Prayer Ministry Director

PRAYER MINISTRY DIRECTOR

Full-Time Position

East Texas Baptist University

POSITION SUMMARY

The Prayer Ministry Director will serve as a spiritual leader and resource to support the ETBU community through the campus-wide prayer ministry program. The Director will lead the University Family to engage in prayer. The Director will foster a culture of prayer and provide ministry support. This full-time role will facilitate campus-wide prayer initiatives, shepherd students, faculty, and staff in their personal and communal prayer lives, and develop opportunities and sacred spaces that will nurture spiritual formation. The Director will work collaboratively with Spiritual Life, Student Engagement, Campus Ministries, and other institutional departments to encourage a vibrant focus on prayer at ETBU.
 
MISSION ALIGNMENT
This role directly supports ETBU's Christ-centered mission by cultivating a deeply prayerful campus culture that is dependent on God and encouraging community members to grow in their relationships with Jesus Christ and other Believers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
 
Campus Prayer Leadership:

• Encourage, model, and promote a culture of prayer among faculty, staff, and students.
• Work with Dean of Spiritual Life to develop and implement strategies to engage the campus community in personal and corporate prayer.
• Provide consistent prayer support and ministerial presence for the campus community, spiritual development events, and University prayer initiatives.
• Develop and mentor student groups that desire to regularly engage in prayer.
• Partner with staff and faculty to lead a prayer ministry team. This group would regularly meet to pray for the needs of ETBU.
• Cultivate a prayer-needs list for alumni, students, faculty, staff, supporters, and Trustees, and pray continually for them.
• Develop a communication strategy for engaging and encouraging alumni, students, faculty, staff, supporters, and Trustees.
• Work with the Dean of Spiritual Life and the Office of the President to coordinate ministerial care for members of the ETBU community. These responsibilities may include conducting and coordinating ministerial visits in homes, hospitals, or at funerals.

Prayer Spaces & Environments:

• Oversee, maintain, and periodically refresh the University's designated prayer spaces to ensure they remain welcoming and conducive for prayer.
• Coordinate spiritual development resources and prayer guides for prayer spaces.

Prayer Events & Initiatives:

• Plan, organize, and lead campus prayer events such as prayer walks, prayer gatherings, and seasonal prayer emphases.
• Collaborate with campus ministries and departments for special prayer activities.
• Integrate prayer into major University events.
• Develop prayer guides and discipleship resources for use throughout the year.
• Assist Tiger Athletics and coaching staff in support of team devotional programming.
• Lead discipleship studies on prayer and Bible studies for staff and faculty.

Retreats & Spiritual Formation:

• Coordinate and lead prayer retreats and events for students, faculty and staff, and Trustees.
• Assist with the planning and execution of Spiritual Life programming, spiritual formation opportunities, and ministry training related to prayer.

Grief Ministry & Ministerial Care:

• Provide ministerial care to students, faculty, and staff experiencing grief, hardship,  personal crisis, or illness.
• Work alongside the Office of Spiritual Life and the Office of the President to offer bereavement and ministerial care through outreach, visits, and correspondence.
• Develop grief-support resources and coordinate prayer support teams when appropriate.

Collaboration & Training:

• Support faculty and staff by offering prayer-related workshops, mentoring, and spiritual encouragement.
• Partner with departments to integrate prayer in employee orientations, professional development trainings, and staff meetings.
• Develop and train student prayer ministry leadership team to lead prayer gatherings and intercessory prayer.

Administrative & Organizational Duties:

• Coordinate communication related to prayer initiatives, including digital resources, campus announcements, and prayer prompts.
• Manage departmental budget for office supplies, prayer room presentation, prayer events, prayer resources, retreat activities, and hospital and bereavement visits/gifts.

QUALIFICATIONS

Christian Commitment:

• The Prayer Ministry Director must be a professing Christian believer with a demonstrated personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Employee must be a model of Christ-like character, servant leadership, integrity, ethics and biblical/moral truths. Employee must support ETBU's distinct Christ-centered educational mission and share the institutional commitment to the integration of biblical faith and academic learning. Employee shall possess a commitment to Christ-centered, faith-integrated service and devotion to students' intellectual enlightenment, spiritual formation, servant leadership development, and career preparation.
• The Director shall be cognizant and committed to the values, traditions, and history of Baptists. Employee agrees that he or she is an active member of a local Baptist church or Christian denominational church and regularly attends church. Further, as a servant leader and role model for the students of ETBU, employee is required to participate in the life of the University via institutional meetings, Chapel services, prayer emphases, discipleship programming, committee participation, local community ministry/service, and campus activities and events.
• The Director provides active support of the spiritual, intellectual, and educational ideals, values, activities, and objectives of East Texas Baptist University; and conforms to Christian standards of faith and service.
• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in a ministry related field is preferred.
• Training, experience, or education in spiritual formation, prayer ministry, chaplaincy, pastoral care, biblical studies, or a related ministry field.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to connect with individuals across generations
• Ability to plan events, lead teams, and oversee multiple projects simultaneously.
• Compassionate, servant-hearted demeanor with ministerial experiences in providing support to grief, trauma, and spiritual needs.

Working Relationships:

• Reports to the Dean of Spiritual Life, with some duties assigned by the President. 
• Collaborates with Spiritual Life, the Office of the President, Prayer Ministry Team, and other departments.
• Provides mentorship to student ministry leaders and support to prayer teams.

THE UNIVERSITY 

East Texas Baptist University is a Christ-centered liberal arts university affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. As an institution affiliated with Texas Baptists (BGCT), ETBU uses the Bible and the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message as the theological framework and basis for institutional mission, governance, and policy. In compliance with federal law, the University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or military service in employment.  Under federal law, East Texas Baptist University may discriminate on the basis of religion in order to fulfill its mission.

Mission Statement: 
As a Christ-centered institution, East Texas Baptist University educates students by integrating biblical faith and learning to develop mind, body, and soul through community engagement to prepare graduates to be Christian servant leaders in their calling to God and humanity.

Core Commitments of East Texas Baptist University:

Embracing Faith – Ensure the integration of biblical faith in curricular and co-curricular experiences including service opportunities while embracing our Baptist heritage.

Engaging Minds – Equip students through excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship to explore God's truth and providing the knowledge and skills for academic success, degree completion, employment opportunity, and lifelong learning.

Empowering Leaders – Develop and deploy Christian servant leaders for their callings to God and to humanity.

Enhancing Community – Create an environment conducive to the development of the whole person through relevant facilities, resources, and services that allow a diverse and growing community to utilize their God-given gifts both locally and globally.

APPLICATIONS

Complete the university application using the "APPLY FOR THIS POSITION" button below.

For additional information, contact:

Name: Dr. David Griffin

Title: Dean of Spiritual Life

Email address: 

Phone number:

DEADLINES       

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.