Vickie Kraft (MA[BS] 85) was selected for the 2015 Alumni Distinguished Service Award. Vickie passed away before the award could be presented to her, so we honor her posthumously. She dedicated her life to teaching and mentoring women and taught Bible classes in Dallas and Fort Worth for nearly fifty years. Her late husband Fred (class of 1976) and son, David (MACE 95), are also DTS alumni.
The Nomination
Terry Nettleton (MACE 07) served in Women’s Ministries at Northwest Bible Church from 1993-1998. She also traveled with Vickie for retreats in the U.S. “Most precious to me,” she shares, “Vickie and I were very dear friends. I count it a great privilege to nominate Vickie Kraft for the 2015 DTS Alumni Distinguished Service Award.”
Terry shared the following in nominating Vickie: “She spent a lifetime distinguishing herself as a faithful servant of Jesus Christ. Prior to receiving her degree from DTS in 1985, as one of the first women graduates of DTS, Vickie had already spent years teaching Bible studies and serving in various ministries. She and her husband worked tirelessly for Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) where they established Backyard Bible Clubs and then multiplied their efforts by training hundreds of leaders for CEF. Vickie always multiplied her efforts. This was one of her core values in Christian ministry, teaching, mentoring, and discipleship.
Along the way, Fred and Vickie established a chiropractic practice in New York and raised five children. Ministry with CEF clearly led Fred and Vickie in a different direction. Upon arrival in Dallas, Vickie continued to teach and multiply her Christian influence among women and families. With her children grown, Vickie enrolled at DTS, and subsequently encouraged others to do so, including me! After receiving her degree, Vickie’s energies became more directed to the field of Women’s Ministries. She founded and directed Titus 2:4 Ministries, and multiplied this focus in countless churches in the U.S. by helping to train and establish Women Mentoring Women programs.
Vickie authored several books and led countless retreats throughout the U.S. and the world. She faithfully proclaimed God’s Word with much confidence, love, wisdom, encouragement, and humor. Vickie was an active leader in the local church, spending many years as the Director of Women’s Ministries at Northwest Bible Church. Part of her ministry included training Christian women leaders through her use of a close knit, but rotating board, where many women grew to know, love, and serve Christ more deeply. In proclaiming Christ broadly, Vickie was an active supporter of Child Evangelism Fellowship’s worldwide outreach … engaging many others in CEF’s work, including connecting Christians of financial means in the fundraising efforts vital to CEF’s worldwide outreach.
In addition she traveled with Luis Palau to South America to help spread the Gospel. As her health deteriorated, Vickie closed Titus 2:4 Ministries, but she continued to host many groups of women in her home each week for mentoring and Bible study. Our family is but one of very, VERY, many who were been blessed by Vickie’s teaching and example. She had a wonderful ability to address complicated questions using Scripture in an engaging and accessible manner. Now, we rejoice that she has heard the words of our Gracious Lord, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
A Woman Highly Valued By Friends and Colleagues
In supplying a reference for this award, Gwynne Johnson (MA[BS] 98), a long-time friend, writes, “Vickie’s commitment to Christ and to serving His Kingdom defined her. She was a loyal friend and delighted in mentoring younger women to invest in other women.” She continued, “Vickie was a pioneer in philosophy and development of ministry to women in the local church. Her commitment to the centrality of the Bible in women’s ministry has shaped the women’s ministry movement worldwide. Due to her influence in the Dallas area, women who minister to women here have a rich community of support. This included the development of the Association of Women’s Ministry Professionals which continues to serve women in ministry today. In addition, Vickie was instrumental in seeing the development of the Women’s Ministry emphasis in the DTS program. She is beloved by women who knew her and appreciated for her strong Bible teaching.
Neil Tomba (ThM 96) first met Vickie when he began serving at Northwest Bible Church nearly twenty years ago. He considers her a friend, wise counselor, parishioner, and fellow minister. “Vickie was continually investing in the lives of women at Northwest,” he writes. “It was so much more than a job for her. I constantly hear from women who were impacted by Vickie through a small group or one-on-one discipleship with her. She was also incredibly faithful in her Sunday morning attendance. If she could make it, she was here. I believe her great success in life was the long line of women she invested in.”
We praise God for the blessings he brought to women’s ministry through Vickie’s life and celebrate her contributions with the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Service Award.
Click here to view a video of Vickie speaking in chapel at DTS in September 2009.
About the Award
All nominations for the Alumni Distinguished Service Award come solely from fellow DTS graduates. Nominees are prayerfully considered in light of 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-9; Ephesians 5:1-33; Galatians 5:22-23 and Romans 12:1-21.
For more information or to nominate a fellow DTS graduate, visit the Alumni Service Award page.