Lakewood Church Hires New Youth Director

Its origins were humble. The first meeting of Lakewood Church was held in a converted feed store on the outskirts of Houston, Texas on Mother's Day in 1959. A caring atmosphere, quality leadership, and community outreach attracted people from all ages, religious backgrounds, races, and walks of life.

Known throughout the world as a model for harmony and diversity, the Lakewood Church congregation is multi-generational and multi-ethnic with members from dozens of nations across the globe. Each week, Lakewood reaches thousands of people in Houston and surrounding areas through worship services, classes, and local missions. Lakewood's heart for serving makes a tangible impact on the surrounding community through its outreach programs for hospital patients, prisons, nursing home residents, homeless shelters, and other outreaches.

Opportunity

Lakewood Church was in search of a new Youth Director. With the outcomes of the global pandemic,  the structure of the Youth department had to shift and they practically had to rebuild a new foundation for their youth program. Lakewood was looking for someone with a fresh vision and a heart for the youth to bring hope to the next generation. 

Our Consultant  Brian Dunks spent some time at  Lakewood Church, meeting with their staff, better understanding their organizational culture, and seeing firsthand how they operate. When searching for a new Youth Director, it was essential to have someone who has a heart for growing the next generation and building them to become leaders. Additionally, the new director needed to have the ability to mentor and guide the staff and volunteers in the ministry.

Solution

Our consultant and recruiter were tasked with finding a perfect fit for their next hire, which was a challenging but rewarding process. By taking the time to get to know the staff and what they were looking for in a candidate, our team was able to identify several strong contenders and ultimately help them make the best possible choice for their team. 

After meeting with several great candidates that applied for the position, DeVante Tidwell was the right fit for the role. DeVante grew up as a military kid, even though his family traveled a lot his mother always made sure he was plugged in at church. He started serving at 9 years old and since then ministry became his life. He grew up under amazing leaders, such as Bishop T.D. Jakes and Tim Ross. In his previous positions, he held significant influence and responsibility while working with the Youth Department. He briefly did evangelical work outside of the church, but he felt called back to full-time ministry and obediently followed God's plan. 

Result

DeVante and his wife Stephanie their son Tai moved to Houston from Dallas. In his time as Lakewood’s new Youth Director, his wife Stephanie was also hired on staff to join the Kidlife Department at Lakewood. They’re proud to call Houston and Lakewood Church their home. 

Benefit

While there is no simple, one-size fits all solution to the puzzle of planning for a seamless pastoral succession, there are questions that will help you determine if you are ready for succession. We created the Succession Readiness Tool for just that. Very simple, straightforward questions that will help you see where you are in your succession plan.

If you’re ready to start the conversation around hiring, contact our team. We’ll guide you through the hiring process at every level, from job descriptions to signing the offer letter.