In 1994, David Durham returned with his wife and three sons to Nashville from Europe, where they had worked as "musicianaries" for ten years. Dave soon discovered a number of stateside musicians who felt dissatisfied with the status quo and hungered to experience the realities of God's kingdom. Together they began to dream of a place—not only for musicians, but for artists of all expressions—where they could develop a stronger sense of who they are in Christ and a clearer picture of how to live for God's glory. Their desire was to see artists come together and embrace each other's calling, whether that calling incorporated the church or the marketplace.

From these dreaming sessions, The Crucible was birthed. It took the primary form of 13 weekly sessions, each including three main elements: heart-felt worship, relevant teaching, and community through small groups. Since the first term in the fall of 1996 at the Foundry, hundreds of creatively gifted believers have come out of The Crucible with a new sense of purpose, a return to their first love, and a passion to impact the surrounding culture.

1999 saw the pilot term of The Crucible II, a sequel course designed for Crucible alumni seeking to understand the times and cultures in which we live. Participants are challenged to examine the role of the arts in culture through the ages, as well as through a Biblical worldview.

In 1999, Durham joined the pastoral staff at Nashville's Belmont Church, his home church of 25 years, which became the host and home base for The Crucible. The vision continues, however, to serve the entire Body of Christ in all its diversity.

To this end, Crucible International was launched in May 2005 as a non-profit organization with a view of multiplying in other places what has impacted so many lives in Nashville. David Durham now serves as Executive Director, with a seven-member Board of Directors.

In 2002, a partner organization called La Fonderie was established in Paris, under the direction of Jim Beise (jbeise@wanadoo.fr).