Head of Schools and DIscipleship Ministry

Overview
The mission of Hart First Baptist Church is to make disciples of Jesus. We want to help people find real life in
Jesus Christ through real relationships with His Word and His people, the local church.
Oceana Christian School (OCS) is a major ministry of First Baptist Church, serving preschool through 5th grade
and ministering to both FBC families and community families seeking a quality Christian education. We desire
OCS to be a place where Christian education supports the shared discipleship work of the church and home,
while also building meaningful relationships with families in our community.
The Head of Schools & Discipleship Ministry is first and foremost the educational leader and Administrator of
Oceana Christian School. This person will provide hands-on leadership to the school, support and develop
faculty and staff, maintain strong academic standards, and foster a distinctly Christian educational environment.
Working closely with teachers, staff, families, church leadership, and designated support personnel, the Head of
Schools will guide the school's day-to-day operations and help evaluate its long-term health, direction, and
sustainability.
The initial focus of this role will be almost exclusively on Oceana Christian School. We recognize that
effective leadership begins with listening, learning, and building relationships. The person stepping into this
position will need time to become acquainted with the school, understand its culture and operations, establish
trust with faculty and staff, and identify opportunities to support and strengthen the school's ministry. We want
this person to have the time and freedom to learn the school well before taking on significant additional
responsibilities.
Over time, we desire for this person to take on a growing role in FBC's broader discipleship ministry. The scope
and nature of those responsibilities will develop in keeping with the person's gifting, abilities, and interests, as
well as the needs of the church. Our goal is not to add a second full-time ministry to an already demanding
school leadership role, but to build on the strengths of the individual God brings to our church and
school community.
We believe the work of ministry belongs to the whole church. Our leaders are called to equip God's people to do
His work, empowering FBC members to participate actively in worship, teaching, discipleship, service, and
communicating the gospel to the world. We desire a Head of Schools who embraces this vision and
understands the unique opportunity to connect Christian education, family discipleship, and the life of the local
church.
Qualifications
● Demonstrates a mature Christian faith, a servant heart, and clear dependence on the Lord in leadership.
● Agrees with and supports Hart FBC's Statement of Faith.
● Loves the local church and understands and values the relationship between FBC and Oceana Christian
School.
● Has a genuine passion for Christian education, learning, and academic excellence.
● Holds a high standard for education while thoughtfully developing an approach that reflects the mission and
distinctives of Christian education.
● Holds a degree or advanced degree in education, educational leadership, biblical studies, leadership, or a
related field, or possesses equivalent experience.
● Preferred degrees include a bachelor's or advanced degree in education, an MA in Christian Education or
Leadership, an MDiv, or a four-year degree in a related field.
● Experience in Christian education, school administration, educational leadership, ministry, or a comparable
leadership setting preferred.

● Meets the biblical qualifications for a ministry leader as described in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
● Understands and supports FBC's practice of male eldership. If a male candidate is selected, we would like
him to consider applying as Pastor of Education and Discipleship.
Core Competencies
● Christian & Servant Leadership: Leads with humility, care, and a willingness to serve people at every level
of the school and church ministries.
● Educational Leadership: Loves learning, values strong teaching, and is committed to maintaining high
academic standards within a distinctly Christian educational philosophy.
● Relational Leadership: Builds trust with church members, teachers, staff, parents, students, and
community families.
● Listening & Staff Support: Values the perspective of teachers and staff, listens well to those closest to the
day-to-day work, and looks for practical ways to help them succeed.
● Communication: Communicates clearly, consistently, and proactively.
● Follow-Through: Is dependable, takes ownership of responsibilities, and does what he says he will do.
● Administration & Financial Stewardship: Possesses strong organizational skills and is comfortable
working with budgets, financial information, and basic bookkeeping oversight.
● Facilitation & Equipping: Looks for ways to remove obstacles, meet practical needs, and equip others to
carry out their responsibilities effectively.
● Teamwork: Works collaboratively with school staff, church staff, support personnel, and the other elders.
Areas of Responsibility
1. Oceana Christian School Administration & Leadership
The primary responsibility of the Head of Schools & Discipleship Ministry is serving as the Administrator of
Oceana Christian School. This person will provide spiritual, educational, and administrative leadership to OCS,
working closely with faculty, staff, families, church leadership, and designated support staff.
During the initial season of service, the primary emphasis will be on becoming acquainted with the school,
understanding its current practices and needs, building relationships, and providing consistent support to faculty
and staff. As this foundation is established, the Head of Schools will lead ongoing efforts to strengthen the
school's programs, culture, and long-term sustainability.
● Provide day-to-day leadership and oversight of school operations in cooperation with support staff
● Serve as the spiritual leader of OCS faculty and staff
● Maintain and strengthen a distinctly Christian culture throughout the school
● Listen to teachers and staff, value their on-the-ground perspective, and look for practical ways to help them
succeed
● Oversee curriculum review and selection, including biblical integration
● Maintain strong academic standards and promote a culture of learning and educational excellence
● Conduct regular staff observations and annual evaluations
● Recruit, hire, develop, and when necessary terminate OCS staff
● Communicate clearly and consistently with faculty, staff, parents, and church leadership
● Serve as the primary administrative point of contact for faculty, staff, and families
● Serve as the public face of OCS to the church and wider community
● Recruit new students and support enrollment growth
● Build relationships with OCS families, including community families who may have little or no current
connection to FBC
● Help create pathways for OCS families to become connected to the life and ministry of FBC
● Develop and manage the annual school budget and provide appropriate financial oversight
● Schedule and oversee professional development for faculty and staff
● Manage the shared-time agreement with North Muskegon Public Schools
● Work with church leadership to evaluate the long-term health, direction, and sustainability of OCS

2. Discipleship Leadership
Our desire is to develop a robust culture of discipleship at FBC through a clear and intentional ministry model
that strengthens both church-based discipleship and discipleship within the home.
The Head of Schools & Discipleship Ministry will, over time, take on some responsibilities that contribute to the
broader discipleship ministry of FBC. The nature and scope of this involvement will be shaped by the individual's
gifting and abilities, the needs of the church, and the foundation established through service at OCS.
We believe effective ministry leadership means equipping others rather than personally leading every ministry.
As this aspect of the role develops, the Head of Schools will work alongside the elders and ministry leaders to
identify opportunities for greater alignment, strengthen existing ministries, and help equip people to grow in their
faith and become disciple-makers themselves.
Potential areas of involvement:
Depending on the strengths of the candidate, they could...
● Help assess FBC's current discipleship ministries, structures, and pathways.
● Contribute to the development and implementation of a clear church-wide discipleship model.
● Identify gaps, overlap, and opportunities for greater alignment between ministries.
● Recruit, equip, coach, and develop ministry leaders and volunteers.
● Provide vision, resources, and support to ministries that fall under the broader discipleship umbrella,
including:
● Small groups, Bible studies, home groups, and mentoring ministries
● Adult and children's Sunday School
● Wednesday children's ministries
● Men's and women's ministries
● Family and home discipleship
● Help establish clear pathways for people to connect, grow, serve, and become disciple-makers.
● Participate in the teaching, shepherding, and broader ministry of FBC according to gifting and need.
These responsibilities are intended to develop gradually, not to compete with the initial priority of
leading Oceana Christian School well. The candidate would not be expected to participate in all activities
mentioned above.
Responsible To
The Head of Schools & Discipleship Ministry serves within the leadership structure of Hart First Baptist Church
and is accountable to the elders and the congregation.