Director of Worship Arts and Pastoral Care

Posted 02/1/2023

Full-Time

Position Summary

The Office of Christian Formation at John Brown University seeks a full-time director and faculty member who is first and foremost a disciple-maker, gifted in the worship arts and pastoral care, called to train and lead a diverse population of undergraduate students.

Program

The Office of Christian Formation provides leadership for the spiritual development of all students at John Brown University, including pastoral care for students, faculty, and staff, especially in times of crisis, and helps the institution stay centered on Christ through devotions and committee work. The heart of this work is ensuring an environment conducive for discipleship and Christ-Like character formation through collaborative partnerships with all major parts of the university.

produce three community-wide worship services per week and oversee chapel credits.
orchestrate groups, trips, and retreats, focused on spiritual formation and world impact including healthy relationships, spiritual practices, sexual integrity, and biblical justice/righteousness and diversity.
apprentice our OCF student leaders in the integrative and applied knowledge of spiritual leadership, whom we then send into various corners of campus equipped as student chaplains.
help students respond to God’s call and commitment to Christ-like character, particularly by providing faculty for core and worship arts courses across campus.
tend pastorally to our student body, faculty, and staff, especially working with students in crisis.

We are looking to build a world-class, captivating worship experience for Gen-Z students, to call a much greater percentage of our student body (including students who are struggling with faith and discipleship) into co-curricular experiences, to establish a premier co-curricular experience of spiritual leadership for our student leaders, and to help John Brown become an exemplary environment for the discipleship of young men and women for service worldwide.

Position responsibilities

This position will serve multiple evenings per week on campus, supervising chapel practices and engaging in campus life activities, such as orientation, athletics, events, or intramurals. Responsibilities for this position will include:

supervising and training student worship leaders and worship bands.
helping design, lead, and evaluate weekly chapel services.
offering pastoral care and small group discipleship.
teaching one course per semester in the area of worship arts in collaboration with the Department of Music and Theatre.
helping recruit and disciple a diverse cohort of student leaders, specifically giving guidance to our student traveling band.
assisting our University Chaplain in devotions, special services, and talkbacks across campus.

Essential skills and experience

A Bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministry, Worship Arts, Music or related field, including significant experience in leading various styles of worship.
Demonstrated success in discipleship, formation, and pastoral care of a diverse population of college-age students.
Evidence of ability to design and supervise in the production of worship (particularly contemporary worship).
A commitment to teaching and the integration of faith and learning.
Experience or a demonstrated potential in recruiting university students.
A commitment to working with a diverse population of students.
Must be a committed follower of Jesus Christ.

Preferred skills and experience

Previous experience interacting with communities of color and mentoring both young men and women.
A Master’s or Doctoral degree in Christian Ministry, Worship Arts, Music or related field, including experience in leading worship.
Evidence of strong administrative capabilities while also working in a position of spiritual leadership.
A clear knowledge base of Christian theology and worship practices including—but not limited to—music spanning across church history.

Institution

John Brown University’s mission is to provide Christ-centered education that prepares people to honor God and serve others by developing their intellectual, spiritual, and professional lives. Founded in 1919, JBU is a Christ-centered, Biblically-faithful, interdenominational university that represents the best of Protestant evangelicalism in our commitment to the following theological principles: the fundamental human need for conversion and lifelong discipleship; the centrality of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection for the redemption of human beings; high regard for, and obedience to, the Bible as our authority; and active involvement in a local church, in missions and in ministries that work for Biblical justice and serve people in need. At JBU, we seek to integrate faith and learning, foster holistic Christian formation, promote pragmatic liberal arts education, and prepare people to follow Christ’s call to serve others in all areas of life. All employees must affirm JBU’s Employee Expectations and Articles of Faith.

With more than 2,200 students from 37 states and 48 countries, JBU offers approximately 50 undergraduate programs, seven fully online bachelor’s degrees and 16 graduate degrees in business, education, cybersecurity and counseling. JBU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and holds program-specific accreditations from various agencies. More information is available at jbu.edu/accreditation.

JBU has benefited from stable and excellent leadership throughout the organization. President Chip Pollard started in 2004 and has led the organization in consistently meeting enrollment goals, completing two capital campaigns and launching a third, completing two strategic plans and launching a third, 17 major building projects, encouraging efforts to recruit and retain diverse faculty, staff, and students, and navigating the educational and financial challenges of the pandemic successfully. He served on the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) board for thirteen years and as chair for five years. Most of the president’s cabinet has served for over 20 years, and all cabinet members have held volunteer leadership positions in the CCCU, ACSD, CIC, NACUBO, and other higher education associations. JBU’s board of trustees are people of deep Christian faith, generous spirit, and professional expertise, with an average length of service of 11 years. They are deeply committed to maintaining JBU’s mission to educate students to honor God and serve others.

JBU has experienced a season of God’s favor and blessing, for which we are grateful. In the last 20 years, JBU has received over $300 million in gifts and grants and has built or renovated over 90% of the university’s facilities. JBU has only about $4 million of debt on over $220 million of assets. During that same time, JBU’s endowment has grown from about $50 million to over $150 million, much of it dedicated to scholarships and academic programs and to support maintenance costs for new facilities. This financial strength has enabled JBU to retain excellent faculty and staff with consistent compensation increases and funds for faculty and staff development. JBU has not been immune to the economic and cultural challenges facing higher education, but it is positioned better than many institutions to respond.

JBU has received national recognition from many national newspapers and industry journals. For instance, in seven out of the last eight years, the Chronicle of Higher Education has named JBU on its “high honor roll” in its “Great Place to Work” survey. Two out of the last three years, The Wall Street Journal has named JBU the best public or private university in Arkansas. We are typically in the top 10% in our category (master’s level universities in the South) in U.S. News and World Report rankings.

JBU is located in Northwest Arkansas, a region predicted to have the third fastest job growth rate in the country behind only Austin, Texas and Charlotte, North Carolina. Three of the largest corporations in the world are located here—Walmart, Tyson Foods, and JB Hunt—and there is a growing technology, entrepreneurial, and art business ecosystem in the region. The quality of life is enhanced with a world-class art museum, Crystal Bridges, 25 miles from campus, over 400 miles of mountain biking trails, several state and national historic sites, parks, and large lakes, and a new $33 million whitewater rafting park just five miles south of campus. Siloam Springs has approximately 17,500 people with affordable housing and good private and public schools.

Salary

A competitive salary will be commensurate with training and experience. In addition, JBU offers a comprehensive benefits package, including a 403(b) retirement plan, medical and dental insurance, tuition remission, leave related to the birth of a child, adoption leave, and moving expenses.

Important Dates

Position begins July 1, 2023. Screening process begins February 1, 2023, and continues until the position is filled.

Diversity

JBU desires to increase the diversity of its faculty, staff, and students to honor how all humans are created in the image of God, to reflect better the diversity of the Kingdom of God, to further our Christian commitment to justice, and to increase the quality of our educational experience. JBU is pursuing the goal of teaching and working in a multicultural environment and strongly encourages applications from ethnic minorities and women. For more information, visit our diversity webpage.

More information about JBU

A summary describing the university is available online.

Applications

Please upload the following documents to the "Upload Your Documents" page:

Letter of Interest
Your resume or CV
Faculty application (completed and signed)
Statement of Christian Commitment -regarding your relationship with Jesus Christ and your Christian Commitment (integration of faith and learning) related to your teaching, scholarship and/or service.

The employee is expected to adhere to all University policies.

Contact Information:
Office of Human Resources
John Brown University
2000 West University Street
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
Phone: 479.524.7197
e-mail: jobs@jbu.edu