What we are looking for

We are seeking an Assistant Youth Pastor (22.5 hours per week) to help provide leadership, discipleship, and pastoral care to our growing youth community and help us to have the capacity to pioneer new things.

Current Ministry Landscape: The youth ministry at The Lantern Church currently serves approximately 85 young people across Years 7–13, supported by a team of 30 dedicated volunteer youth leaders. Our ministry includes:

Weekly discipleship groups;
Monthly outreach events, such as Youth Club;
A discipleship program designed to deepen the spiritual growth of our youth.

We are seeing God move in powerful ways among our young people. Their hunger for faith is evident as, growing in their own relationships with God but also supporting and encouraging one another in their daily apprenticeship to Jesus.

Core Responsibilities of the role

To support our Youth Pastor in the development and growth of the youth ministry at The Lantern Church through:

Discipleship – Develop and implement an engaging Bible-teaching curriculum, alongside rhythms of spiritual disciplines and mission that nurtures young people as whole-life apprentices of Jesus.

Event Planning, Logistics and Admin - Assist with the planning and execution of weekly youth meetings, monthly outreach events, regular admin and the annual Houseparty.

Pastoral Care – Have the spiritual maturity and pastoral sensitivity to come alongside and disciple our young people through life circumstances and towards Jesus.

Community Outreach - Develop and implement regular community outreach events to engage with young people with mission outside the church.

Emerging Opportunities

Once the above responsibilities have been prioritised, we anticipate the Assistant Youth Pastor taking a lead in these areas of development:

Mentoring Program Expansion - Develop and coordinate a mentoring program, ensuring each young person desiring the extra investment is paired with a mentor for spiritual and personal growth.
Volunteer Recruitment and Coordination - Safely recruit, train, and coordinate volunteers to ensure all youth activities are well-supported and effectively run.
Chaplaincy and School Engagement - Regularly visit local schools to provide pastoral care, develop connections with students and staff, and offer chaplaincy support our gospel outreach as appropriate.
TLG Program Management - Develop our fledgling TLG program, as part of our schools engagement, supporting our volunteers in transforming the lives of young people who are struggling for a variety of reasons and may be at risk of falling out of education.

Character

Secure in the knowledge that you are loved, accepted, and valued by Jesus – who you are in Him matters more than what you do.
You don’t take yourself too seriously, but God very seriously.
A humble leader, capable, self-starting and able to lead, whilst equally happy to play ‘second chair’ and champion the leadership of others.
A prayerful and teachable follower of Jesus, prioritising personal discipleship before leadership of others.
Positive, can-do attitude, servant-hearted, an encourager with a sense of humour!
Personable, trustworthy and collaborative, with a passion for seeing young people flourish in their faith.
Aligned with the vision and values of The Lantern Church and the position of the church leadership on key matters of doctrine.

Competencies and Experience

Proven experience in encouraging young people to become disciples of Jesus, leading them to faith in him, and nurturing spiritual growth in the power of the Spirit.
A strong theological grounding, able to relate Christian faith to everyday life.
Ability to communicate the compelling truth of the Christian gospel in the face of the false narratives of culture.
Ability to initiate and lead change, inspiring others to follow.
A strategic thinker, able to see what is not-yet and work towards medium and long-term goals.
Strong organisational skills—able to plan, prioritise, and adapt flexibly as needed.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, able to engage with people across generations and backgrounds.
Proficiency in IT and digital communication, including social media and online platforms.

Snapshots of Youth at The Lantern

WATCH: Easter Houseparty in under two minutes

It’s been amazing to see over 20 of our young people get baptised or reaffirm their baptismal vows over the past few years.

A youth social at one of our parents’ homes

Some of our youth attending RESOUND - a youth event in partnership with other local churches

Amazing supportive team of volunteers

Terms & Conditions

Employed by	The Lantern Church & Canford Magna PCC
Responsible to	Youth Pastor - The Lantern Church
Key relationships	Staff Team + Vicar, Youth Team, Young People, Parents and local schools
Length of contract	Permanent, subject to a six month probationary period, with reviews at three and six months, then every six months thereafter
Place of work	Primarily The Lantern Church and offices as well as local schools
Hours of work	This is a part-time role with an expectation of 22.5 hrs per week including typically 2 evenings per week.
Holidays	Based on statutory requirements (32 days incl. bank holidays pro rata)
Expenses	Reimbursed as required and when within budget
Conditions of role	You are an employee of the Canford Magna PCC (there are three churches in the team), you should refer to the CMP Staff Handbook for more details on the conditions of your role. An enhanced DBS is required for this role.
Salary	£24-26k per annum pro rata (based on 37.5 hrs pw full-time equivalent), depending on experience, with pension provision. The PCC reviews pay annually

How to Apply

<aside> 👉🏻 The application deadline is Sunday 1st June 2025. Interviews all day on Tuesday 10th June 2025 (including evening).

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<aside> 👉🏻 This role requires an enhanced DBS check.

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<aside> 👉🏻 The preferred start date for this role is as soon as is practicable.

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<aside> 👉🏻 Application form available on request: [email protected]

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A bit more about our church

Our Vision: We are a family of God sharing his heart to reach the lost, grow the found and transform our communities

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We are a Spirit led, biblically grounded church of approximately 450 people based in the South of England, near Wimborne Minster, Poole and Bournemouth.

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We value belonging, encountering God, and having a fun-loving attitude, creating an authentic and caring environment where everyone is welcome. Whether you're exploring faith for the first time or have been a Christian for years, we invite you to join our family of God. Come as you are and experience the joy and hope of knowing Jesus Christ.

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We acknowledge our doctrinal heritage, grounded as it is in the apostolic faith, in the Bible and articulated, within the existing doctrine and teaching of the Church of England, and further articulated in the Basis of Faith from organisations such as CPAS and the Evangelical Alliance, amongst others. These sources collectively underscore our conviction on matters of biblical integrity and church order—including orthodox teachings on marriage and human sexuality (see also this from CPAS).

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Check out our website for more information…

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We are a part of the Salisbury Diocese in the Church of England, a member of the New Wine Network of churches and sit within the charismatic-evangelical tradition

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A bit more about our youth ministry