Suncrest Christian Church
- Denomination: Christian Church – Restoration Movement
- Location: St. John, Indiana
- Size: 1200
- Website: https://suncrest.org/
- Hiring for: Worship Pastor
Unsustainable
After six months without a permanent Worship Pastor, the team at Suncrest Christian Church had sustained their worship ministry with care and dedication—but pressure was building. Worship services are not just a rhythm to sustain for Suncrest, they are central to their mission of being used by God to change lives. And the worship pastor role wasn’t just about music—it was about placing a leader entrusted with creating outward-focused, transformational environments. They had been searching for a creative leader, a people-developer, and a team builder.
In the interim, Suncrest’s Jess Wright stepped up. Her presence stabilized the ministry, and worship services maintained a high standard. But a ministry can only hover in a state of transition for so long. While Jess provided consistency, growth was stunted. The church’s worship ministry couldn’t plant deeper roots, grow in new directions, or dream forward while the Worship Pastor position remained vacant. They needed to place someone who would move the worship ministry forward.
About Suncrest Christian Church
Since their beginning in 1994, Suncrest Christian Church has been committed to seeing the kind of change only God can bring. From the first few faithful volunteers, to the hundreds who met at Lake Central High School, to the thousands that now worship on Parrish Street, Suncrest has in its DNA the mission to boldly change the world. Today, Suncrest partners with organizations like Habitat For Humanity and The Down Syndrome Association, getting involved in their community’s transformation for the better.
By 2036, Suncrest plans to impact one million lives in Northwest Indiana and around the world by being a church that multiplies. So far, Suncrest has planted 42 new churches. They expand their ministry’s reach by starting new churches that not only are interested in making a huge difference in their communities, but are committed to starting more churches to do the same.hat it means to follow Jesus.
The ideal candidate
Suncrest Christian Church’s staff is full of people who understand that followers of Jesus should be the best people to work with and work for. Their team culture is shaped by humility, boldness, and integrity—by people who admit when they miss the mark, champion vision, and develop others into the healthiest versions of themselves. This is the type of leader Suncrest wanted as worship pastor.
In addition to a culture fit, the right candidate would also need:
- The ability to create authentic, engaging weekend experiences
- Volunteer recruiting skills
- Leadership development skills
- A team-oriented mindset, marked by respect and collaboration
- Strategic thinking aligned with Suncrest’s long-term vision
Ultimately, they hoped to find someone the team could follow joyfully, and who could align the worship ministry with the church’s vision.
The discovery process
Suncrest’s leadership team knew the decision ahead was too important to make alone. They reached out to Vanderbloemen to bring clarity and confidence to their discussions.
Executive Search Consultant Rick Callahan, who brings 34 years of pastoral ministry experience and an expert ability to identify DNA matches for churches, was assigned to the case. He interviewed Suncrest’s lead pastor and executive pastor to learn about the role, the heartbeat of the church, and the current state of their worship ministry.
Then, alongside the recruiting team, he presented a couple strong slates of candidates—each thoughtfully selected from Vanderbloemen’s extensive network of worship leaders. But as each candidate was considered, they realized how no outside candidate could rival the culture match they already had.
About Jess Wright
Jess Wright had grown up at Suncrest Christian Church. She knew the culture, lived the mission, and had already led the worship team for a year by the time the search ended. During the process, Vanderbloemen’s team vetted Jess alongside every external candidate. Their objective perspective gave the Suncrest team the confirmation they needed.
The decision wasn’t automatic; it required rearranging the staff to make it work. Jess is now officially Suncrest’s Worship Pastor, and she’s already building on the momentum she started as interim—developing leaders, sustaining culture, and creating meaningful worship experiences.
Choosing between internal and external candidates is never easy. But by involving an expert, exploring the best talent available, and thoroughly vetting all options, Suncrest Christian Church was able to make their choice with clarity.
