The Board of Visitors are ambassadors, advisors to the Dean, and advocates who advance Howard University’s mission to educate academic and religious leaders to serve the church and society, and to celebrate the religious and cultural heritage of African-Americans, the African Diaspora, and Africa.

BUILDING AND BRIDGING: TRANSFORMATIONAL APPROACHES TO PASTORAL LEADERSHIP, PROPHETIC PREACHING, AND SPIRITUAL FORMATIONThe objective of Building Bridges Focus Group is to mentor and empower pastors and leaders who are interested in the study of transformational leadership, church renewal, and prophetic preaching. A special emphasis will be given to the study on the interconnections between the pastor/leader’s discernment of calling and how one’s personal Christian journey informs how… Show more BUILDING AND BRIDGING: TRANSFORMATIONAL APPROACHES TO PASTORAL LEADERSHIP, PROPHETIC PREACHING, AND SPIRITUAL FORMATIONThe objective of Building Bridges Focus Group is to mentor and empower pastors and leaders who are interested in the study of transformational leadership, church renewal, and prophetic preaching. A special emphasis will be given to the study on the interconnections between the pastor/leader’s discernment of calling and how one’s personal Christian journey informs how one provides creative pastoral leadership to their ministry context and local community. Participants in this focus group will explore creative preaching and leadership models, emerging postmodern spiritual practices, and new missional approaches to church revitalization which have allowed for the design of relevant ministry programming, developing effective intergenerational staff-team members, and fostering competencies in the work of anticipating cultural trends which impact the work of strengthening the local church. Participants in this focus group will engage in readings, lectures, interviews, examining video recordings, visiting onsite with practitioners/pastors/scholars, and interacting with other effective leaders and/or mentors who continue to successfully implement innovative ministry practices in their own context.Contact: cmjones@united.edu Show less

Offering a graduate level introductory course on the theology and practice of pastoral ministry. Emphasis is placed on the role and spiritual life of the pastoral leader. Importance is given to the practice of the contemplative Christian spiritual disciplines as a mean to keep Christ at the center of congregational life and organizational leadership. Attention will also be given to the nature of the call to pastoral ministry and the function of staff positions in church leadership.

The Chaplain of Hillside Police & Fire serves in a broad capacity including: being called upon to assist in death notifications, assist and support victims in times of crisis, respond to incidents of suicide, serve as members of department crisis response team, visit he sick or injured personnel, serve as a resource for counseling for members of the agency and their families, and serve as a liaison with other clergy in the community. Hillside’s Police & Fire Chaplin will be called upon to… Show more The Chaplain of Hillside Police & Fire serves in a broad capacity including: being called upon to assist in death notifications, assist and support victims in times of crisis, respond to incidents of suicide, serve as members of department crisis response team, visit he sick or injured personnel, serve as a resource for counseling for members of the agency and their families, and serve as a liaison with other clergy in the community. Hillside’s Police & Fire Chaplin will be called upon to deliver the invocation or benediction at public ceremonies as representatives of the both departments. Show less

Provides course offerings that examine the nature of biblical preaching and helps to prepare the seminary student to witness effectively to the Gospel of Jesus Christ through faithful proclamation in parish settings.• Provides lectures on the act of preaching in the 21st century as a synthetic moment empowered by both a critical understanding of the role of preaching within the context of Christian community and a deep awareness of the nature of the dynamic relationship that exists… Show more Provides course offerings that examine the nature of biblical preaching and helps to prepare the seminary student to witness effectively to the Gospel of Jesus Christ through faithful proclamation in parish settings.• Provides lectures on the act of preaching in the 21st century as a synthetic moment empowered by both a critical understanding of the role of preaching within the context of Christian community and a deep awareness of the nature of the dynamic relationship that exists between God and God’s elect within the context of worship.• Provides technological tools, methods, and cross-cultural resources that foster deeper and more self-conscious theological reflection that shape one’s understanding on the role of preaching in a culturally and religiously pluralistic society.• Cultivates a learning environment that inspires the study of homiletical theory and the practice of biblical exegesis, biblical and cultural hermeneutics, theological vision, cultural analysis, as well as a sensitivity to the preaching life in post-modernity, and the expectations of the hearer, come together in preaching courses designed to help the seminary student to witness to the Good News in both urban, trans-urban, suburban, and rural settings. Show less

Skilled in developing courses at the Masters and Doctoral level that focus on the pastor’s spiritual formation and competency in fulfilling the role of pastoral administrator in the local church setting. Such courses embrace contemporary thought on organizational leadership theory and cutting edge technology to further enhance the administrative skill set of the pastor in small, midsized and mega-church parish settings.

• Developed a series of lectures for both graduate and undergraduate students that encouraged a deeper exploration of the disparities that exist in health status, life expectancy, and the healthcare systems that serve urban populations in the United States.• Provides tools and resources needed to help students understand the important social factors that shape decisions of health care including religious beliefs, culture, gender, racism, discrimination, diversity, socio-economic status,… Show more • Developed a series of lectures for both graduate and undergraduate students that encouraged a deeper exploration of the disparities that exist in health status, life expectancy, and the healthcare systems that serve urban populations in the United States.• Provides tools and resources needed to help students understand the important social factors that shape decisions of health care including religious beliefs, culture, gender, racism, discrimination, diversity, socio-economic status, geography and access were analyzed in each lecture. Students were exposed to pastoral care practices and systematic approaches from the field of health care for the purpose of cultural competence and skills necessary to deliver more inclusive health programs and services to diverse urban populations. Show less

Responsible for providing pastoral support and relationship building to a network of 14 ABCNJ churches in the NJ Region as a member of the ABCNJ Regional Ministry Team.