Vocation

Kelly Latimore: ‘What is our church art for?’

Iconographer Kelly Latimore creates art that uses a traditional style to depict contemporary people and, he hopes, to bring people together.

Daniel J. Bernardo: Interim leaders aren’t just placeholders

Too often, interim leaders are expected to tread water while an institution searches for a replacement. That’s an important opportunity lost, both for the person and for the organization, says the author of a book on interim leadership in higher education.

Leading joyfully and being led by joy

‘Balcony time’ can help us recognize what brings joy to our work and how to prioritize it, writes the managing director of grants at Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.

By Victoria Atkinson White Managing director, Leadership Education at Duke Divinity

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Bivocationalism has historical roots — and modern benefits

As church size declines, more pastors pursue second (and even third) careers for economic or personal reasons. Researchers and practitioners share guidance on how to make it work, advising that letting go of the stigma can be a first step.

By Leslie Quander Wooldridge Journalist

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Subverting assumptions about age, experience and wisdom

A priest anticipating her last decade in full-time ministry writes about the intentional choice of a mentor who is a generation younger.

By Rhonda Mawhood Lee Priest and author

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Pastors were not prepared for the digital demands of the pandemic. What does that teach us about the next crisis?

Of all the new things they were asked to take on during the pandemic, it was technology work and decision making that pastors felt the least prepared for, according to a two-year study from Texas A&M University.

By Heidi A. Campbell Professor, Texas A&M University

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When praying for the win reaches beyond sports

God’s care may not be tied up in a sporting event’s score, but it certainly extends to a community’s victory, writes a managing director at Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.

By Victoria Atkinson White Managing director, Leadership Education at Duke Divinity

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I can’t hug, but I can listen: My experience as a death doula during COVID-19

A death doula trained to help people who are dying and grieving drew upon the Black church tradition of “tarrying” during the pandemic.

By Wylin D. Wilson Assistant Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School

Image link to article: I can’t hug, but I can listen: My experience as a death doula during COVID-19

The Great Resignation: Are pastors resigning, redefining or reevaluating?

Research continues on the extent of the “great resignation” among clergy. But as stories from ministry leaders show, the last two years have led at least some of them to reconsider how they serve.

By Edie Gross Journalist

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Aligning our abilities with God's purposes

Understanding how we make a difference in the world can be crucial to hearing our call, writes the executive director of Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.