At The Crucible, we believe strongly in the arts and the artist. As artists ourselves, we're familiar with the passion. We, too, have wrestled with the obstacles and disappointments. And, yes, we've been allured by the temptation to be molded by our culture, rather than to be molders of it.

Although no one would dare launch a career without some form of basic training, many artists venture into the world to pursue their craft without the tools vital to attaining their goals and establishing their personal and spiritual longevity. The Crucible staff recognizes the need for artists to receive nurture, training, and grounding in God's Word, and as well, to develop accountable relationships that center on spiritual well-being.

The Crucible is the expression of a non-profit organization called Crucible International, whose purpose is to equip artists to pursue their calling by instilling in them a stronger sense of identity and an understanding of the place of the arts in God's plan. (For more background, click on "History".)

The cornerstone of our ministry is The Crucible I, a 12-week course held one night per week. Through intense evenings of worship, teaching from an assortment of artists and non-artists, and small group discussions, our artists' vision comes into acute focus.

No matter where God is calling you, He ultimately wants you to be equipped for the works He has prepared in advance for you (Eph.2:10). His desire is to grow each of us into maturity in Christ, not only that we may know Him better, but also, that we may be more effective witnesses as we use the gifts He has entrusted to us. This is what The Crucible is about.

The entire Crucible curriculum can be summarized in these SEVEN CORE THEMES:

ONE: Living an Integrated Life
Integrating your “sacred” and “secular” roles… into holistic Kingdom living

TWO: Worship
Worship as a way of living, and art as a way of worship.

THREE: “The Masterpiece is You”
Becoming aware of your Godly “identity” as an artist.

FOUR: The Arts, The Culture, The Bible (Looking Back)
Reclaiming Biblical and historical perspectives on art and culture

FIVE: The Arts, The Culture, The Bible (Today and beyond)
Is the “Christian Subculture” a good thing that supports unity and community? Or is it creating isolationism and irrelevancy?

SIX: Salt and Light 101
Practical Salt and Light issues for the practicing artist: How do we live IN the world, without being OF the world?

SEVEN: The Creative Process
The Art and Technique of Making Things New: Lessons from Creation and the Creator

Endorsements

"The Crucible is a great, interactive experience for people wanting to make an impact on today's culture. I thoroughly enjoyed the energetic staff and lively discussions."
—Barry Landis, Music Industry Executive

"If you know you have God's call on your life for ministry, there are few training programs more qualified in character development than The Crucible. From leadership down, the pursuit of excellence in passion for Jesus sets this ministry apart in raising up the next generation of godly artists!"
—Bob Fitts, worship leader and teacher, songwriter

"The Crucible offers not only a good curriculum of faith and the arts but a caring and nurturing environment for the sometimes fragile artist's soul. It has been said that we are the closest to God when we are creating, and The Crucible offers a positive forum for the development of those creative skills. God has blessed the Nashville community with this multi-church effort at recapturing the arts as a form of worship and expression."
—Kim Thomas, author, visual artist, songwriter

"Schools are common, teachers are many, but as noted in 1 Corinthians 4:15, true fathers in the faith are few. I recommend The Crucible because I can recommend Dave Durham as a father to believing artists, and his team's vision to build artists "up into Christ", instead of "up into art", is what makes The Crucible more than a school… it is a family-building experience!"
—Ben Pasley, recording artist, 100 Portraits, founder, Blue Renaissance Creative Group

"What does it mean to succeed? That is the central question that every Christian artist must ask of him/herself. While the entertainment culture is more ready than ever to provide the answer, it continues to be hollow and insufficient. I believe The Crucible is one of the best ways of answering the question that gives the artist vision to flourish creatively to the glory of God."
—John Mays, V.P. - A&R, Centricity Records.