratively with staff, elders, and volunteer leaders to advance the mission of the church.

At Grace, we believe youth are a vital part of our church family and the future of the church. Our vision is to see students encounter Jesus, develop a resilient, personal faith rooted in Scripture, and be equipped to follow Him throughout their lives as lifelong disciples and witnesses.

We are seeking a Youth Pastor who brings vision, relational depth, and consistent leadership. This is a hands‑on ministry role focused on cultivating a Christ‑centred culture, leading weekly programs, building authentic relationships with students, and equipping a team of volunteer leaders. We are looking for someone who values meaningful discipleship and authentic community; not simply someone to run events, but someone who will walk alongside young people as they grow in their faith.





This role is ideal for someone with a heart for the next generation and a desire to see young people transformed by the gospel and confidently rooted in God’s Word. A love for Scripture, a desire to share the good news of Jesus, and a commitment to intentional discipleship are essential. There will also be opportunities to preach or teach in larger settings, providing space for continued growth as a pastoral leader.

Key Responsibilities:
Lead and Cast Vision

Develop and communicate a compelling vision for the Youth ministry

Shape a strategy for discipleship, outreach, and leadership development that prioritizes both spiritual depth and gospel impact

Champion the role of youth in the life of the church

Weekly Programming & Presence

Plan and lead weekly youth gatherings and special events

Provide oversight and support to key leaders in the youth program by offering guidance, encouragement, and care as needed

Create environments where students have fun, build meaningful relationships, and engage with God’s Word in relevant and biblically faithful ways.

Be a consistent presence on Sundays; leading, connecting, and supporting students and their families through programming, and participating in worship services with the possibility of preaching or sharing periodically

Team Building & Leadership Development

Recruit, train, and support a team of volunteers to lead effectively and joyfully

Foster a culture of leadership among youth themselves

Provide care, mentorship, and accountability for your leaders, helping them grow in both character and biblical leadership

Outreach & Community Engagement

Build meaningful relationships with students and families inside and outside the church, pointing them to Jesus through both words and actions

Partner with local schools, networks, and organizations to reach and support young people in the community

Help bridge the gap between outreach and church life, inviting students to explore faith and follow Christ

Who You Are:

You love Jesus and have a passion for seeing young people follow Him

You’re a leader who is relational and you value both strategy and spontaneity

You’ve got experience leading youth ministry (volunteer or vocational)

You’re creative, dependable, and not afraid of a little chaos now and then

You’re organized, communicative, and committed to a team culture

You’re able to become a member of Grace Community Church

You’re committed to upholding best practices in safety and safeguarding

What We’re Offering:

A healthy, collaborative staff culture that values encouragement, prayer, spiritual growth, and shared leadership

A market-competitive salary with vacation and benefits

A vibrant, growing church

Resources and encouragement for leadership and personal development

The opportunity to shape the future of the next generation at Grace

What Success Looks Like:

Students are growing in biblical knowledge and personal faith.

Youth are becoming integrated into the wider church community.





Volunteers feel equipped, supported, and encouraged.

New students are regularly invited and welcomed.

Parents see the church as a trusted partner in discipling their children.

A Typical Week:
No two weeks in ministry are exactly the same. This role includes a combination of teaching, discipleship, planning, leadership development, staff collaboration, and regular youth programming, with flexibility in how and where many working hours are structured.

The Youth Pastor will have regular in‑person commitments throughout the week, while other responsibilities, such as teaching preparation, planning, administration, and communication may be completed remotely when appropriate.

The regular in‑person rhythm includes:
Sundays, 8:30am – 12:30pm: Serving as an active pastoral presence in the life of the church, engaging with the congregation and participating in our Sunday services. The Youth Pastor also provides leadership and support for Grade 7-8 Sunday programming, whether through occasional teaching or equipping and supporting the volunteers who lead it.

Tuesdays, 9am – 3 pm: An in‑office workday that begins with our weekly staff meeting, including prayer, ministry updates, and team collaboration. The remainder of the day provides dedicated time to work from the church office on teaching preparation, planning, administration, communication, and other ministry priorities.

Tuesday evenings, 7 – 9 pm: Leading Senior Youth (Grades 9-12), alongside a team of equipped and supported volunteer leaders.

Wednesday evenings, 6:30 – 8:30pm: Leading Junior Youth (Grades 7-8), creating an engaging environment for students to build relationships, grow in their faith, and connect with one another.

Thursdays, 9am – 3pm: A second in‑office workday, providing dedicated time to work from the church office on regular ministry responsibilities and connect with the broader staff team. Thursdays also typically include a weekly check‑in with the Lead Pastor.

Outside of these core in‑person hours, there is flexibility to work remotely on responsibilities such as teaching preparation, program development, volunteer leadership development, administration, communication, and planning. We value both meaningful staff collaboration and the flexibility needed to work effectively within the unique rhythms of ministry.

Fridays and Saturdays are generally regular days off, recognizing that this role includes two evenings of weekly programming as well as Sunday responsibilities. Occasional retreats, conferences, mission trips, and special church events will require additional flexibility throughout the year.

Qualifications

Demonstrates a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and a lifestyle consistent with biblical leadership.

Affirms Grace Community Church’s Statement of Faith and supports its mission, vision, and ministry philosophy.

Willing to become an active member of Grace Community Church.

Experience leading youth ministry (paid or volunteer).

Strong communicator and Bible teacher.

Able to recruit, develop, and lead volunteers.

Bachelor’s degree or theological training is an asset.

The successful candidate will be required to complete a vulnerable sector check and comply with Grace Community Church’s child protection and safeguarding policies.

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📌 Youth Pastor (Ontario)
🏢 Kerrstreet
📍 Ontario