3 Church Staff Positions That Will Become More Common This Year

Walking alongside churches of all sizes provides a unique perspective of how they operate. We get to see how churches work internally, but also get a high-level view of how churches adapt (or fail to adapt) to change.

As technology advances and the economy shifts, churches often find themselves at a crossroads when it comes to the best way to steward their staff members. Below are a couple positions we see churches of all sizes looking to fill some new and changing gaps in ministry.

1. Small Groups Pastor

Over the last decade, there has been a dramatic shift in congregational outreach. Typical church is moving from Sunday morning “Sunday School” to small groups in more relaxed settings during the weeks and evenings.

This is largely due to the changing priorities of the millennial generation. The younger generation has been pushing for a more relaxed setting to build relationships in a less structured environment. This has led to many churches creating small groups that meet throughout the week, often in homes or other non-church locations.

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Because of this shift, churches are seeing a need for someone to oversee the leadership of each group, monitor group health, and be the champion for community from the stage. The position is often considered a role that can close the back door and keep people engaged with the church.

2. NextGen/Family Pastor

There is nothing uncommon about this position, but how it is being structured is changing. Whether through cost effectiveness or healthy staff structure, the role of Family Pastor is quickly becoming a “jack-of-all-ages” Pastor.

Historically, churches have had a full-time Youth Pastor and either a part-time or full-time Children’s Pastor. However, we are seeing more churches combine both of those roles into one Family Pastor position.

By combining these positions, churches can direct more funds into the compensation of the role and attract high-capacity leaders. It also brings the role of ministering to young and growing families under one position, providing seamless transitions for kids moving from elementary to middle school and eventually high school.

3. Communications Director

There is no denying that communication has changed over the last few decades. With the internet becoming a household staple, and social media following shortly after, how we communicate is dramatically different than it was 25 years ago.

As churches adapt to the new forms of communication, it quickly becomes a full-time position. This is someone who will oversee the church website, manage the Facebook page, upload the sermon to YouTube, publish the Pastor’s blog, etc. We are more connected now than ever before, and people are taking in information beyond just the church bulletin.

According to a Huffington Post article, people spend about 5 hours a day on their smartphones. As a church leader, you should be thinking about how you can connect with those people in that space, and communicate the Gospel using technology.

Has your church adopted these positions on staff? How have they benefited your ministry?