Assemblies of God

WEEKLY ATTENDANCE: 2,300

Meet Victory City Church

Victory City Church is a diverse, multi-generational faith community rooted in Joliet, Illinois, conveniently located just a short drive from the city of Chicago. Founded in 1938, the church is driven by a passion to lead people into a faith-filled, focused, and passionate life in Christ. Whether someone is stepping into a church for the first time or looking for a new church family, Victory City Church strives to cultivate a deeply welcoming and hospitable atmosphere that says "welcome home" to people of all racial, socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds.

At the center of their weekend services is a deep expectation to encounter the presence of God. They are a Spirit-filled congregation that hungers for the Holy Spirit to move in mighty and fresh ways, actively embracing charismatic spiritual gifts as part of their faith practice. Through relevant ministry and Spirit-led teaching, the pastoral team is committed to helping believers transform into the likeness of Jesus so they can step boldly into their God-given destinies.

The true heart of Victory City is highly relational, built on the conviction that people are "better together" and uniquely designed for healthy connections with God and one another. Through active involvement in discipleship groups and volunteer teams, the congregation is equipped to love, live, and lead like Jesus. The church places a premium on the next generation, viewing every child as a gift from the Lord and offering intentional, doctrinally robust children's programming that actively partners with parents. They are an open-hearted, generous family dedicated to raising up "solution providers" who offer genuine hope to the world right where they are.

About the Kids Director

The Kids Director at Victory City Church is a joyful, relational shepherd dedicated to nurturing the spiritual growth of 200+ children from three months of age through the fifth grade. Rather than simply managing programs, this leader is expected to deeply love the community, bringing a fun, stable presence to pastor the parents just as much as the kids. At its core, the role is highly collaborative and team-oriented, focusing heavily on caring for, equipping, and mentoring a strong volunteer culture to facilitate meaningful small-group connections alongside engaging large-group teachings. This individual will provide vision, leadership, and systems to ensure that every child and family is discipled through a Spirit-led, Bible-centered environment. Ultimately, the church is seeking a kind, communicative leader with a genuine heart for kids who can creatively blend fun, inviting environments with robust biblical teaching to help entire families thrive in their faith.

The Kids Pastor's responsibilities include:

• Visionary Leadership: Provide vision, leadership, and strategy for all Kids Ministry environments (Birth–5th Grade).
• Oversee all children's ministry activities: Manage programming for kids from 3 months of age through 5th grade, encompassing Sunday mornings, midweek services, summer camps, and special events.
• Guide spiritual formation: Take direct responsibility for the spiritual development and developmental programming of the children.
• Balance fun with theology: Create environments that intentionally use fun to draw kids in while seamlessly teaching biblical concepts and spiritual habits.
• Pastor families: Act as a stable, loving presence who pastors the parents of the community just as much as the children.
• System creation and management: Build and oversee systems for volunteer onboarding, discipleship pathways, family engagement, and child salvation & Spirit-baptism moments.
• Manage large and small group dynamics: Set the tone and deliver main content in large group settings, followed by organizing structured, volunteer-led small group check-ins.
• Execute intentional, Pentecostal curriculum: Creatively implement Pentecostal curriculum by relying on purchased materials for foundational consistency, while designing custom content for key initiatives.
• Build and care for volunteer teams: Spend the majority of time recruiting, coaching, caring for, and training volunteer leaders, rather than being the primary weekly teacher.
• Coordinate volunteer logistics: Schedule, communicate with, and lead the teams of volunteers serving in the kids ministry.
• Resource families: Create and implement activities for family engagement, which includes providing weekly conversation starters and tools for parents, and equipping them as primary spiritual leaders in the home.
• Lead major annual events: Plan and prioritize Vacation Bible School and one or two other major family outreach events each year.
• Design accessible programming: Ensure that all activities balance deeper spiritual formation for regular attendees with clear, accessible elements for new guests.
• Engage in staff rhythms: Participate in all scheduled staff prayer meetings, weekly staff meetings, and staff development times.
• Serve cross-functionally: Maintain a willingness to jump in and serve as needed in other areas of ministry at Victory City Church.

What you bring

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Kids Director:

Education and Experience

• Bachelors Degree Required (Ministry/Theology preferred)
• 5+ years of church staff or ministry related experience preferred
• Must hold or be willing to obtain Assemblies of God credentials

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate authoritatively and effectively with parents and volunteers.
• Theological Teaching: A clear understanding of the Gospel and biblical concepts, paired with the ability to effectively teach them and develop spiritual habits in children.
• Volunteer Management & Development: The ability to create, sustain, and lead a strong volunteer culture through effective scheduling, coaching, pipeline development, and leader retention.
• Mentorship: The skill and capacity to mentor and guide others.
• Administration & Organization: Strong administrative skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks, anticipate requirements, and see assignments and projects through to completion.
• Curriculum Execution: The skill to creatively implement purchased curriculum foundations while also designing and integrating custom content for special initiatives.
• Ministry Oversight: The ability to manage and oversee comprehensive children's programming for ages 3 months through 5th grade, including Sunday mornings and midweek experiences.
• Inclusive Program Design: The ability to design and structure programming that successfully balances deep spiritual formation for regular attendees with accessible, welcoming elements for new guests.
• Event Planning: The skills required to plan, prioritize, and execute major annual family and outreach events, such as Vacation Bible School and Christmas gatherings.
• Family Engagement: The ability to create, provide, and implement resources and activities that facilitate family engagement and assist parents.
• Confidentiality: The ability to properly handle and work with confidential matters.

Personal Characteristics and Qualifications

• Fun and Engaging: Has a genuine "heart for kids" and brings a fun, joyful energy to the ministry.
• Stable and Committed: Offers a steady presence, modeling loyalty and expressing a desire to be with the church for a long time.
• Passionate: Passion for Spirit-filled ministry in the next generation.
• Flexible: Easily adapts to shifting focuses and changing priorities within a fast-paced work environment.
• Teachable: Maintains an open posture to learning and guidance.
• Responsive: Quick to engage, reply, and react constructively to the needs of the team.
• Respectful: Demonstrates a healthy respect for church leadership and authority.
• Integrity-Driven: Consistently possesses and models strong moral and spiritual integrity.
• Relationally Wise: Navigates relationships and mentorship with a high degree of wisdom and grace.
• Kind: Exhibits a warm demeanor, specifically highlighted for interactions with parents and volunteers.
• Self-Starter: Highly motivated to anticipate requirements and complete projects without needing constant supervision.
• Responsible and Dependable: Consistently reliable, organized, and punctual in fulfilling their commitments.
• Spiritually Mature: Acts as a growing believer who is committed to their own spiritual formation. 

What it's like to live in Joliet, IL

There is a genuine, down-to-earth warmth to living in Joliet that makes you feel right at home the moment you settle in. As the third-largest city in Illinois, it strikes a wonderful balance between big-city convenience and small-town connection. There is a shared pride in the community's rich heritage and steady growth. There is lots to do in a city with a large population; yet, it still offers a comfortable lifestyle where you can actually slow down, plant some roots, and focus on what matters most.

That approachable pace makes it an incredibly great place to raise a family. Parents can breathe easy knowing the area is decorated by good public school districts alongside excellent private school options, giving kids a great foundation right in their own backyard. When the weekend rolls around, you don't have to venture far for entertainment. The city is packed with plenty of shopping hubs, like the Louis Joliet Mall, and a diverse lineup of great restaurants, casual diners, coffee shops and family-friendly spots that quickly become part of your weekly routine.

What truly completes the Joliet experience is just how connected you are to the wider region. When you want a taste of world-class culture, an easy drive or a quick train ride lands you right in the heart of downtown Chicago. Plus, having two major airports nearby makes traveling for work or planning a family vacation completely stress-free. It gives residents the absolute best of both worlds: a spacious, affordable community to build a life, without ever feeling cut off from the energy and opportunities of the big city.