Social Justice
Organizing in Times of Disruption, Past and Present
How do communities experiencing disruption organize in order to prevent permanent pain and despair and bring deeper democracy? This was the central question behind NBA’s recent webinar “From Montgomery to…
Read MoreChaplaincy at NBA: Presence, Healing, and Justice in Community
As part of our year-end justice campaign, we’re highlighting how NBA brings justice to life every day—through presence, healing, and the transformative work of chaplaincy, among other initiatives that foster…
Read MoreNBA Launches Restorative Justice Initiative
What does justice mean for our communities today? At NBA, our commitment to equity and healing calls us to reimagine justice- not as retribution, but as restoration. Restorative Justice (RJ)…
Read MoreNBA’s Justice Initiatives Webinar to Offer Information, Guidance to H.R. 1 Bill
In July 2025, H.R. 1, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” was signed into law, bringing with it a dramatic shift in federal priorities and significant implications for…
Read MoreDisciples Justice Ministries Retreat: Blue Flags and Everlasting Hope
I recall a time in my life when I was at the border between the municipality of Nogales in the Mexican state of Sonora and the city of Nogales, Arizona,…
Read MoreNBA Welcomes the first Full-Time Senior Justice Coordinator with Plans to Expand Social Justice Work
Since the NBA’s founding in 1887, our mission work has had a central theme: to accompany Disciples as they create communities of compassion and care. Over the last several years,…
Read MoreTrauma-Informed Church Offers Ministry Like Jesus Would
When Rev. Amie Vanderford and Thaddeus Shelton Jr., MFT, CSAYC, spent most of 2019 envisioning and crafting a plan to bring a new trauma-informed church to Indianapolis, Indiana, they had no idea that by…
Read MoreMeet the 2023 Social Entrepreneur Cohort
The National Benevolent Association is proud to announce the 2023 Social Entrepreneurship Cohort. Launched in 2021, the SENT cohort is part of NBA’s Social Entrepreneurship Program led by Rev. Darnell Fennell and Rev.…
Read MoreWhite Supremacy by Another Name: How Replacement Theory is Fueling Mass Incarceration
There is so much meaning packed into words and phrases. Some intentional and others imagined. Over the years, the NBA’s Prison & Jail Ministries has given its attention to mass incarceration in…
Read MoreImpacting the Future by Growing Leaders Through Adventure and Service
Each year, the National Benevolent Association invites congregations and ministries to apply for a Mission & Ministry Grant. These grants are reserved specifically for projects that will impact older adults or…
Read MoreNBA Invites Three New Organizations to Become Incubate Partners
The National Benevolent Association’s Social Entrepreneurship program is proud to welcome three new social enterprises to our lineup of Incubate Partners. Like all NBA Incubate partners, these organizations are Disciples-related health and social…
Read MoreWellness, Rhythm & Balance: A Retreat for Peer Groups
The NBA resumed travel and hosting in-person events in March, beginning with a combined group retreat for three of our Peer Learning & Wellness Group cohorts. The gathering took place in…
Read MoreCelebrating Our Stories of Cultural Resilience: Sharing Diverse Mental Health Stories
To celebrate and create sacred space for the experiences of AAPI, Black, and Hispanic communities and Disciples, during BIPOC Mental Health month, observed in July, the Mental Health and Wellness program of…
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