Pastor Linda’s Bio
… An Interview With Pastor Linda: 
In a nutshell, what do you do at New Hope?
I’m in my 11th year at New Hope. My job is to exercise the gifts God has given me (preaching, leadership, hospitality) to equip the people in this church to be real followers of Jesus, who together make an impact in our city and our world. I love my job!
What is the most life changing experience you’ve had at New Hope?
New Hope has been a great place for me to grow as a pastor and a leader. This group of people does change really well, and we’ve had lots of it. The longer I’m here, the more passionate I become about experiencing community together. Maybe once I would have said “creating” community–but now I know that community is God’s creation, and God’s gift, not our creation. We receive life together and live into it. Doing that in a diverse urban church makes life really rich and interesting!
What would you characterize as your most transforming experience of God’s presence in your life?
My most transforming spiritual experience happened during the process of discerning God’s call to ministry. I spent quite a few years trying to verify and clarify what on earth God meant by that tug in my heart to pursue ministry. I read books by people who don’t believe women should be pastors, and books that encourage women in church leadership, and worked through all the relevant biblical passages. Finally, it boiled down to needing to know what God wanted for me. Then, in 1984, God met me in an unmistakable encounter. He revealed his desire for me to submit to this calling, and my heart freely said yes! My doubts and fears melted away. And now my life follows on that path–and whatever fruit my life bears, it will be because of my connection and obedience
to Him.
Are you married? Kids?
John and I celebrated 30 years together last September! He is my partner in life and ministry in so many ways. For his own vocation, he directs an institute for emerging evangelists in the countries of the former Soviet Union, traveling to Central Asia about four times a year and doing the rest of his work from home. We have two grown children. Nate is a graduate student, studying philosophy at Virginia Tech. We Northerners had hardly heard of that school before April 16, 2007…but now everyone knows it’s there, that it has 26,000 students, and that their school colors are maroon and orange and their mascot is the Hokies. This tragedy has been an amazing experience for him to be a part of, as he interacts with his small group of Christian graduate students and as he teaches philosophy students as a TA. Carrie is a senior studying political science and government at The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. She is very involved in campus activities–acting in three dramas this year, being campaign manager for a student who won his election for student body president, and serving as president of Pi Sigma Alpha, the honor society for government and political science students. As you can see, we are proud of our kids. We stay connected through our cell phones, which I love!
How do you like to have fun?
For fun: John and I are “solar powered” people. We love to get outdoors and especially be near or in the water. I also love to play the piano and sing, and I enjoy good music, good theater, good food, good books, and good friends.
Favorite book? Favorite movie? Favorite Music/Musician?
My favorite theatrical piece is Les Miserables–by far! Lots of movies, but a few for starters–Babbette’s Feast, Dead Man Walking, Far and Away, and, from a whole different world, The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Where did/do you study (and teach) theology formally?
I have a Doctor of Ministry degree from Asbury Theological Seminary, and incidentally, another thing I love to do is teach Preaching at Northeastern Seminary.