Interview : Debbie Duncan
We are delighted to interview Debbie Duncan . Debbie is a lecturer in nursing , ex-midwife , church leader and mother to four . She is an accomplished Christian author and is a regular contributor to Preach magazine .
What led you to a life in ministry ? Mine has been a two fold calling into ministry .
When I was 14 years old I heard that Jesus loved me for the first time . I knew my life would be different from that moment . At 15 I was trying to choose what path to take . It was a choice between nursing or art . I was systematically reading the bible at the time - that morning I read Genesis 35 v 8 . The start of the verse says , “ Deborah , Rebekah ’ s nurse ”.
As a young Christian , God could not have been clearer . I knew I was called into nursing . Not long after , God spoke to me through a dream showing me that my life would be one given to serving God in every area of my life , that one day people would seek my advice and I would serve in church leadership . It has been the greatest challenge and the greatest blessing .
What advice do you have to those starting a life in ministry ?
When I turned 18 , my minister ’ s wife handed me a bible . In it she had written that life in ministry can often be a lonely furrow . She was reminding me that we need to be yoked to Jesus in this work . Those words have stayed with me throughout my life as a life in ministry has been lonely at times . We need to be intentional and cultivate good long lasting friendships . We need people we can trust around us that we can be accountable to . Also people who challenge us in our own walk with God .
Which preacher has been the greatest influence on you and why ?
There are two . The first is Spurgeon . As a young Christian his preaching helped shape my thinking . Although I didn ’ t find his sermons easy to read I found a depth that I was hungry for .
The other is Malcolm Duncan - my husband . He has taught me to keep word and spirit in tension and is a gifted anointed preacher . I have had the pleasure of sitting under his ministry for over 30 years . He is also not afraid to preach on the hard topics that others may shy away from .
What do you see as the most significant challenge for preachers ?
We need to be aware of our limitations . There are certainly some topics I would not preach on . We recently had an evening
Debbie Duncan in our church when Malcolm preached on the Christian response to the Israel-Hamas attack . He was brave about what our response should be . A Jewish gentleman attended the service and thanked him for being so clear . I was challenged by that service , as I do try to have a ready response for what I believe in but I would not have been able to preach on that topic .
What do you see as the most important piece of work that LWPT and other charities can do to support preachers ?
I love the resources that LWPT produce - particularly “ Preach ” magazine . Any of these resources help us keep connected but also more rounded as we read and learn from each other .
How would you describe your level of participation in singing in church ?
I am not a worship leader . I often am out of time but I absolutely love worshipping God in our church family .
Several years ago our family journeyed through acute grief and loss and God reminded me that I can stand and praise him even with tears streaming down my face . Praise and worship lifts our souls .
How could churches reach out to the community and bring more people into their fold ?
That ’ s a big question ! You always need to start where you are . We should be facing outside toward the community not looking inward . Be inclusive but distinctive in our faith . Never apologise for what God has asked us to be or stand for . contd .. 5