The Rev. Dr. Prince Raney Rivers, senior pastor of Union Baptist Church in Durham, N.C., has been named the director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Duke Divinity School, effective July 1.

Prince Raney Rivers headshot in suit in church
Rivers

A graduate of Duke Divinity School, Rivers has served as the senior pastor of the historic Union Baptist Church since 2017 and will continue his pastorate position in addition to his new appointment at the Divinity School. He is currently consulting faculty at the Divinity School and the editor of Alban Weekly, which focuses on a wide range of leadership topics.

"I am deeply appreciative of the incredible opportunity to direct the doctor of ministry program at Duke Divinity School," said Rivers. "Under the wise guidance of Bishop Will Willimon, the D.Min. program has shaped Christian leaders for faithful ministry through rigorous scholarship and practical reflection. I look forward to collaborating with the dedicated faculty and administrators to continue this transformational program of study for the sake of the kingdom and the glory of God."

Rivers was senior pastor of United Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, N.C., for 12 years, and served previously at congregations in North Carolina and Virginia. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology at Morehouse College, where he was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society; a Master of Divinity at Duke Divinity School; and a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies at North Carolina A&T University.

He has been a participant in the Pastor-Theologian Program at the Center of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, N.J., has served on the Board of Visitors of Duke Divinity, and currently serves as the third vice president of the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, Inc., and on the Board of Trustees for Wake Forest University.

Rivers succeeds the Rev. Dr. Will Willimon, professor of the practice of Christian ministry, who has led the D.Min. program since 2019 and who will remain on the faculty.

"We are elated to count on Dr. Rivers to direct our doctor of ministry program," says Daniel Castelo, associate dean for academic formation and William Kellon Quick Professor of Theology and Methodist Studies. "He brings to the director's role a rich history of pastoral leadership and excellence as well as wide experience in many other settings. We believe he will do a fine job to help our D.Min. cohorts find ways to reinvigorate their ministries and to address the challenges facing Christian practitioners today."
 
The D.Min. program at Duke Divinity School is for ministry professionals who seek to deepen their knowledge, strengthen their leadership, and build a robust community of peers while remaining in ministry. Learn more about the D.Min. program.