DFG HAILSON—Most of my professional life has centered on personal, congregational and community renewal; spiritual development and discipleship in the Christian faith; engagement with world religions and new religious movements; culture tracking; and practical day to day ministry.
I earned a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts with majors in Political Science and English. My Master of Divinity degree was earned at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary where I served as a Byington Fellow (teaching assistant) in two divisions. I followed this portion of my education with doctoral studies at the London School of Theology in England and subsequently served as a Visiting Professor in spiritual disciplines, world religions, and practical ministry at two of Gordon-Conwell’s campuses. I then accepted a position as a professor in Evangelism and Renewal and was tapped to serve as Director of the Doctor of Ministry in the Renewal of the Church for Mission at Eastern Baptist (now Palmer) Theological Seminary (EBTS).
I have been the sole or lead pastor of congregations in three states and have overseen food banks, a clothing distribution center, a thrift store, and regular meal offerings for the homeless and at risk. I have served as a Welfare Secretary for the Salvation Army, responsible for ministry in four New Hampshire communities and have served on task forces, councils and a regional strategic planning team, all concerned with issues of community assistance and community renewal. My husband and I served as safe home providers for abused women and their children and resident directors of A Better Chance, a program geared to transforming lives through educational opportunities.
For ten years, my husband and I crisscrossed the United States and Canada via RV. Traveling with us, for a good portion of our adventuring, was our sibling pair of Old English Sheepdogs, Mac and Molly. Over those years, I spent time monitoring sea turtles and condors, photographing wildlife and wild places, working as a guide and instructor for the Grand Canyon Field Institute, writing and/or editing three books, and hosting the internet radio program, On the Road with Mac and Molly.
Today, my articles and book reviews are found on my websites, and in newspapers, professional journals, and popular magazines. Profiles of my life and ministry have been featured in periodicals and books and have been aired on television.
I am the author and/or editor of eight books, including one that was honored as a Christianity Today Book of the Year and another that placed first among 12,000 entries from 115 countries, in the category of “Professional Book—Nature” in the 2017 International Photography Awards Competition. I worked with Clyde Butcher (recent National Medal of Arts honoree) on this volume: his exquisite photographs, my words. On the Road with Mac and Molly was also named a “Best Podcast 2021” by the London-based magazine, Welp. Other awards include a United Press International First Place in Community Service and recognition by the EBTS Student Assembly for Excellence in Teaching.
For three years, my husband and I have been resident in Mount Dora, Florida where I am at work on my ninth book, a memoir about my husband’s 2020 stroke, his continuing challenges with the resultant communication disorder, aphasia, and my days as his sole caregiver. Woven throughout our story are the stories of other stroke survivors and their caregivers as well as word about the latest research on and modalities used with brain-injured patients.
DFG Hailson 