American Baptist

WEEKLY ATTENDANCE: 260

Meet First Baptist Church Sioux Falls

First Baptist Church (First B) is a warm, historic faith community located in the growing city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Founded in 1875, the church has deep generational roots but is actively looking to the future, as seen by an upcoming move to a new neighborhood perfectly positioned to reach the rapidly developing city with a population of 220,000 and rising. Whether you are a lifelong resident or new to the area, the church offers an accessible, come as you are environment where all people can find a safe space, deep community, and a spiritual home.

At the center of everything they do is a desire to help people encounter God and enter into a lifelong relationship with Him. Their Sunday gatherings have an authentic, casual approach, offering both traditional services with choirs and handbells and also contemporary worship to ensure a meaningful connection with God for every generation. They value genuine worship and practical teaching that equips individuals to meet with God in the everyday moments of their lives.

The true heart of First B is seen in its desire to function as a close-knit, extended family that genuinely cares and shows up for one another through all of life's stages. Through intentional small groups and a renewed focus on children and student ministries, they are passionate about bridging generational gaps and nurturing disciples who follow Jesus together. First B is a highly relational community where pretension is left at the door, vulnerability is valued, and everyone is invited to pull up a chair to serve the city and share the hope of the Gospel.

About the Student Ministries and Worship Pastor

The Student Ministries and Worship Pastor at First Baptist Church of Sioux Falls is, at their core, a relational shepherd who bridges generational gaps and builds up the church family. Balancing their focus between youth and worship, this leader is passionate about walking alongside students, partnering closely with parents to support families, and integrating young people into the broader life of the congregation. Rather than simply running programs or performing on stage, they are a collaborative team player who thrives on vulnerability-based trust and intentionally equipping others. Whether they are mentoring youth small group leaders, teaming up with the children's ministry to create a cohesive birth-to-graduation discipleship plan, or developing the musical talents of volunteer worship team members, their focus is always on empowering people. Ultimately, the ideal pastor for this role loves Jesus deeply and uses that genuine passion to foster an authentic, cross-generational community where everyone feels seen, safe, and encouraged to grow in their faith.

The Student Ministries and Worship Pastor's responsibilities include:

Student Ministries

• Lead and execute the overall student ministry strategy: Oversee the spiritual development of teenagers by actively integrating the student ministry's goals with the broader vision and strategy of the church.
• Recruit and equip volunteer leaders: Identify, shepherd, and intentionally pour into adult small group leaders and Serve Team members, meeting with them regularly for planning, training, and support.
• Partner with and support parents: Come alongside families to equip parents as the primary spiritual leaders for their teens, taking intentional time to connect with them and providing consistent communication.
• Plan and oversee student events: Organize and manage all out-of-routine youth ministry functions, including camps, retreats, events, and mission opportunities.
• Collaborate on a cohesive NextGen Discipleship plan: Work closely with the Children's Ministry and other Next Generation environments to build a unified discipleship path that ensures smooth transitions across major life stages.
• Engage relationally with students: Build strong, personal connections with the youth, which includes being present in their lives and attending their extracurricular events.
• Deliver live teaching: Actively preach and teach the Bible directly to the students rather than relying exclusively on video-based curriculums.
• Manage financial resources: Take responsibility for preparing, tracking, and maintaining the annual budget designated for the student ministry.
• Supervise and develop team members: Provide direct leadership, supervision, and ongoing development for any student ministry staff, interns, and volunteers.

Worship Ministry

• Plan and execute weekly services: Take the lead on selecting music, arranging weekend services, and ensuring a consistent rhythm and structure for the congregation's worship experiences.
• Align worship themes with teaching: Collaborate with the Lead Pastor to ensure weekend worship complements the current sermon series and the overall strategic vision of the church as much as possible.
• Recruit and schedule volunteers: Actively manage the administrative and logistical side of worship by organizing, scheduling, and communicating with volunteer musicians and team members.
• Direct rehearsals and provide musical coaching: Lead band practices, direct the musicians, and actively help individuals develop and build upon their musical talents.
• Create and maintain consistency in worship: Establish and uphold consistent expectations for the worship team, establishing clear guidelines around preparedness, practice requirements, and stage presence.
• Develop leaders and volunteers: Identify spiritual and musical gifts in others and intentionally equip them to lead.
• Supervise worship and tech staff: Coordinate with and oversee other worship ministry staff to ensure a unified and cohesive team dynamic.
• Integrate the next generation: Work to bridge generational gaps by incorporating students, seniors, and every age group into the worship ministry and empowering young people to step into worship roles.
• Oversee special worship events: Partner with the Lead Pastor and other appropriate staff to plan and execute major out-of-routine gatherings, such as Christmas, Easter, and special Worship Nights.

What you bring

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Student Ministries and Worship Pastor:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree required
• 3+ years of ministry experience

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Leadership Equipping and Development: The skill to actively recruit, train, and encourage adult leaders, parents, and volunteer musicians to serve effectively in their respective ministries.
• Strategic Ministry Planning: The ability to develop a clear vision for student ministries and successfully translate ministry theory into a practical, strategic implementation plan.
• Conflict Management: Proficiency in navigating team dynamics, mediating issues, and utilizing healthy conflict resolution to build vulnerability-based trust among teams.
• Written and Verbal Communication: The ability to clearly and consistently communicate ministry goals, schedules, and updates to staff members, volunteers, and parents.
• Event Logistics and Coordination: Skill in organizing, planning, and executing both out-of-routine student functions (camps, retreats, mission trips) and special worship events (Christmas, Easter, Worship Nights).
• Preaching and Teaching: The ability to deliver live, engaging biblical teaching to students on a regular basis, as well as occasionally preaching during weekend church services.
• Parental Partnership and Engagement: Knowledge of effective strategies for coming alongside families to equip and support parents as the primary spiritual leaders of their teenagers.
• Cross-Ministry Collaboration: The ability to work cohesively with the full First B team—especially the Children's Ministry—create and foster a unified approach to ministry.
• Intentional Worship: Skill in selecting music and arranging weekly worship services that bring intentionality to the worship service and create a solid worship set.
• Musical Direction and Coaching: The ability to confidently direct band rehearsals, create arrangements, and provide constructive, hands-on musical coaching to help volunteers develop their talents.
• Intergenerational Integration: Ability to bridge generational gaps, specifically by finding ways to incorporate students and children into the broader life of the church and on-stage worship roles.

Personal Characteristics and Qualifications

• Deeply Devoted to Jesus: The ideal candidate has an active, growing, and genuine relationship with Jesus that naturally overflows into their ministry and leadership.
• Authentic and Consistent: They are the same person behind closed doors as they are on a Sunday morning, avoiding pretension in favor of genuine honesty. 
• Humble and Teachable: This person is a teachable expert that is highly capable but does not act like a know-it-all; they are open to learning, growing, and receiving constructive feedback.
• Emotionally Intelligent and Vulnerable: They value vulnerability-based trust, possess strong emotional intelligence, and are capable of engaging in healthy conflict and hard conversations with grace.
• Highly Collaborative Team Player: They refuse to work in isolated ministry silos. Instead, they are eager to pitch in, share the weight across ministries, and commit first to the church before they commit to their ministry area.
• Adaptable and Flexible: Possessing a pioneer spirit, they are a stable presence who can easily navigate transitions, embrace hard resets, and adapt to a church that is relocating over the course of a few years to a transitional space and then a new, permanent building.
• Solution-Oriented and Optimistic: They are a self-starter who brings a positive, go-getter attitude, focusing realistically on solutions rather than just dwelling on the challenges.
• Relational: They have a natural ability to connect deeply with people, win others over, combat apathy, and warmly invite people into the community, making everyone feel seen and included.
• Lighthearted and Fun: They do not take themselves too seriously, can enjoy a good laugh, and will seamlessly fit into a staff culture that loves to have fun.
• Intentional and Present: They value showing up in the everyday lives of students and families, recognizing that true discipleship comes from consistent presence and relationship.
• Resilient and Steadfast: They know how to push through when ministry gets hard and have the personal life experience needed to navigate complex situations with stability and grace.
• Genuinely Kind: They display true compassion and kindness, moving beyond the superficial to care for people deeply, assuming the best in others.
• Grace Based Boundaries: They can create a safe, welcoming space for difficult or struggling students without shaming them, while still upholding clear boundaries and beliefs.

What it's like to live in Sioux Falls, SD

Living in Sioux Falls truly offers that sweet spot balance where you get all the amenities of a big city without losing the warmth of a small-town, Midwestern vibe. There’s a genuine sense of connection here. Whether you’re exploring the boutiques downtown, catching a free summer concert at the Levitt shell, or meeting friends at a local restaurant, you always feel like you're part of a community. We are a city that loves to stay active, with people of all ages utilizing our incredible trail system for biking and running, or hitting the local courts as pickleball hubs pop up all around the city. It’s the kind of place where opportunities to participate in sports, music, and the arts are easy to find for all ages, the library system is a world-class resource for kids’ programs, and a short drive can land you at a beautiful state park for a weekend of camping.

The growth Sioux Falls is seeing in the metro area is bringing an energetic foodie scene and national-level entertainment right to our doorstep. We have the privilege of hosting pro and semi-pro sports, major arena concerts, and a nationally recognized zoo, yet we’re still just a comfortable road trip away from the Twin Cities or Omaha if you ever crave a change of pace. Even with rapid growth and development, the cost of living remains manageable and the healthcare systems are second to none. 

What makes Sioux Falls special is how it caters to every stage of life, offering plenty of ways to either stay busy or simply relax. You’ll find families spending their Saturdays at Jacobson Plaza near the famous Falls Park or browsing the Empire Mall, while others take advantage of the endless youth sports leagues of all kinds that keep the kids engaged year-round. It really is a city you want to hang out in, where walking and exploring feel natural and safe. Whether you’re looking for a quiet afternoon at a park or the thrill of a packed arena, Sioux Falls provides a high quality of life that makes it easy to plant roots and feel right at home.