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Riverside Church

Student Pastor

Ft. Myers,
Florida
The Student Pastor at Riverside Church is a critical leadership role responsible for leading middle and high school students to follow Jesus and become disciple-makers through intentional, life-on-life relationships. We are looking for a strategic builder to step into a ministry with a meaningful foundation, stabilize what exists following a transition, and guide it into its next season of healthy growth and impact. This leader will prioritize recruiting, developing, and empowering a team of adult volunteer leaders who will directly disciple students, rather than trying to perform all the ministry themselves. Ultimately, you will partner closely with parents and the broader Next Gen team to create a connected, discipleship-driven pathway from nursery through graduation.

Why We Love This Opportunity

This is a builder’s dream because you are not being asked to maintain a rigid, pre-packaged program; instead, leadership is actively handing you the keys to relaunch, re-energize, and strategically shape the future of this ministry. You get to step onto a team that fiercely values high autonomy, personal health, and genuine, everyday fun over corporate micromanagement or religious performance. There is a deeply dedicated core of adult volunteers already in your corner, completely empty of territorial egos and hungry for a leader who will equip, invest in, and shepherd them. Ultimately, you have the rare privilege of doing long-term, deep-well ministry in a thriving, multi-generational community where the senior leadership is fully committed to funding your vision and backing your play.

  • You are a “hungry, humble, and smart” team player who possesses the self-awareness to laugh at yourself when you fail.
  • You are a strategic builder who brings clarity, vision, and direction to a ministry ready for its next step, designing systems to create momentum rather than just maintaining existing programs.
  • You are a multiplying leader who naturally recruits, trains, and cares for a strong team of adult volunteers, investing the majority of your time in the adults who will directly disciple the students.
  • You are a relational pastor who leads with genuine warmth, builds trust-filled relationships with families, and proactively pursues students who are quietly disengaging.
  • You are comfortable in Southwest Florida, equipped with the suburban fluency needed to navigate a multi-generational church body with a strong senior presence.

A great match for this position would be:

  • You are a “hungry, humble, and smart” team player who possesses the self-awareness to laugh at yourself when you fail.
  • You are a strategic builder who brings clarity, vision, and direction to a ministry ready for its next step, designing systems to create momentum rather than just maintaining existing programs.
  • You are a multiplying leader who naturally recruits, trains, and cares for a strong team of adult volunteers, investing the majority of your time in the adults who will directly disciple the students.
  • You are a relational pastor who leads with genuine warmth, builds trust-filled relationships with families, and proactively pursues students who are quietly disengaging.
  • You are comfortable in Southwest Florida, equipped with the suburban fluency needed to navigate a multi-generational church body with a strong senior presence.

About This Organization

Riverside Church is a growing, multi-generational congregation of 1,200 to 1,400 weekly attendees located in a thriving suburban community in Southwest Florida. Planted over 100 years ago in 1916 as a Southern Baptist church, Riverside became an independent church 12 years ago. Today, we operate with a highly collaborative leadership approach. Our Lead Pastor and Executive Pastor share responsibility for leading the church, each bringing complementary strengths to the role. The Lead Pastor focuses on teaching and doctrine, while the Executive Pastor leads vision, strategy, and leadership development.
Currently, Riverside is in a strong season of ministry, with excellent external metrics in finances, attendance, and discipleship. We embrace a relationally driven staff culture that values hard work, proactive communication, risk-taking, and having genuine fun together. As a church, we are deeply committed to a groups-based model of life-on-life discipleship, moving away from academic or pressure-driven programs to foster authentic relationships that help our people genuinely find and follow Jesus.

Location

Fort Myers offers a unique blend of coastal Florida lifestyle, strong family values, and year-round opportunities for recreation and community engagement. Located along Florida’s Gulf Coast, Fort Myers is known for its beautiful beaches, abundant outdoor activities, excellent parks, and access to boating, fishing, and nature preserves. Families enjoy a wide range of public and private school options, youth sports, community events, and a growing economy that continues to attract young professionals and families alike.

One of the greatest strengths of Fort Myers is its balance. Residents can enjoy the amenities of a growing metropolitan area while still experiencing the warmth and connectedness of a community-oriented city. Whether spending a weekend on nearby Sanibel or Captiva Islands, exploring local restaurants and entertainment, or enjoying one of the area’s many parks and waterfront destinations, there is no shortage of opportunities to build a healthy and enjoyable life outside of ministry. 

Southwest Florida’s climate allows for year-round outdoor living, making it easy for families to stay active and connected. The region continues to experience thoughtful growth while maintaining a strong sense of community, making Fort Myers an attractive place to plant roots, raise a family, and invest in long-term ministry.

Position Profile

Mission, Vision, and Values
Staff Culture
Key Qualifications

Salary Range

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