Rebecca L. Hale

Rev. Rebecca L. Hale, previously Vice President of Mission and Ministry, now serves as Executive Vice President. Her role with the NBA continues to adapt to the needs of the organization and the church. Rebecca represents the NBA within appropriate general church settings in order to support the broader work of the church, catalyze a forward-leaning programmatic vision and strategy for the NBA, and maintain missional consistency and integrity across program areas, developing a program infrastructure to ensure both innovation and sustainability. Rebecca is based in Lenoir City, Tennessee.

Prior to serving with the NBA, Rebecca worked in congregational and regional leadership for the Disciples church in Pennsylvania, Northwest Region, and Florida. She was called to serve as Transitional Regional Minister and President in both the Pacific Northwest and the Florida regions of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Her denominational commitments also include working as the Transformational Partner for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indiana and she served for three years as chairperson for the Week of Compassion Advisory Committee.

Two core commitments energize Rev. Hale’s ministry: The first is her commitment to helping Disciple communities explore landscapes for ministry opportunities and develop faithful missions based on an assessment of those landscapes. This passion arises out of the theological commitment that “God so loves the world” and that the church exists to advance God’s mission in the world.

The second core commitment to her ministry is partnership development that encourages communities to more clearly visualize and formulate a shared mission and to fulfill that shared mission in powerful life-changing ways.

Getting to know Rebecca

Why do you feel “called to care” about Disciples health and social service ministry?

We are living through a time of social uprisings, revolutions even, that hold the potential for creating a more just world. Martin Luther King Jr’s giving a lecture in 1966 warned of the danger of the church sleeping through a time of great social revolution and reminded the church that “It has always been the role of the church to broaden horizons, to challenge the status quo, and to question and break mores if necessary.”

In the work of Disciples-related health and social service ministries, I am inspired by individuals, organizations, and ministries following the call to care, to not sleep through this revolution of justice work, and who mobilize their resources and hearts every day.

Who is a hero of yours, and why?

For many years I have looked up to Sr. Joan Chittister for her outspoken advocacy for justice. I continue to learn from her writings ranging from how to transforming organizations, to feminist spirituality, to issues such as gun reform.

If I tried to find you in a supermarket, what aisle would you be in?

Your best bet for finding me in the grocery store is in the fruit aisle. All that color! All that delicious freshness! No need to read the labels!