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The Need
According to the latest research, 58% of people wish they read the Bible more often. But they struggle to do so because the Bible can be challenging to understand. This leaves people feeling confused, discouraged, and unmotivated to try. Which is devastating, because everyone should be able to understand the most powerful and transformational story in history. Context changes everything!
The Organization
Walking The Text (WTT) creates powerful digital media resources and study trips to Bible Lands to help people understand the Bible in its original context. When people experience the original context, it transforms their understanding of the Bible, and in turn, has a life-changing impact on their relationship with Jesus. Founder Brad Gray and his team lead this $1m Christian nonprofit to guide and empower people to see the Bible anew and engage it in its original context of history, culture, geography, visual settings, language, and literary design. Their latest project, The Sacred Thread, is a groundbreaking original series + film shot on location in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, England and Greece, supported by world-renowned Evolve Studios and brought to the big screen by Hollywood producer Mark Burnett.
The Opportunity
Walking The Text is on the brink of an exhilarating new chapter, and are seeking a strategic, relational individual with a passion for resourcing God’s work. The Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships will have the unique opportunity to not only raise support for Walking The Text and its groundbreaking initiative, The Sacred Thread, but also play a pivotal role in shaping the ministry’s future.
More than a typical Director of Development position, this role offers the chance to be part of a dynamic ministry that is evolving and growing, with The Sacred Thread set to make a significant impact globally. The new Director will be responsible for developing partnerships with individual donors and foundations, as well as managing strategic collaborations with other organizations to advance their mission.
Reporting directly to the CEO, the Director will have the chance to drive growth, and contribute to strategic planning and vision-casting that will guide Walking The Text into its next decade. This role can be performed remotely, with opportunities to coordinate closely with the work in Nashville, TN, and on location in Israel and elsewhere. Adventurers and bold Biblical entrepreneurs apply below!
THEIR STORY
Walking The Text launched in January of 2018 as a crowdfunded, 501(c)3 non-profit organization to create the best resources and study trips to Bible Lands to help people
understand the original context of the Bible and to faithfully live out the way of Jesus. Their mission is to “Lead people all over the world into a transformational relationship with Jesus.”
ABOUT THE HOST
For nearly two decades, Brad Gray’s powerful teachings have impacted hundreds of
thousands of people through a contextual approach to the Bible. Furthermore, his ability
to teach complex ideas in easy-to-understand and creative ways has enabled him to reach audiences of all ages and backgrounds across the world.
Bringing a rich understanding of the original text, as well as extensive experience traveling the lands of the Bible, Brad serves as our Sacred Thread series guide who sets the table and invites the audience in. He has lived and studied in the Middle East and has been leading study trips to Israel and Turkey since 2010. Furthermore, he is a national speaker, published author, ordained minister, and former teaching pastor with over a decade of experience serving in the local church.
Brad serves as the President & CEO of Walking The Text, creator of The Sacred Thread.
WHAT THEY DO
Walking The Text is an organization committed to helping people understand and engage with the Bible in its original context. Their mission is to provide the best resources and study trips to biblical lands, enabling individuals to grasp the historical, cultural, and geographical background of the Bible and to live out the teachings of Jesus faithfully.
The organization offers a variety of resources, including a teaching series, study trips, and a sermon library, all aimed at deepening biblical knowledge and fostering spiritual growth. Their content is designed to help individuals see the relevance of the Bible in their daily lives by providing tools and insights for a more informed and impactful reading of the Scriptures.
Watch episodes of the TEACHING SERIES
Explore the Holy Land with a WTT STUDY TRIP
Enjoy some of Brad’s life-changing teaching through SERMONS
Recently, Walking The Text has embarked on its most ambitious project yet: the development and filming of the groundbreaking series and film "The Sacred Thread." This project will take viewers on a worldwide adventure to uncover the original context of the Bible, bringing it to life with sound biblical teaching that is conversational, easy to understand, and compelling for both Christian and non-Christian audiences.
Comparable to National Geographic in quality, this high-caliber docuseries is set to be the most comprehensive and engaging series ever produced on the Bible. With plans for seven seasons and beyond, "The Sacred Thread" aims to revolutionize the way millions of people engage with the Word of God globally.
Get a taste of The Sacred Thread by watching the TRAILER
And enjoy EPISODE ONE in its entirety.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Title: Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships
Classification: Exempt
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Member of: Executive Team
Direct Reports: None; works closely with Executive Assistant of the CEO
Summary
The Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships (hereafter DoDSP) is responsible for raising support for Walking The Text and its major initiative The Sacred Thread through
developing strategic partnerships with both individual donors and organizations. Reporting to Walking The Text’s CEO, the DoDSP will also serve as a key strategic advisor in shaping the future of the organization.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Donor Engagement
Serve as the point of contact for major donors and stakeholders. Advise the CEO on managing and nurturing those relationships.
Travel with the CEO to fundraising events to build relationships and identify like-
minded individuals and organizations that could be new donors or partners.
Develop and implement an annual fundraising plan to meet the yearly revenue
goals of Walking the Text.
Create and maintain a donor management system with updates, gift acknowledgments (thank you’s), and communication rhythms.
Partnership Development
Oversee and tend relationships with partners of Walking The Text. Serve as the
point person for relationships that help advance the mission of the organization.
Grow the network of partnerships as it relates to churches, non-profits, and
businesses. These partnerships include both those who help with content
creation and others who help leverage Walking The Text’s content funnel.
Find ways to engage and leverage grassroots support of Walking The Text and
The Sacred Thread. This includes people who attend WTT’s conferences, study
trip travelers, subscribers to the email list, followers on social media channels
and visitors to the website.
Strategic Leadership
Work collaboratively with the CEO and Directors to envision and execute the best future for the ministry. Serve as a thought partner willing to exploit opportunities for growth and help develop robust structures and initiatives to achieve the mission of WTT and TST for the next decade.
Requirements
Bachelor’s degree required.
Proven track record of relationship building and maintenance.
At least five years sales or fundraising experience with proven record of managing
accounts, growing accounts, and cultivating new leads. Outside sales experience
or work in Christian media a plus.
History of fund development or sales that shows proof of effective “closings” that produce revenue for the organization.
Character
Ardent Christ follower who longs to be more like Jesus
Entrepreneurial and a self-starter
Servant leader, someone who displays humility
Cherishes Biblical community and seeks authentic relationships
Competence
Well-organized and able to meet deadlines
Comfortable being held to adventurous goals and fundraising metrics
High emotional intelligence: can match emotions to situation and “read the
room.”
Knows relevant donor development software (CRM’s) and can recommend best
practices to CEO and Executive Team. Experience with Donor Box a plus.
Seasoned traveler comfortable working on the road
Chemistry with the Culture
Collaborative, humble, bold leadership
High energy with a strong results orientation
Passion for the mission of Walking The Text—relishes the chance to bridge the
context of the Bible world to today’s world.
OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES
Opportunities
WTT/ST has secured a partnership with Evolve Studios, a world-class film studio in Nashville and signed Mark Burnett of Survivor fame to produce a film version of The Sacred Thread. In addition, they have lined up antiquities experts and Bible scholars like N.T. Wright that will be interviewed in this project. They have the audacious goal of building a world respected television series brand and have put together a team that can pull it off. The excitement is palpable.
The leadership of WTT/TST has secured strategic partnerships with well-known Christian foundations and family offices, as well as funding from individual donors, that has enabled them to film most of Season 1 of The Sacred Thread on location in Israel, Egypt, Jordan, England and Greece.
Challenges
Walking The Text has grown steadily over the last seven years to its current $1m
revenue position. Now it has a new project (The Sacred Thread) that could easily
require $5m in funding to bring it to successful completion. The new DoDSP will
need to explore new funding sources and partnerships outside of their current donor
base in order to accomplish all God has before them.
The current project The Sacred Thread will need to follow the success of projects
like The Chosen in securing an audience. This will require strategic partners who
can deliver consumers in both theaters and streaming venues. Work remains to be
done to secure distribution partners that can deliver on the bold vision of this project.
