Children's Ministry Director

Children's Ministry Director 

What if every Sunday morning you got to watch a child hear the gospel — maybe for the very first time — and you were the one who made sure it happened with excellence, love, and intention?

That's this role.

Who We're Looking For cost of living, world-class amenities. You love Jesus and you love kids — and parents trust you with both. You bring energy and warmth to every room you walk into, and you know how to build a volunteer team that actually sticks around. You think carefully about curriculum, communicate proactively with families, and bring organizational discipline to a ministry that runs across multiple programs and age groups every single week. You see children's ministry not as a holding room but as the front line of disciple-making. You will oversee gospel-centered, age-appropriate ministry for children from nursery through 5th grade during both worship services. This role focuses on equipping and leading volunteers as they help children discover simple biblical truths and the love of Jesus in engaging and meaningful ways. This is not a preaching-focused role. We value the use of strong curriculum and trusted ministry resources to help create a safe, welcoming, and spiritually nurturing environment for children and families.

Dardenne Presbyterian Church

Director of Children’s Ministry

Full-Time | Reports to Associate Pastor

The Director of Children’s Ministry leads and develops Christian education programs for children from nursery age through 5th grade at Dardenne Presbyterian Church. This is a relational ministry role first — programs exist to serve relationships and form disciples, not replace them. The Director works in close collaboration with the pastoral staff team and the Children and Families Christian Education Committee.

Responsibilities & Duties

Build Relationships with Children & Families (Priority)

• Pursue genuine, consistent relationships with children and their families as the foundation of all ministry
• Be accessible and warm — children, parents, and volunteers should feel known and welcomed
• Build meaningful connections with families from the Adam Lamb Preschool, creating continuity in early faith formation
• Communicate proactively with parents; equip them with tools and language to disciple their children at home
• Pursue children who are on the fringe or disengaged and reach toward families outside the regular group

Sunday Programming (9:00 & 10:30 AM)

• Plan, develop, and oversee Children’s Ministry programming during both Sunday morning services
• Ensure gospel-centered, age-appropriate curriculum is selected and implemented for nursery through 5th grade
• Coordinate classroom setup, volunteer roles, check-in procedures, and all logistics for Sunday programming
• Connect 4th–5th graders to the broader worship life of the church through intentional integration with Sunday services

Wednesday Night Programming

• Plan and lead engaging, discipleship-focused Wednesday night programming for children birth through 5th grade
• Select or develop curriculum aligned with the church’s discipleship vision and the children’s developmental needs
• Coordinate all logistics, volunteers, and materials for each Wednesday gathering

Seasonal & Special Programming

• Help coordinate and lead Vacation Bible School (VBS) annually, including planning, volunteer recruitment, and execution
• Plan and oversee other special summer programs and seasonal events for Dardenne Kids
• Recommend and develop new educational offerings as ministry needs arise
• Develop an annual ministry calendar in collaboration with the pastoral team and CE Committee

Volunteer Leadership Development

• Recruit, train, and supervise volunteers and paid staff needed to support all children’s ministry programs
• Recruit, train, and support the youth music programs
• Create a culture where volunteers feel known, equipped, and valued as ministry partners
• Ensure all volunteers are background-checked and aligned with Dardenne’s child protection and safety policies

Administration & Alignment

• Order curriculum and purchase supplies for all programs within budget
• Attend weekly staff meetings and monthly Children’s Ministry CE Committee meetings
• Collaborate with the CE Committee and Associate Pastor to align children’s ministry with the church’s values and strategic priorities, and establish and execute annual goals
• Grow the children’s ministry program intentionally and in alignment with the church’s discipleship vision
• Coordinate with the Director of Youth Ministry to ensure smooth transitions as students move into student ministry

Qualifications

• Belief in Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior; demonstration of personal faith in word and deed
• Able to affirm ECO’s Essential Tenets and Reformed evangelical convictions
• Strong relational skills with both children and adults — volunteers, parents, staff, and elders
• Experience in children’s education, ministry, or a related field
• Education degree (4-year preferred) and/or equivalent experience as accepted by the CE Committee
• Organizational ability to plan, execute, and communicate multi-program ministry

Schedule & Practical Expectations

• Full-time, exempt position; evenings and weekends are a normal part of this role
• Required availability includes Sunday morning services (both hours), Wednesday night programming, staff meetings, and CE Committee meetings
• This is not a remote position — your mission field is where your children and families are
• Compensation commensurate with education, skill, and experience
• Paid vacation, sick days, and personal days per the DPC Employee Handbook

Dardenne Presbyterian Church  |  O’Fallon, Missouri  |  ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians