For more than 25 years, Faulkner University alumnus Trae Durden has dedicated his life to ministry, serving congregations and college students across Alabama with a heart rooted in discipleship and community.
Durden currently serves as the Connections Minister at the Beltline Church of Christ in Decatur, Alabama, where he works closely with Pulpit Minister Steve Smith. Together, they share responsibilities across the congregation, but Durden said his greatest joy comes from being a part of Beltline’s Next Step Initiative.
Through this outreach, church members work in four teams to serve the physical and spiritual needs of their community, building meaningful relationships and sharing the gospel.
“We have found this to be a more effective method to accomplish benevolent work,” Durden said. “It naturally leads to disciple making and the growth of the church. Ephesians 4:16 says it best—‘…the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies… causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.’”
Durden, a 1998 graduate of Faulkner with a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies, began his career in youth and campus ministry, including work with the Tide 4 Christ campus ministry in Tuscaloosa. He has also served as the Preaching Minister at North Highlands Church of Christ in Russellville and previously worked in Huntsville as a regional manager for LifeSouth Community Blood Bank.
Through every chapter of his life, he credits Faulkner University and its Christ-centered education as a foundational part of his personal and professional journey. He was invited back to campus for the 2025 Marketplace Faith Friday Forums where he was honored as the V.P. Black College of Biblical Studies’ Distinguished Alumnus.
“Faulkner is where I met my wife, Leann Edmondson Durden, and made my closest friends,” he said. “Leann and I treasure our memories from our time at Faulkner. My professors invested their love, knowledge and patience in me and others. I would never have been at Faulkner without Dennis Itson. I’ll be in his debt for eternity for all the good that has come from our friendship.”
Reflecting on his time at Faulkner, Durden said the spiritual example of his professors deeply influenced his faith and approach to ministry.
“They embodied the teaching from 2 Timothy 2:2—‘And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also,’” Durden said. “So, I am just another representative of their legacy of faith. Their teaching reinforced the foundation my parents had laid in my heart.”
Even during the years he worked outside of full-time ministry, Durden never felt far from his calling.
“I learned that from my professors at Faulkner. Faith is our way of life, and it’s a wonderful way to live,” he said.
Durden and his wife began serving together while still in college, working with the Houston Park Church of Christ in Selma. After graduation and marriage, they continued in youth ministry roles in Georgia and at Dalraida Church of Christ in Montgomery before eventually transitioning into preaching and leadership roles across the state.
Trae and Leann have two children—Darcy Grace, 21, and Dalton, 18. Together, they’ve built a legacy of service rooted in faith, gratitude, and a love for the church families they’ve served.
“We love them all and thank God for the investment they have made in our lives,” Durden said. “And I know in heaven someday, we will enjoy reminiscing about our time together.”