Director of Spiritual Life
Job Summary
The Director of Spiritual Life leads American Bible Society’s efforts to cultivate a Spirit-led, prayer-saturated, and discerning organizational culture rooted in Scripture and aligned with ABS’s mission. This role is responsible for implementing and shepherding the organization’s Prayer & Discernment Strategy, helping leaders, staff, and supporters develop rhythms of prayer, Scripture engagement, and communal spiritual discernment.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the implementation and ongoing development of the ABS Prayer & Discernment Strategy across the organization, ensuring alignment with the organization’s mission and strategic priorities.
Ensure prayer and Scripture engagement are integrated into leadership practices, team rhythms, and organizational decision-making.
Cultivate ABS as a Spirit-led, prayer-saturated, discerning community grounded in Scripture and guided by the Holy Spirit.
Foster a workplace culture of spiritual vitality rooted in biblical prayer, unity in Christ, and shared discernment across Christian traditions.
Equip staff in personal and communal spiritual disciplines such as Scripture meditation, silence, intercession, Examen, and Scripture-guided prayer.
Create and distribute resources and training that help staff integrate faith, prayer, and mission into everyday work life.
Partner with the President/CEO, Chiefs, and departmental leaders to embed Scripture and prayer into executive planning, leadership meetings, and decision-making processes.
Design and facilitate leadership retreats and discernment sessions that emphasize “Scripture before strategy,” spiritual reflection, and shared listening prayer.
Model and coach leaders in prayerful discernment as a foundation for organizational clarity and alignment.
Establish and sustain corporate prayer practices that unify and strengthen the ABS community, including: Weekly staff prayer gatherings, Scripture-centered prayer experiences, Leadership prayer rhythms, Prayer initiatives connected to ABS strategic priorities.
Develop digital and print tools (e.g., prayer walls, journals, and guided prompts) to encourage organization-wide participation in prayer.
Equip teams with biblical and time-tested approaches to communal discernment, including Scripture reflection, spiritual listening, and Spirit-led consensus.
Facilitate organization-specific discernment frameworks that can guide major decisions and periods of transition.
Encourage a shared attentiveness to the Spirit’s leading across all levels of the organization.
Foster a prayer culture that reflects ABS’s interconfessional identity, embracing contemplative, liturgical, charismatic, and evangelical expressions of Christian spirituality.
Provide theological and practical guidance that enables staff to pray together across traditions with humility, reference, and mutual respect.
Design and support staff spiritual community initiatives such as: Prayer triads or small groups, Discipleship bands, Corporate prayer gatherings, Public Reading of Scripture meetings, Retreats and spiritual formation events.
Encourage relationships of accountability, mutual encouragement, and shared growth among staff.
Serve as a pastoral presence for the ABS community, offering spiritual care, listening, and encouragement.
Partner with Marketing and Development teams to engage ABS supporters in prayer through: Prayer partner networks, Digital prayer guides and devotionals, Virtual prayer gatherings, Prayer campaigns tied to ministry initiatives and milestones.
Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in Theology, Divinity, Spiritual Formation, or Ministry preferred.
Experience: 7–10 years of ministry leadership or spiritual formation experience. Proven ability to design, implement, and sustain spiritual formation or prayer strategies at a systems/organizational level.
Spiritual and Theological Qualifications: Mature Christian faith with a deep personal life of prayer and Scripture engagement. Clear commitment to the authority of Scripture and alignment with ABS’ mission and interconfessional identity. Ability to lead prayer and spiritual formation across diverse Christian traditions with sensitivity and theological discernment. Deep listening posture, emotional maturity, and discretion in handling sensitive spiritual and personal matters. Commitment to ongoing spiritual, theological, and professional development.
Technical Skills: Strong facilitation skills for prayer, Scripture engagement, spiritual practices, and communal discernment in group settings. Demonstrated capacity to cultivate a spiritually healthy, biblically grounded organizational culture. Skilled communicator able to teach Scripture, guide prayer, and articulate spiritual formation principles to varied audiences. Proven ability to collaborate effectively with executive leadership and cross-functional teams, influencing without always having direct authority. Strategic thinker able to design, evaluate, and adapt spiritual formation and prayer initiatives that align with organizational strategy.