Director for Evangelical Mission, Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod

Description

About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 3 million members in more than 8,600 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of “God’s work. Our hands.,” the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA’s roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.

The Lutheran Center (national office) is located in Chicago, Illinois. A staff of approximately 400, under the leadership of the Presiding Bishop, serve as administrators, advisors, conveners, partners, and resource people for the ELCA and its ministries. Staff lead the work of national, domestic, and global ministries and programs including Lutheran Disaster Response, ELCA World Hunger, Service & Justice, Christian Community and Leadership, and Innovation. We are also home to five of our separately incorporated ministries: The Mission Investment Fund of the ELCA, Women of the ELCA, Lutheran Men in Mission, the ELCA Foundation and the ELCA Federal Credit Union.

About the position

Grounded in our purpose and priorities, the Christian Community and Leadership unit (CCL) helps the ELCA reach and engage new people reflecting the diversity of communities, welcoming them into the Christian faith. To this end, we will energize and engage our core membership and work with the whole of the ELCA to recruit, develop and deploy the leadership, both lay and rostered, that the church needs to fulfill its purpose of spreading the gospel and building the church. 

The Bishop’s Associate for Mission/Director for Evangelical Mission (BAM/DEM) represents the ELCA through the Christian Community and Leadership Unit (CCL) in the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, as well as represents the Bishop’s Office throughout the synod. The BAM/DEM is responsible for the development of tools to support congregational vitality, which we define as, “Communities of Jesus that nurture new life-changing relationships with God, one another and the world.” The position also reflects the purposes, principles and commitments of the synod, CCL and the ELCA as a whole. 

The BAM/DEM will collaborate and coordinate with Churchwide partners, synod teams and congregational leaders to cultivate the growth of mission in the synod while also designing strategies to help congregations engage their communities so that more people know the way of Jesus and discover community, justice and love. 

The person in this position is expected to fully participate in the life and ministry of the synod, on the synod staff, and  with synod initiatives and is responsible for implementing and building upon ELCA commitments to ministries among diverse cultures and communities, people with disabilities, and the young-adult population, as well as people and communities experiencing poverty. 

The BAM/DEM participates in resourcing the synod mission strategy with an emphasis on congregational vitality, evangelism, and leadership. 

The BAM/DEM is supervised by the Bishop of the Synod and supported by CCL staff. Other assignments of responsibility will be made by the Synod Bishop and Senior Director, DEM Relationships. The position will be based in the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod and will serve as a living representation of the interdependent nature of the ELCA. 

About the synod

The territory of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod is about 450 miles across and 200 miles from top to bottom. Major metropolitan areas include Houston and New Orleans, but ours is a diverse synod made up of prairies and fields, beaches and coastland, bayous, suburban sprawl, and urban centers. The Office of the Bishop relates to about 90 congregations and synod ministries (including campus and camping ministry). Our synod priorities are connection, communication, and compassion. To learn more about the synod please visit their website at: https://gulfcoastsynod.org/ 

This is a synod employee part-time, hybrid, and exempt position and is co-terminous with the synod bishop whose term will end 8/31/2031. The position has responsibilities that require them to live in the geographic territory of the synod and to be in the synod office at least 3 days a week.

The eligibility of a candidate for remote or hybrid positions may depend on the residency of the candidate, and the budget for the role, including salary or pay, insurance coverage, and/or tax burden. Candidates for this position must reside within the fifty United Sta