PhD, Graduate Theological Union
MDiv, Princeton Theological Seminary
BA, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL
P: 415.451.2868
E:
jana_childers@redlands.edu
The Rev. Dr. Jana L. Childers is Professor of Homiletics and Speech-Communication at San Francisco Theological Seminary. Jana joined the SFTS faculty in 1985, and has served as Dean for the last 15 years. She holds the Almer Mayo Newhall Chair in Practical Theology. She is a Presbyterian minister who served congregations in Kansas and New Jersey before joining the seminary faculty.
Interests in the arts, spirituality, and worship supplement Jana’s “central and great love” – preaching. Jana’s extensive and highly valued contributions to the seminary include guidance as an astute and collaborative administrative leader, as well as offering instruction in homiletics, performance studies, and speech. She is the author and editor of a number of books and articles on preaching including Performing the Word: Preaching as Theatre and the award winning, Birthing the Sermon: Women Preachers and Creative Process.
Jana is a popular conference speaker, preaching often in national and international settings and is the recent past-President of her professional organization, The Academy of Homiletics. She has appeared regularly on Thirty Good Minutes, the television program produced by the Chicago Sunday Evening Club, was co-host of the San Francisco CBS affiliate’s television program Mosaic and was featured on the Hallmark Channel’s Great Preachers series.
Introduction to Homiletics
Performance Studies and Preaching
Preaching the Gospel of Mark
Advanced Homiletical Theory
Reformed Worship
Preaching as Theatre
Fundamentals of Speech
Oral Interpretation
2002-2009, 2013-Present: Dean of the Seminary and Vice President for Academic Affairs, San Francisco Theological Seminary
1999-Present: Professor of Homiletics and Speech-Communication, San Francisco Theological Seminary
1993-1999: Associate Professor, Homiletics and Speech-Communication, San Francisco Theological Seminary
1987-1993: Assistant Professor, Speech-Communication and Homiletics, San Francisco Theological Seminary
1985-1987: Instructor in Speech and Homiletics, San Francisco Theological Seminary
1982-1985: Assistant Pastor, Pluckemin Presbyterian Church, Pluckemin, NJ
1982-1985: Adjunct Faculty in Speech and Preaching, Princeton Theological Seminary
1981: Intern Pastor, Grace Presbyterian Church, Wichita, Kansas
1978-1979: Director of Concerts, Three J's East Management, Princeton, NJ
1977-1978: Director of Public Affairs, WPOW Radio, New York, NY
New Interpreter’s Handbook of Preaching, Associate Editor. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008
Performance in Preaching: Bringing the Sermon to Life, Co-editor with Clay Schmit. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008
Purpose of Preaching, Editor. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2004
Birthing the Sermon: Women Preachers on Creative Process, Editor. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2001
Performing the Word: Preaching as Theatre. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998
Women’s Preaching Annual Series I, Volume 3, Co-editor with Lucy Rose. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998
Women’s Preaching Annual Series I, Volume 2, Co-editor with Lucy Rose. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997
Women’s Preaching Annual Series I, Volume 1, Co-editor with Lucy Rose. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996
Academy of Homiletics
Society of Biblical Literature
Religious Communication Association
