BAPTIST - SBC

WEEKLY ATTENDANCE: 1,600

Meet Heartland Church

Heartland’s first service was in July of 2002, with about 80 people in attendance. Heartland met in a hotel formerly known as the Admiral’s Inn Hotel for the first year and grew to around 100 weekly attendees at that location. In the summer of 2003, the church moved into a new building in a local commercial center. The location was more permanent, not requiring setting up equipment and tearing it down each week. During that time period, the church experienced steady growth — the average weekly attendance grew to around 450, and the church rented 5 additional buildings to accommodate its needs for about six years. In April 2009, Heartland moved again. This move was to a local shopping Plaza next to what is now known as Legoland.

Then, on April 12, 2015, multiple changes occurred simultaneously: Heartland Community Church changed its name to Heartland Church, a new logo was revealed, and Heartland had the privilege of moving into a brand new facility in beautiful downtown Winter Haven. The new building has an auditorium that provides seating for up to 1,000 people and ample space for our children’s and student programs. It allows us to hold discipleship and small group classes throughout the week.

Although the growth God has blessed Heartland with is great, growth is not the focus of the church according to the biblical principle, which states, “God grows the church.” Heartland’s focus has always been and will always be about pointing people to Jesus Christ. In fact, over the years, Heartland has been blessed with the opportunity of developing campuses in the Dundee, Auburndale, and Eloise communities that ultimately resulted in individual church plant ‘launches’ – becoming RiverHills Fellowship, Connect Church, and Thrive Church – each continuing to grow and each doing wonderful work in their communities for Christ.

About the Student Pastor

We’re on the hunt for someone who’s passionate about Jesus and teenagers—someone who can connect with students right where they are and help them discover who they are in Christ. Someone with a heart for discipleship, a love for late-night pizza and ping-pong, and the ability to lead with both truth and grace.

As Student Pastor, you would be mentoring the next generation of disciples and leading a ministry for middle and high school students that’s both spiritually deep and relationally strong. Through weekly gatherings, small groups, retreats, and one-on-one moments, you would create space for students to ask questions, grow in faith, and form lasting relationships, equipping your leadership team and partnering with parents to help students own their faith and live it out.

The Student Pastor's responsibilities include:

• Leading a vibrant, engaging ministry for middle and high school students.
•  Creating spaces (weekly gatherings, small groups, events, etc.) where students can explore faith, ask real questions, and grow in their relationship with Jesus.
• Recruiting, developing, and encouraging an awesome team of adult leaders and mentors.
• Building strong relationships with students and parents—being a trusted voice in their lives.
• Planning fun, meaningful events—camps, retreats, outreach nights, and more.
• Teaching and communicating God’s Word in relevant, relatable ways.
• Partnering with the larger church family to help students feel connected to the broader body.
• Working with the Family Life Pastor to create a clear path of discipleship for students from 6th–12th grade.

What you bring

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

Education and Experience

• Seminary Degree required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• 5+ years of ministry experience.

Personal Characteristics and Qualifications

• A growing relationship with Jesus and a calling to invest in the next generation.
• Experience in student ministry (volunteer or staff)—you’ve led, taught, and walked through the real stuff with teens.
• Strong communicator with a heart for both fun and depth—someone who knows how to talk with students, not just at them.
• Relational leader who can build trust, navigate tough conversations, and point students to the truth with love.
• Creative thinker and planner—you can dream big but also handle the day-to-day details.
• A team player who can collaborate well with parents, volunteers, and staff.
• Alignment and agreement with our church’s mission, beliefs, and core values and with the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, as provided by the Southern Baptist Convention.
•  Availability on Sundays, midweek gatherings, and for trips and student events.
• A heart for discipleship and a passion for helping students own their faith.
• A flexible spirit, a good sense of humor, and a love for snacks (because snacks matter).

What it's like to live in Winter Haven, FL

Winter Haven is an all-American town in the heart of Florida with a population of about 40,000, and is known as the “Chain of Lakes City” due to the 26+ lakes that canals have linked together. It also has a great downtown area, lots of shops and restaurants, tons of bike paths, and that small-town feel that you'd want to start or grow your family in. Due to the values upheld by the residents, such as family, loved ones, and the church, one will always find oneself welcomed into the community. Centered between Tampa and Orlando, there are plenty of beaches and attractions, including Disney World and Universal Studios, with Legoland located right in Winter Haven. Winter Haven is a great city to develop one’s life, family, and career.