March Featured Member: Malik Saafir

[Gathering For Justice]

Malik Saafir, a native of Little Rock, Arkansas believes that Christian education is the cornerstone of Christian discipleship. Currently, Pastoral Ministry Associate Pastor of Christian Education, Theressa Hoover United Methodist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas: Supervise Sunday School Superintendent, VBS Director, Adult, Youth and Children Coordinators. Lead bi-weekly Teacher Training Sessions. Assess, redesign, and adapt weekly adult, youth, and children’s curriculum and teacher lesson plans to congregation. Pastoral responsibilities include preaching, teaching, administration, pastoral care and counseling.

He holds a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School where he was a Kelly Miller Smith Scholar. He also holds a B. A. in Philosophy and History from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock where he was a Ronald E. McNair Scholar. He has devoted his academic career to the study of the intersection between religion, ethics, and culture, seeking to bridge the gap between the academy, church, and community. Specifically, his research interests include Black Theology, African American and Postcolonial Biblical Interpretation, Africana Philosophy, Cultural Studies, and Ethics.


Malik Saafir has over 10 years of experience in reengineering Christian education departments through redesigning curriculum and developing outreach ministries to support Christian practitioners in their efforts to effect social change. Through his experiences he has been able to assist Christian practitioners in translating their lived experiences into a lived theology.


Education M. Div. (Master of Divinity), 2008

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

Primary Area: Ethics and Cultural Studies

Secondary Areas: African American Religion, Philosophy of Education

Kelly Miller Smith Scholar


B.A., 2004

University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), Little Rock, Arkansas

Majors: Philosophy, History Minor: International Studies

Magna Cum Laude, Ronald E. McNair Scholar


Pastoral Ministry Associate Pastor of Christian Education, Theressa Hoover United Methodist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas: Supervise Sunday School Superintendent, VBS Director, Adult, Youth and Children Coordinators. Lead bi-weekly Teacher Training Sessions. Assess, redesign, and adapt weekly adult, youth, and children’s curriculum and teacher lesson plans to congregation. Pastoral responsibilities include preaching, teaching, administration, pastoral care and counseling. Present.

Commissioned Minister, Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas: 2008.


Interim Minister, Fifteenth Avenue Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee:

Taught classes on Christian Ethics and youth Bible study. Consulted with Senior Pastor on supervision and management of a mid-size and urban congregation. Church ministries included sponsorship of home ownership and financial management classes, mixed office and residential complex, intensive workforce training program and cooperative, and Child Care Center. 2007-2008.


Director of Programs, Office of Campus Ministry, Philander Smith College, Little Rock, Arkansas: Coordinated weekly ecumenical Worship Services. Developed and taught Bible study series on “Hip-Hop, Religion, and Culture.” Consulted with Student Christian Association and Chaplain on inclusive and diverse outreach ministries for college students. 2003-2004.


Co-Coordinator of Young Adult Ministries, Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas: Consulted with Coordinator of Young Adult Ministries to develop educational programs, social activities, and outreach ministries for United Methodist young adults in Arkansas. 2003-2004.


Associate Pastor, Theressa Hoover United Methodist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas: Pastoral responsibilities included preaching, teaching, pastoral care and counseling. 2002-2004.


Associate Minister, Perfecting Christian Church, Little Rock, Arkansas: Co- coordinated and led Single Ministries. Consulted with Youth and Young Adult Minister on outreach ministry for the youth and young adults. 2001-2002.



Minister of Christian Education, New Beginning Outreach Ministries,

Virginia Beach, Virginia: Re-engineered Christian Education Department. Designed Sunday school and youth Bible study curriculum. Supervised Children Coordinator. Consulted with Senior Pastor and Elder on crisis intervention and pastoral care. 1995-1997.


Assistant Chaplain, USS Mississippi CGN-40, Norfolk, Virginia: Created and led weekly ecumenical Worship Services and Bible study onboard naval ship. Pastoral responsibilities included preaching, teaching, and pastoral care for military personnel. 1994-1996.


Associate Pastor, Center Ridge Baptist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas: Pastoral responsibilities included preaching, teaching, and pastoral care. 1993-1994.


Ordained Minister, Center Ridge Baptist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas: 1995.


Academic Service Academic Counselor, Philander Smith College (PSC), Little Rock, Arkansas:

Served as advisor to students with majors and undeclared majors. Designed and facilitated workshops on graduate school admission and test preparation. Provided academic counseling regarding policies and procedures for students on academic probation, readmission, withdrawal from college, and tutoring. 2003-2004.


University Service Chair, PSC Faculty/Staff Institute Committee, 2003-2004.

Member, UALR Wesley Foundation Board Member, 2002-2004.

Member, UALR Student Organizations Allocation Committee, 2000-2003.


Selected Panelist, “Educational Justice and the Black Church,” Sponsored by

Lectures Convocation for Pastors of Black Churches, Houston, Texas, January 2009.


Presenter, “Jesus: The Model for Social Justice,” Sponsored by Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century: The Great Event, Dallas, Texas. September 2008.


Panelist, “Arkansas Community Engagement Models and Strategies,”

Sponsored by 2 organizations—Mosaica: The Center for Nonprofit Development and Pluralism and by Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, Little Rock, Arkansas. July 2008.


“Pastoral Ethics and HIV/AIDS,” American Baptist College, Nashville, Tennessee. February 2008.


“How to Use the Bible in Christian Ethics,” Biblical and Theological

Academy, Fifteenth Avenue Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee. 2007-2008.


“Authenticity,” Sponsored by 2 organizations—Socratic Society and Philosophy Department, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas. October 2003.


“Black Reparations and The Rectification of Race,” Sponsored by Philosophy & Religion Department, Philander Smith College, Little Rock, Arkansas. September 2003.


“The Civil War in Contemporary America: An African American Viewpoint,” Sponsored by History Department, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas. September 2003.


“African American History, Culture, and Identity,” Sponsored by Black Families Studies Initiative on Consciousness Lecture Series, Philander Smith College, Little Rock, Arkansas. 2003-2004.

Selected “Made in America: The African American Identity Crisis,” 18th Annual National

Presentations Conference on Undergraduate Research, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana. April 2004.


“Made in America: The African American Identity Crisis,” 5th Annual National Research Conference for McNair Scholars and Undergraduate Research, University of Maryland at College Park, College Park, Maryland. March 2004.


“The Quest for Authenticity,” 11th Annual MAEOPP/National McNair Research Conference, Delevan, Wisconsin. November 2002.


“The Quest for Authenticity,” 9th Annual SAEOPP/UTK McNair Research Conference, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee. July 2002.


Selected Underground Railroad Research Summit at Georgetown College, Georgetown,

Conferences Kentucky. September 2003.

Rutgers Summer Institute for Minority Students in Philosophy at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey. July 2001.


Academic Interests I. African American Hermeneutics, African American Homiletics, Black Liberation Theology, Womanist Theology, Latin American Theology, Ideological Criticism, Postcolonial Biblical Criticism


II. Philosophy of Race, Philosophy of Education, Philosophy of Religion, Psychology of Religion, Phenomenology, Continental Philosophy, African American Philosophy, Africana Philosophy, African American Culture, Ethics



References Available Upon Request