- Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania
- Size: 350
- Website: https://www.missioncommunity.church/
- Hiring for: Student pastor
Founded in 2015, Mission Community Church (MCC) was facing the critical task of hiring its first full-time student pastor. Having navigated a challenging hiring process in the past, MCC recognized the significant effort and resources required to find the ideal candidate. With a lean staff already managing multiple roles, the pressure and urgency to efficiently secure the right person was high.
About Mission Community Church
Mission Community Church is a young, nondenominational congregation deeply committed to integrating itself into everyday community life. As a growing church established only two years prior, MCC needed someone creative and capable of building a student ministry from the ground up. Recognizing the potential complexity of attracting the right candidate due to their newness, MCC sought expert help to ensure the role was filled effectively.
The ideal candidate
MCC’s vision for their new Student Pastor included someone who:
- Had 1-3 years of ministry experience
- Was mature enough not to be seen as a peer by students
- Possessed a balanced approach of discipleship and attractional ministry
- Excelled at forming relationships with youth
- Could creatively establish and build a new student ministry
Avoiding the hiring workload
Lead Pastor Jason Houck reached out to Vanderbloemen, recognizing the extensive resources and expertise they could provide. Vanderbloemen’s team immediately set about widely publicizing the role, thoroughly vetting over 2,500 initial interests down to 58 viable candidates.
Through detailed interviews, assessments, and strategic outreach, MCC was presented with a refined list of top-tier candidates. This targeted approach allowed MCC’s leadership to remain focused on ministry, avoiding the extensive workload typically involved in the hiring process.
About the hire
After a rigorous and thoughtfully managed six-month process, MCC successfully hired their new student pastor. The candidate demonstrated:
- Proven relational skills with youth and families
- A creative vision and approach to student ministry
- The ability to handle the unique challenges of building a ministry from scratch
The newly appointed student pastor quickly integrated into MCC, energetically connecting with students and their families, affirming the church’s decision.
