Rev. R. Janae Pitts-Murdock

Pastor R. Janae Pitts-Murdock, born in Detroit, Mich., and ordained into the Gospel ministry at New Bethel Baptist Church under Rev. Robert Smith, Jr., is a lover of God and God’s people.  She travels the nation inspiring people to live their best lives. Pastor Janae is a lifelong learner who believes that excellence honors God, and for her, anything less is unacceptable.

Pastor Janae is a graduate of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication studies, Carnegie Mellon University with a Master of Science degree in public policy and management, United Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree, and University of Memphis with a Master of Business Administration. 

Pastor Janae has been featured in The African American Pulpit.  She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and served as chaplain of the Southern Region, which includes Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and The Bahamas. 

Pastor Janae served in the U.S. Department of the Army as a U.S. presidential management intern and later as a logistics management specialist.  She was employed at the Pentagon during the September 11, 2001 attacks.  While grateful to have been on assignment and away from the Pentagon on that day, she mourns with those who lost loved ones.

Pastor Janae served as lead pastor at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Memphis, Tenn., under Pastor Frank A. Thomas.  She also served as connections pastor at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Rogers, Arkansas, where she created systems to connect members to serving opportunities and improve ministry administration.

In August 2019, Pastor Janae began her tenure as the interim senior pastor at Light of the World Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indianapolis, Indiana.  During that period, the church experienced healing, revitalization, and renewed strength. Under her leadership, Light of the World has launched a leadership development strategy that nurtures church leaders, faith formation strategy that trained Sunday School and Small group leaders, and initiated numerous virtual ministries like daily prayer calls, online meditation, wellness groups and growth groups to aid members during the COVID-19 global pandemic.  She accomplished all that while a candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric at Christian Theological Seminary.  In November 2020, Light of the World Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) elected Pastor Janae as their sixth senior pastor and the first female to hold this position in their 154-year history.

Pastor Janae is united in holy matrimony to the one she calls, “God’s embodiment of divine love,” Jeffrey Allen Murdock, PhD, who is assistant professor of Choral Music Education and Associate Director of Choral Studies at the University of Arkansas. Together they parent two sons, Jeffrey III and John Patrick, and goddaughter, Jasmine.