Preaching Professor and Director of the Robert Smith Jr. Preaching Institute, (9 Mo, TT)

This faculty member will teach a full load of graduate-level courses annually (typically 12 credit hours), as assigned by the Dean or Associate Dean. He or she will participate fully in the community life activities of Beeson Divinity School, attending weekly services of corporate worship, participating in weekly community lunches, and meeting with a small group of students weekly for mentoring purposes. He or she will engage productively in research and scholarship to contribute to scholarly discussions in the discipline. He or she will provide leadership in the school’s efforts to support and guide various student groups. He or she will fulfill the normal functions of a full-time divinity faculty member within the period of the nine-month appointment, including but not limited to keeping posted office hours, attending divinity and university faculty meetings, convocations, commencement events, lectureships, etc., evaluating student’s academic performance and submitting grades according to university policy, and serving on divinity and university committees as requested or appointed. He or she will serve collaboratively with other members of the Beeson faculty and staff to advance the mission of the School and Samford University.

As director of the Robert Smith Jr. Preaching Institute (RSPI), this individual will lead in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of RSPI programs and services. Established in 2018, the RSPI exists to serve and strengthen the whole person in relation to God, the church, other preachers, and the world for faithful proclamation of God’s Word. The RSPI works to enrich the preparation of students for faithful preaching ministries, enhance the capacities and skills of current preachers, and exhibit and celebrate exemplary preaching and preachers.

Qualified candidates will have a doctorate in a relevant field, substantial preaching experience, and a proven record of effective classroom teaching. To be considered at the rank of full professor, the candidate must demonstrate a strong record of high-quality publications and/or conference presentations appropriate to the field of homiletics. Qualified candidates must also evidence vibrant faith in Jesus Christ, orthodox doctrinal convictions (demonstrated in an appropriate response to the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message), active involvement in church life, a commitment to the evangelical intellectual and spiritual tradition, willingness to mentor students and equip other Christian ministers for preaching and pastoral ministries, and a desire to serve with an interdenominational, evangelical faculty and staff. 

Beeson Divinity School (beesondivinity.com) was established in 1988 through the generosity of Ralph Waldo Beeson. The mission of the school is to prepare God-called persons to serve as ministers in the church of Jesus Christ by providing quality theological education in a community that worships the triune God and cultivates authentic Christian spirituality. Beeson offers the Master of Divinity, the Master of Arts in Theological Studies, the Master of Arts in Christian Counseling, the Master of Theology, and the Doctor of Philosophy. All degrees are accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (COA/ATS). Beeson is one of ten schools that comprise Samford University.

Located in in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, Samford (samford.edu) is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford enrolls 6,324 students from 44 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools with 450 full-time faculty. Samford is ranked #3 in the nation for career preparation and #7 in the nation for student learning opportunities as listed in The Wall Street Journal (2026). The University is dedicated to the promotion of rigorous academic inquiry in a Christian setting. The University seeks and prefers employee applicants of the Christian faith and offers competitive salaries with a generous benefits package.

Application deadline is November 30, 2026.  Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States, as Samford will not sponsor any employment visas for this position.  The successful candidate must pass a background check. Application materials should be sent to FACAPP email as noted below.

Please submit 1) cover letter, 2) application for faculty position (link below), 3) faculty applicant Christian mission statement (link below), and 4) curriculum vita - (combined into one PDF) to:

FACAPP@samford.edu

Subject line: Preaching Professor

Additionally, please have three letters of recommendation submitted directly from the recommender to: dsweeney@samford.edu with the subject line denoting: “LAST NAME, FIRST NAME – Preaching Professor”  

The “Application for Faculty Position” can be found at: https://www.samford.edu/departments/files/Human_Resources/application-for-faculty- employment.pdf

The “Faculty Applicant Christian Mission Statement” can be found at: https://www.samford.edu/departments/files/academic-affairs/Faculty-Applicant- Christian-Mission-Statement.docx

Questions may be addressed to the chair of the search committee, Dr. Doug Sweeney (dsweeney@samford.edu).

In accordance with applicable federal and state laws, such as Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act and ADA Amendments, the University does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, race, color, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, religion, or any other protected status under federal, state or local law applicable to the University, in its education policies, programs, and activities, in its admissions policies, in employment policies and practices, and all other areas of the University. As a faith-based institution, the University is exempted from certain laws and regulations concerning discrimination.