Snapshot

Total Enrollment: 3,300

Location: Holland, MI

The Role: Dean of the Chapel 

Mission

The mission of Hope College is to educate students for lives of leadership and service in a global society through academic and co-curricular programs of recognized excellence in the liberal arts and in the context of the historic Christian faith.

About Hope College:

Hope College is a four-year liberal arts college where academic excellence and vibrant Christian faith join together in a transformational community. Hope offers an academically rigorous, co-educational and residential education to approximately 3,300 undergraduate students from more than 40 states and 25 countries. Historically affiliated with the Reformed Church in America since its founding in 1866, Hope College is known for its invitational ecumenical Christian atmosphere, friendly campus community and outstanding academic and co-curricular offerings. 

Hope College exists to bring God’s hope to the earth. By offering a rich, diverse and comprehensive educational experience for each student, the college prepares graduates to be bearers of God’s “living hope” (1 Peter 1:3) to the world. Hope is committed to developing deep competence in a major course of study, from which there are 91 majors and programs to choose. Students explore a broad-based liberal arts curriculum designed to help them see the connections between disciplines and cultivate the skills and habits that foster lives of leadership and service in a global society. 

In spite of the many current challenges facing Christian higher education, Hope College is thriving. Enrollment is very strong, having achieved three consecutive years of record-setting application numbers. In addition, Hope is widely recognized for academic excellence, currently ranked 27th in the nation for undergraduate research according to US News. Moreover, the College is financially sound with an endowment of approximately $300 million, no deferred maintenance, and over $170 million invested in the construction of new facilities during the past 15 years.

Recently, Hope launched Hope Forward, a first-of-its-kind initiative to re-imagine the funding model for every Hope student. Announced in July 2021, and unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees, Hope Forward seeks to apply the words of Jesus in Matthew 10:8 (“freely you have received, now freely give”) to Hope’s financial model. The college-wide strategy is built on a foundation of three pillars: accessibility, generosity and community.

Hope’s campus has become more ethnically and geographically diverse over the last several years, advancing the percentage of students of color and international students to over 20%. This increase is the result of an ongoing commitment to recruitment and retention strategies and resources for faculty, staff and students.

Hope faculty and staff create a campus climate of Christian hospitality and inclusiveness. Their Innovative programs help students get involved in their learning and in building community right from the start. The curricular and co-curricular divisions of the College work together to encourage success and well-being throughout a student’s Hope experience, providing robust and complementary support services. 

Hope College is committed to being an ecumenical Christian community, welcoming students, faculty and staff into a vibrant experience of faith formation and intellectual engagement with the historic Christian faith. Hope’s invitational approach to supporting students in the exploration and development of faith is shared by faculty and staff, many of whom engage with their students on matters of faith and vocation.

Eighty-one percent of Hope students live on campus. Co-curricular programming is an important part of the Hope experience, offering students a wide variety of activities and a balanced approach to life at Hope and beyond. Hope competes successfully in Division III of the NCAA, including 22 intercollegiate teams. The chapel program is a key element of the dynamic co-curricular experience for students across all majors and involvements, drawing over 1000 students three times per week to a voluntary chapel service.

Christian Aspirations

Hope College is a Christian community that invites all its members into a holistic and robust engagement with the historic Christian faith and a personal encounter with the living Christ through the Holy Spirit. Our Christian identity is described by the following three aspirations:

Hope Aspires to be Faithful
The college’s board, faculty, administration and staff are committed to the historic Christian faith as expressed in the ecumenical creeds of the ancient church, especially the Nicene and Apostles’ creeds, which Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox hold in common. The variety of expressions of the Christian faith we hold in common contributes to the vitality of Hope College.

Hope Aspires to be Welcoming
Hospitality is a hallmark of the Christian faith. Hope seeks to be a community that affirms the dignity of all persons as bearers of God’s image. We are a community where all come together to offer their gifts of understanding to one another. Students of all faiths — or no faith at all — are welcomed at Hope. We invite our students to join a vibrant, caring academic community where the Christian faith and the pursuit of knowledge intersect and where the full humanity of all may flourish. All at Hope are invited to experience the love and good news of God’s forgiveness found in Jesus Christ.

Hope Aspires to be Transformational
Hope was established as a college in the Reformed tradition, which affirms the centrality of Scripture and the importance of learning. We are committed to freedom of inquiry in the pursuit of truth and knowledge in every field of study, confident that all truth is God’s truth. We also affirm that knowledge is not an end in itself. Scripture urges us to “be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God — what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). The whole Hope community is encouraged in a life-long commitment to grow in God’s grace and to pursue vocations through which the world so loved by God is renewed.

Campus Ministries

The primary focus of Campus Ministries is to prepare students for the Church as grateful lifelong followers of Jesus Christ, knowing the freedom of the gospel as we gather, nurture and send students out to live holistic lives in the power of the Holy Spirit.

• We Gather: Worship is where the Spirit gathers a people of Hope. We gather to worship the Triune God of grace. This God is the subject and object of our worship because God is the source of all things good and true and beautiful. We seek to worship God with all our strength and all our joy. In Chapel we sing the songs of the faith, we pray in the name of Christ and we listen to Holy Scripture. Every Sunday we gather to be fed at Christ's table. Worship is where Hope gathers.

• We Nurture: Discipleship is how the Spirit nurtures a people of Hope. Hope College Small Group Bible studies are led by current Hope students and meet at various times throughout the week. This campus-wide study is a great way to connect with God and with others. Students grow and learn while studying Biblical topics and themes, such as this year’s series “The Questions of Jesus”.

• We Send: Integral mission is why the Spirit sends a people of Hope. We are not sent to save the world but to serve the world in the name of the God who saves. The Spirit sends us out to live holistic lives, where Jesus and justice, belief and obedience, worship and social witness become an integral expression of the integrity of our faith. A student’s Hope College education can include an immersion experience during Spring Break or extended summer service. Ours is a mission to both proclaim with our mouths and to demonstrate with our lives that Jesus Christ is Lord.

About the Dean of the Chapel:

Hope College is seeking an experienced and dynamic Christian leader to serve as its next Dean of the Chapel. The Hinga-Boersma Dean of the Chapel serves as Hope’s campus pastor, providing campus-wide leadership for the spiritual formation of the community, offering pastoral support and guidance, and managing  an established campus ministries program and staff at Hope College. The Dean of the Chapel reports directly to the president and serves as an important member of the College’s senior leadership team.

The Dean of the Chapel's Responsibilities Include: 

• Collaborates with the President and senior leadership team in support of the Hope’s mission and vision by leading the College in grounding and articulating the institution’s Christian identity and mission. 

• Envisions, articulates, and implements, in partnership with other college leaders, ways that every area of the college can root its work in Hope's Christian mission.

• Leads a dynamic and ecumenical campus ministries team, cultivating that team's capacity and professional growth.

• Supports the campus ministries team in developing, implementing, and assessing mission-aligned chapel worship, ministry programs and student formation that foster a vibrant spiritual climate that is invitational and Christ-centered.

• Serves as a primary preacher and pastor at the college, regularly preaching in chapel and college-related activities, modeling and teaching a love of and devotion to Christian Scripture, as well as someone who courageously speaks the truth from deep wells of commitment to God's Word.

• Sets an example of a life committed to God by modeling what it looks like to follow the Holy Spirit, discipling others into relationship with Jesus, and fostering a campus-wide culture of prayer and worship.

• Works collaboratively within Student Formation to ensure that campus ministries are aligned with the overall focus on student experience and wellbeing, while contributing leadership vision to the Student Formation team  to ensure that student formation is Christ-centered. 

• Engages relationally and pastorally with students and leads the campus ministries team to extend pastoral care, spiritual guidance and counseling to students, faculty, and staff. 

• Engages external constituents, local congregations, and the public with a vision for Christian formation and higher education rooted in Hope's mission, attuned to the ecumenical church across time and around the world.

• Contributes thought leadership and partnership toward Hope Forward, the College’s vision rooted in generosity, accessibility and community.

• Partners with the Philanthropy and Engagement division to engage constituents and supporters with the College’s Christian mission and Hope Forward vision, including oversight and development of grant programs that support the outcomes of Campus Ministries.

• Embodies joy, generosity, collaboration, and humility in leadership, collaboration, and administration. 

This job description is intended to represent key areas of responsibilities; specific assignments may vary from time to time, and other duties may be assigned.

What You Bring: 

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Dean of the Chapel:

Education & Experience

• Preference will be given to candidates with a Master of Divinity degree, or equivalent.

• Ordination in a recognized ecclesiastical body. Familiarity with the Reformed tradition and commitment to Christ-centered ecumenism. 

• Preference will be given to candidates with a minimum of ten (10) years of experience as a ministry leader in a local church, on a college campus, or through a parachurch agency.

Personal Characteristics

• Finds personal identity in Jesus Christ in ways that foster humility, compassion, joy, perseverance, courage, and good humor.

• Commitment to leadership and ministry excellence and a mature understanding of and commitment to the Christian faith.

• Appreciates and embraces the diversity of the ecumenical Christian church, while maintaining a generous and rooted orthodoxy. 

• Displays the mind of a scholar, the heart of a pastor, and the courage of a leader.

• Possesses a comprehensive and compelling theological vision that embraces God’s work in all aspects of collegiate life. 

• Serves with cultural humility. 
  
  

• Joyfully and reverently leads people in worship of the Triune God, making chapel worship the heartbeat of campus spiritual life.

• Provides calm and compassionate leadership through crises that affect the emotional and spiritual well-being of the campus community.

• Navigates complex institutions and communities with grace, confidence, humility and a winsome spirit.

• Gives wise pastoral guidance and astute, well-informed theological counsel to the College in navigating complex, controversial issues at the intersection of Christianity and culture.

Hope College affirms the dignity of all persons as made in the image of God. Hope College is committed to being a welcoming, vibrant and caring academic community where academic excellence and the pursuit of knowledge are strengthened by our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and grounded in the historic Christian faith, where the full humanity of all may flourish in an environment in which there is room for different perspectives that bring people together. It is the policy of Hope College not to discriminate on the basis of age, disability, ethnicity, familial status, genetic information, height, national origin, race, religion (except in the event of a bona fide occupational qualification), sex (including gender expression, gender identity, pregnancy, sexual orientation), theological perspectives (e.g., conservative, progressive, traditional), veteran status, weight or any other legally protected attribute, status or characteristic.

What it’s like to live in Holland, Michigan:

Holland is a charming and vibrant city that offers its residents a unique and exceptional quality of life. Nestled along the picturesque shores of Lake Michigan, the city boasts a stunning waterfront, providing residents with access to beautiful beaches and scenic views. The Holland State Park, with its iconic "Big Red" lighthouse, is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, offering a perfect blend of recreational activities and natural beauty. The city is known for its Dutch heritage, evident in its architecture, festivals, and even the iconic Windmill Island Gardens. Residents take pride in their cultural traditions, which are celebrated throughout the year, most notably during the Tulip Time Festival when the city bursts into a kaleidoscope of colors with millions of tulips in full bloom. This unique blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and community engagement makes Holland a wonderful place to call home.

The town also stands out for its strong sense of community, ethnic diversity, and the welcoming nature of its residents. The city's downtown area is a bustling hub filled with locally-owned shops, diverse dining options, and a lively atmosphere. The friendly and close-knit community fosters a sense of belonging, making it easy for newcomers to integrate and form lasting connections. The city also places a strong emphasis on education, with excellent schools and educational institutions that contribute to the overall well-being and growth of its residents. With a thriving economy, a rich cultural tapestry, and a welcoming community, living in Holland provides a harmonious blend of modern amenities and small-town charm.

Click the link below to initiate the application process. Beginning the process will include submission of a resume. Along with a resume, please include a letter describing your: (1) sense of calling to this described role, and (2) how your life and work points others to Jesus and (3) your personal commitment to engaging and supporting all aspects of Hope’s mission as a liberal arts college, grounded in robust ecumenical Christian aspirations. 

Priority will be given to materials submitted by February 9, 2024.

All inquiries, nominations, and applications will be held in strictest confidence, and references will not be contacted without the candidate’s expressed permission.