Position Description
The Director of the Kerygma Initiative and Homiletician is a visionary leader, strong administrator, and trained homiletician who is passionate about equipping a generation of preachers to share the joy and justice of the gospel, contextualized for a wide diversity of 21st century hearers. This innovator will help to revolutionize preaching and thoroughly equip a new generation of preachers. A successful candidate will be committed to excellence in administration, teaching, mentorship, and the formation preachers for the 21st century. Palmer’s mission is to prepare persons to take the whole gospel to the whole world as whole persons. The Director will design, lead, and support innovative preaching models, strategic planning, program development, grant budgets, developing and leading research initiatives, representing the Seminary as needed, serving as a contributing team member, and supervising a staff person and graduate fellows. The ability to do quantitative and qualitative research, design curriculum, navigate online environments, and manage projects are essential. The Director of this program will support all aspects of the Kerygma Initiative within the parameters of the Lilly Endowment grant which funds the initiative.
Position Responsibilities
- Develop and oversee all aspects of the Kerygma Initiative, including the supervision of a Coordinator of Special Initiatives and graduate fellows.
- Teach up to three courses per year (which includes the creation of any flexed online course).
- Partner with institutional leadership in the creation of and research for the Kerygma Initiative.
- Create a sustainable academic preaching program for Palmer Seminary.
- Explore21st century contextualized proclamation of the gospel with a diversity of hearers in ways that resonate, inspire a response, heal, build authentic relationships, and legitimize the gospel.
- Create 21st century benchmark of preaching skills, modes, and practices for diverse audiences, for resonance in the metaverse, and for prophetic voice in the public square.
- Engage in 21st century proclamation research deducing and discerning a praxis oriented homiletic model/theory for the academy and the Church in order to equip a new generation of preachers who can effectively share the gospel.
- Coordinate homiletics conferences and retreats.
- Represent the Kerygma Initiative at conferences, workshops, and other relevant events.
- Mentor and advise students in the DMin and PhD programs.
- Assist in identifying related grant funded resources for Palmer Seminary.
- Attend and participate in Palmer Seminary and College departmental meetings.
- Pray for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and Church leaders; participates in communal prayer gatherings.
- Attends to own personal spiritual care and engages opportunities for continual professional and ministerial development.
- Embodies values of caring and compassion, justice and integrity, competence and affirmation.
- Seeks to treat each member of the campus community with fairness, dignity and respect seeking a spirit of unity and harmony as we join together to achieve our common mission.
Qualifications
- PhD in Homiletics or related field preferred
- Teaching experience in a Christian higher education/seminary context
- Administrative experience in a Christian higher education / seminary context
- Knowledge and experience working in areas of the church and/or Christian community
- Ordination preferred
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with proficiency in English.
- Fluency in Spanish - helpful but not required.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple groups of constituents and personnel to maximize efficiency and collaboration.
- Experience supervising employees.
- Demonstrated experience with and proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Drive, video creation software, and effective use of AI in ethical, helpful ways
- Experience using learning management systems (e.g. Brightspace, Canvas)
- Ability to discern priorities and plan work tasks accordingly.
