WHO WE ARE

Next Gen Director

Xperience Church

Defiance, Ohio

Overview

The Next Gen Director will oversee the areas of children's ministry, youth ministry, and young adults ministry. The goal of this role will be to bring vision, accountability, strategy, and support to these areas individually and as a whole. This role will focus on establishing ministries to children, students, and young adults as one strategic continuous ministry that maximizes the impact the church can have before adulthood.

This position has been filled

THE XPERIENCE CHURCH STORY

In the summer of 2011, God began stirring a vision for planting a church in the hearts of Kyle & Justeina Brownlee. Kyle had been in full-time ministry for 10 years at Teen Challenge in Brookings, SD and Justeina was leading a national women’s ministry. However, they had always desired to lead together in ministry and felt God stirring their hearts for the local church. After several opportunities fell through, they began investigating the option of planting a church. There was a couple that they were friends with in Defiance, Ohio, and they began praying and dreaming about possibly launching a church in this rural community. After receiving confirmation from the Lord, they connected with the Association of Related Churches (ARC), and ARC helped them develop a game plan to launch a church. After that, they started building the launch team, hosting vision meetings, and preparing to launch Xperience Church. On September 16, 2012, Xperience Church held its first service in the Defiance YMCA. 264 people attended that first service, with 11 people committing their lives to Christ. That day was just the beginning of what God was planning to do through Xperience Church. Just 6 months after launch, the attendance had grown to the point that a second service was needed. Over the next two years, attendance continued to steadily grow and in March 2015, Xperience Church launched a third Sunday morning service. In 2016, they launched services in their local correctional facility. In 2017, they launched the Defiance Dream Center and began ministering in the country of Belize. By 2018, attendance had grown to over 1,000 people in weekly attendance over 3 services. The children’s ministry had grown to the point where it was outgrowing the space at the YMCA and it was evident that they needed to explore other options. They began praying for the Lord to provide wisdom and clarity on the next steps. By the end of 2018, the pastors were in discussions with the owner of the local mall regarding a vacant space that had opened up. They signed a lease in March 2019 and finished renovations in November. On December 1, 2019 they held their very first service at Northtowne Mall in Defiance. Just 3 months later, the world shutdown due to COVID19. Thankfully, the new space allowed them the opportunity to record and stream services online, which helped keep the church family connected during the pandemic. Weekend services resumed in June 2020 and they spent the next two years navigating through a world that had been greatly impacted by COVID. By the end of 2022, attendance had grown back close to pre-COVID numbers and they have started planning for the future. Xperience Church knows that God has called them to plant churches, launch dream centers, and impact prisons in more communities across NW Ohio, and are once again praying for wisdom and clarity on His timing and direction.

XPERIENCE CHURCH VISION & MISSION

OUR VISION IS TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO A GOD-FIRST LIFE.
OUR MISSION IS TO HELP PEOPLE: KNOW GOD, FIND FREEDOM, DISCOVER PURPOSE, AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE

CORE VALUES

  • We are passionate – we put our heart into everything
  • We are committed – we do whatever it takes
  • We are generous – we GET to give
  • We are excellent – we always bring our best
  • We are life-giving – we build up rather than tear down
  • We are authentic – we are real about where we have been and where we need to go

JOB SUMMARY

The Next Gen Director will oversee the areas of children’s ministry, youth ministry, and young
adults ministry. The goal of this role will be to bring vision, accountability, strategy, and support to
these areas individually and as a whole. This role will focus on establishing ministries to children,
students, and young adults as one strategic continuous ministry that maximizes the impact the
church can have before adulthood.

PERSONAL PROFILE 

  • Strong leader
  • Competent
  • Pastoral
  • Experienced
  • Foundational

 

CANDIDATE COMPETENCIES

  • Passion for the church, the vision, people and serving in the Kingdom
  • Professional representation of the church and the Lord in all things
  • Pastoral, discerning, and confident leadership style
  • Commitment and investment in the well-being and success of the local church
  • Passion towards and eagerness to learn
  • Strong and growing Christian faith
  • Strong understanding of how to develop leaders and build teams
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Basic understanding of child and youth development
  • Must be a team player, with experience working in a team environment
  • Possesses basic knowledge of computer applications (i.e. Word, Excel, Power Point, etc.)
  • Ability to learn or have experience with Pro Presenter and CCB
  • Ability to handle confidential matters discreetly and efficiently

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Build a strong Next Gen Ministry that effectively disciples children and students that attend Xperience Church, and
    those in the community as well
  • Create environments where children and students will experience the presence of God
  • Develop and lead a cohesive team of Next Gen volunteers who will invest into the lives of children and students
  • Oversee Next Gen Ministry activities, including weekly gatherings, fun events, and outreach
  • Build and foster strategic partnerships with parents, schools, and youth organizations
  • Shepherd and disciple Next Gen staff, Next Gen volunteers, children and students toward a deeper commitment to Christ
  • Oversee/facilitate Next Gen ministry administration, logistics, and budget
  • Other responsibilities as needed

DEFIANCE, OHIO

Defiance, OH is a rural community in Northwest Ohio – halfway between Fort Wayne, Indiana and Toledo, Ohio. The population in the city of Defiance is around 17,000 people. Defiance is a safe community that shows great support for local small businesses. Living in Defiance offers residents a sparse suburban feel mixed with rural landscape. Defiance has a lot of parks and the public schools in Defiance are above average. Defiance is home to several factories and has a strong blue collar demographic, but also has many young professionals in a variety of industries. Residents are passionate about everything from politics to local sports. There are several smaller communities close to Defiance with similar demographics. Defiance is a crossing point for two large rivers, the Auglaize & the Maumee. Defiance also cherishes & honors its great history. Numerous historic homes and buildings are preserved to keep the history alive. Defiance truly is a great place to live.