School Ministries is an evangelical Christian nonprofit serving Local Bible education programs for over 30 years. The program's purpose is to bring the Gospel to public school students through a Constitutionally approved program called “Released Time.”
In less than twenty years, School Ministries has grown from a small South Carolina based program to become the largest national Released Time program in the United States. School Ministries has been led at the national level through a volunteer board and needs to grow to assist its ever-growing number of programs.
School Ministries is interested in finding a qualified candidate to be its National Executive Director and lead the effort in growing the ministry. The National Executive Director is responsible for identifying, cultivating, and building relationships with external constituencies of School Ministries with the goal of reaching 250,000 students annually.
As a ministry involving those from various evangelical backgrounds, the candidate should be comfortable talking to and communicating with a wide variety of churches and denominations and themselves be active in a local evangelical church. This position reports directly to the National Board of Directors.
Job Responsibilities
• To become an expert in Released Time programs including their legality and operations and to see the expansion of School Ministries’ member programs around the country.
• Work with the Director of Development in meeting the Ministry’s revenue targets.
• Work with the Director of Outreach in meeting the Ministry’s program and student targets.
• To be an advocate and spokesperson for School Ministries specifically and Released Time in general.
• To interface and support over 70 programs and to develop tools and resources that allow them to grow and be more effective as an organization.
• To develop the national staff and to train and serve the 2,500+ local volunteers and staff.
• To work with state legislators and partners in the expansion of Released Time laws around the country.
• While the National Executive Director is not a voting board member, he/she will work with the National Board in its recruitment process for prospective board members.
• Work with the board annually in reviewing its 10-year strategic plan and determining what goals will be accomplished in that fiscal year. This annual plan will include program and student numbers and a budget.
Qualifications (Required):
• Bachelor’s degree.
• At least five years of leadership experience.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience interacting or working with church and/or Christian groups as a volunteer or paid staff member.
• Experience in growing Christian organizations.
Additional Qualifications that would be helpful to the candidate:
• Experience in a variety of communication channels (i.e. written, public speaking, social media, and/or video)
• Experience in fundraising.
• Experience with strategic planning.
• Experience in public policy work.
Salary, hours, and location:
The position will be a full-time position with benefits. The salary will be based on experience and the candidate may be located anywhere in the United States.
Our office is located at 101 Rice Bent Way #6, Columbia, SC 29229.
Additional Information: Check out our website at https://schoolministries.org
Contact Adele Little at adele@schoolministries.org or 803-772-5224 x1002 for more information.
Working at School Ministries has been a wonderful experience. Not only have I had opportunities to learn and grow each day through a variety of assignments, but I have also been surrounded by an encouraging and motivational staff. The work environment is full of genuine care and a willingness to serve one another, which in turn allows School Ministries to serve its mission, its members, and the students of America well. – Jessica Lorenzetti
Examples of specific projects for 2024:
Events and Campaigns (prepare print, email, website, social media, and gifts for attendees; assist with invitee and attendee lists, mailings, planning, and preparations)
• June 2024 National Conference
• Virtual events (speakers, Q&A, invitation-only)
• Summer giving campaign
• Online giving days: Giving Tuesday and Midlands Gives
• Year-end campaign
• Denominational luncheon
• Google Ads campaign
E-Newsletters
• March, June, September, December
Printed materials
• Summer Impact Report (July)
• Year-end Impact Report (Nov/Dec)
School Ministries Statement of Faith
As adopted by the School Ministries Board of Directors
We accept and proclaim the historic truths of the Christian faith including the following:
God and the Human Race
We hold that the Lord our God is one: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and that He fulfills his sovereign purposes - in creation, revelation, redemption, judgment, and the coming of his kingdom — by calling out from the world a people united to himself and to each other in love.
We acknowledge that though God made us in his own likeness and image, conferring on us dignity and worth and enabling us to respond to him. We are now members of a fallen race; we have sinned and come short of his glory.
We believe that the Father has shown us his holy love in giving Jesus Christ, his only Son, for us, while through our sinfulness and guilt, we were subject to his wrath and condemnation; and has shown his grace by putting sinners right with himself when they place their trust in his Son.]
We confess Jesus Christ as Lord and God; as truly human, born of the Virgin Mary; as Servant, sinless, full of grace and truth; as only Mediator and Savior, dying on the cross in our place, representing us to God, redeeming us from the grip, guilt and punishment of sin; as victor over Satan and all his forces, rising from death with a glorious body, being taken up to be with his Father, and one day returning personally in glory and judgment to establish his kingdom.
We believe in the Holy Spirit who convicts the world of guilt in regard to sin, righteousness and judgment; who makes the death of Christ effective to sinners, declaring that they must now turn to Christ in repentance, and directing their trust towards the Lord Jesus Christ, who through the new birth makes us partakers in the life of the risen Christ, illuminating their minds to grasp the truth of Scripture, producing in them his fruit, granting to them his gifts, and empowering them for service in the world.
The Scriptures
We believe that the Old and New Testament Scriptures are God-breathed, since their writers spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit; hence are fully trustworthy in all that they affirm; and are our highest authority for faith and life.
The Church and its Mission
We recognize the Church as the body of Christ held together and growing up in him; both as a total fellowship throughout the world and as the local congregation in which believers gather.
We acknowledge the commission of Christ to proclaim the Good News to all people making them disciples, and teaching them to obey him; and We acknowledge the command of Christ to love our neighbors, resulting in service to the Church and society, in seeking reconciliation for all with God and their fellows, in proclaiming liberty from every kind of oppression; and in spreading Christ's justice in an unjust world until he comes again.
Declaration of Moral Integrity
School Ministries expects all of its employees and its volunteers to model the same Christian values and lifestyle that it seeks to inculcate in its students. I hereby affirm that I recognize, understand, and agree to live by the Christian moral standards and policies of School Ministries.
Scripture teaches us that certain behaviors should be avoided, including: theft, lying, dishonesty, gossip, slander, backbiting, profanity, vulgarity, drunkenness, immodesty of dress, or any sexual relationship, behavior, or activity outside the Christian heterosexual marriage covenant including, but is not limited to, heterosexual activity outside of marriage (e.g., premarital sex, cohabitation, extramarital sex), homosexual or lesbian sexual activity or orientation, sexual harassment, inappropriate flirtation or relationship with someone other than your spouse, use or viewing of pornographic material or websites, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, or improprieties toward minors as defined by Scripture and federal or state law.
I declare that I am not engaging in, and promise that I will not, during the term of my employment, engage in any of the immoral conduct described above. I understand that the Board of Directors and/or the Executive Director may terminate my employment without notice for engaging in any conduct that, in the sole discretion of the Board of Directors and/or Executive Director, violates the moral integrity standards and Christian mole model lifestyle discussed above.
