Faculty Position: Intercultural Studies and Humanitarian and Disaster Relief

Posted 10/30/2025

Full-Time

Position

An undergraduate faculty position in the Department of Bible and Ministry. Responsibilities include teaching Intercultural Studies and Humanitarian and Disaster Relief courses for majors and in the university core curriculum where appropriate, student advising, and normal committee assignments.

Programs

The Intercultural Studies Program prepares students for a variety of roles through a study of intercultural communication, cultural anthropology and community development. It is a major that is often paired with other Bible and Ministry majors for those who have an interest in Missions roles. Currently, the program has 17 majors and 24 minors. It is also a significant part of the Humanitarian and Disaster Relief program. The Intercultural Studies minor supports cross-cultural education for a variety of majors.

The Humanitarian and Disaster Relief program is only 5 years old and has a focus on preparing students to work in a number of disaster or humanitarian roles both domestically and internationally. Students earn their EMT license as we use emergency medicine as one pathway to enter the field. The program currently has 22 students who are either majors or minors.

Department

The Department of Bible and Ministry is a diverse program balancing academic and applied learning which is made up of the following majors: Biblical and Theological Studies, Christian Ministry and Formation, Intercultural Studies, Outdoor Leadership and Humanitarian and Disaster Relief. In addition, our department teaches four university core classes which every student takes. These include Old Testament and New Testament Survey, Essentials of Evangelical Theology and Essentials of Christian Formation. The department currently has 7 fulltime faculty. Our department’s desire is to foster students to a thoughtful, life-long faith in Christ. We strive to develop students who are… oriented towards Christ, grounded in Scripture, discerning in their thinking, redemptive in their action and mature in their disposition …so that they will humbly and courageously pursue their calling to participate in God's global work.

Institution

John Brown University’s mission is to provide Christ-centered education that prepares people to honor God and serve others by developing their intellectual, spiritual, and professional lives. Founded in 1919, JBU is a Christ-centered, Biblically-faithful, interdenominational university that represents the best of Protestant evangelicalism in our commitment to the following theological principles: the fundamental human need for conversion and lifelong discipleship; the centrality of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection for the redemption of human beings; high regard for, and obedience to, the Bible as our authority; and active involvement in a local church, in missions and in ministries that work for Biblical justice and serve people in need. At JBU, we seek to integrate faith and learning, foster holistic Christian formation, promote pragmatic liberal arts education, and prepare people to follow Christ’s call to serve others in all areas of life. Consistent with its evangelical identity, JBU’s board of trustees has articulated institutional commitments on certain theological issues or university practices. With God’s help, JBU seeks to live out these commitments faithfully and humbly with grace and truth. All employees must affirm JBU’s Employee Expectations and Articles of Faith.

With more than 2,300 students from 35 states and 37 countries, JBU offers approximately 50 undergraduate programs, seven fully online bachelor’s degrees, and 14 graduate degrees in business, education, cybersecurity, and counseling. JBU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and holds program-specific accreditations from various agencies. More information is available at jbu.edu/accreditation..

JBU has benefited from stable and excellent leadership throughout the organization. President Chip Pollard started in 2004 and has led the organization in consistently meeting enrollment goals, completing two capital campaigns and launching a third, finishing two strategic plans and launching a third, 17 major building projects, encouraging efforts to recruit and retain diverse faculty, staff, and students, and navigating the educational and financial challenges of the pandemic successfully. He served on the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) board for thirteen years and as chair for five years. Most of the president’s cabinet has served for over 20 years, and all cabinet members have held volunteer leadership positions in the CCCU, ACSD, CIC, NACUBO, and other higher education associations. JBU’s board of trustees are people of deep Christian faith, generous spirit, and professional expertise, with an average length of service of 11 years. They are deeply committed to maintaining JBU’s mission to educate students to honor God and serve others.

JBU has experienced a season of God’s favor and blessing, for which we are grateful. In the last 20 years, JBU has received over $370 million in gifts and grants and has built or renovated over 90% of the university’s facilities. JBU has just under $4 million of long-term debt on over $300 million of assets. During that same time, JBU’s endowment has grown from about $50 million to over $185 million, much of it dedicated to scholarships and academic programs and to support maintenance costs for new facilities. This financial strength has enabled JBU to retain excellent faculty and staff with consistent compensation increases and funds for faculty and staff development. JBU has not been immune to the economic and cultural challenges facing higher education, but it is positioned better than many institutions to respond.

JBU has received national recognition from many national newspapers and industry journals. For instance, in nine out of the last ten years, the Chronicle of Higher Education has named JBU on its “high honor roll” in its “Great Place to Work” survey. The Wall Street Journal has named JBU to its Best Colleges list since 2019, ranking us the top private school in Arkansas (2025) and top Arkansas university overall (2020, 2022, 2024). We are typically in the top 10% in our category (master’s level universities in the South) in U.S. News and World Report rankings.

JBU is located in Northwest Arkansas, a region predicted to have the third fastest job growth rate in the country behind only Austin, Texas and Charlotte, North Carolina. Three of the largest corporations in the world are located here—Walmart, Tyson Foods, and J.B. Hunt—and there is a growing technology, entrepreneurial, and art business ecosystem in the region. The quality of life is enhanced with a world-class art museum, Crystal Bridges, 25 miles from campus, over 400 miles of mountain biking trails, several state and national historic sites, parks, and large lakes, and a new $33 million whitewater rafting park just five miles south of campus. Siloam Springs has approximately 18,350 people with affordable housing and good private and public schools.

Required Qualifications

• A Master’s degree in Intercultural Studies, Humanitarian and Disaster Relief or a closely related field
• A committed follower of Jesus Christ
• Ability to teach undergraduate courses
• Ability to contribute to the mission and vision of the institution in the department and more broadly at the institution
• A commitment to the integration of Christian faith and learning
• A commitment to supporting and collaborating with students, faculty and staff from varied academic and cultural backgrounds
• Strong field experience in cross-cultural service or humanitarian and disaster relief.
  

Preferred Qualifications

• A terminal degree in Intercultural Studies, Humanitarian and Disaster Relief or a closely related field
• Experience teaching undergraduate courses
• Evidence of successfully teaching, mentoring or working with people who have different perspectives, life experiences and cultural expressions
• Experience working with both domestic and international humanitarian or disaster relief efforts.

Salary

A competitive salary exists, which will be commensurate with training and/or experience. In addition, JBU offers a comprehensive benefits package, including 403(b) retirement plan, medical and dental insurance, tuition remission, leave related to the birth of a child, adoption leave, and moving expenses.

Important Dates

Position begins July 1, 2026. Screening process begins December 1, 2025 and continues until the position is filled.

More information about JBU

A summary describing the university is available online.

Physical demands and work environment

• Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to walk; stand; sit; use hands; reach with hands and arms; balance; stoop; talk and hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Work environment: The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal.

Applications

Please upload the following documents to the "Upload Your Documents" page:

• Letter of Interest
• Your resume or CV
• Faculty application (completed and signed)
• Statement of Christian Commitment - regarding your relationship with Jesus Christ and your Christian Commitment (integration of faith and learning) related to your teaching, scholarship and/or service. (Please Note: This is not the same as answering the faith questions on the application, although there may be some overlap. The search committee will be expecting to see a separate document regarding the integration of faith and learning related to your teaching, scholarship and/or service.)

The employee is expected to adhere to all University policies.

Contact Information:
Office of Human Resources
John Brown University
2000 West University Street
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
Phone: 479.524.7197
e-mail: jobs@jbu.edu