Lisa Harper
Christian author, speaker and bible educator
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Lisa Harper (born 1963) is a Christian author, bible educator, and speaker. She has written books and bible education study curricula, organized Christian women's conferences, and since 2022 hosted the podcast Back Porch Theology.
- Author
- bible educator
- speaker
Lisa Harper | |
|---|---|
Harper in 2023 | |
| Born | 1963 (age 62–63) |
| Alma mater | Covenant Seminary (MTS) |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Christian women’s conferences |
| Children | 1 |
Early life and education
Harper is a native of Central Florida.[1] She earned a Master of Theological Studies from Covenant Seminary[1] and has completed doctoral studies at Denver Seminary, and as of 2025 was working on her thesis.[2]
Career
Harper served six years as the director of Women's Outreach at Focus on the Family, where she developed the "Renewing the Heart" conferences attended by 150,000-200,000 women in the late 1990s.[1][3] She speaks at large multi-denominational events and at churches all over the world.[4] Through biblical teachings and workshops, she reassures women that they are not alone and provides a safe space for them to be open about their struggles balancing their daily and spiritual lives.[5]
For ten years, she toured with "Women of Faith," sharing messages of God's unconditional love with over a million women. Throughout her ministry, she recognized the need for women of all ages to be encouraged, strengthened in their faith, and to receive a clear presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.[3] She was executive producer on Renewing the Heart Live Albums which generated several No. 1 Christian radio singles[3] and has made appearances on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.[6]
She has produced Bible study video curriculums which provide historical background and utilize pop-culture references to help people connect with biblical stories and figures.[7] Examples of these include ones for Hebrews, Old Testament Minor Prophets, the Song of Solomon and Job.[7][8] She has also authored books which have been described as spiritually introspective life-lessons,[9] using humor, personal anecdotes, and her storytelling ability to encourage readers to seek an intimate connection with God.[1][9] Her podcast ‘’Back Porch Theology’’ was nominated for three consecutive years for the K-Love Podcast of the Year Fan Award.[10] Harper hosts the podcast with actress and author Allison Allen and Denver Seminary Professor Jim Howard.[11]
Selected works
Bible study guides
- Tough Love, Tender Mercies: Three Short Stops in the Minor Prophets. Tyndale House Publishers. 2005. ISBN 978-1-4143-0277-5.
- What Every Girl Wants: A Portrait of Perfect Love & Intimacy in the Song of Solomon. Tyndale House Publishers. 2006. ISBN 978-1-4143-0278-2.
- Hebrews: The Nearness of King Jesus. LifeWay Christian Resources. 2014. ISBN 978-1-4300-2559-7.
- Job: A Story of Unlikely Joy. LifeWay Christian Resources. 2018. ISBN 978-1-5359-2979-0.
- How Much More: Discovering God's Extravagant Love in Unexpected Places. LifeWay Christian Resources. 2022. ISBN 978-1-0877-7394-0.
Books
- Every Woman's Hope: Defined by Grace, Beloved by God. Howard Books. 2001. ISBN 1-58229-190-X.[9]
- A Perfect Mess: Why You Don't Have to Worry About Being Good Enough for God. WaterBrook Press. 2009. ISBN 978-1-4000-7479-2.
- Stumbling Into Grace: Confessions of a Sometimes Spiritually Clumsy Woman. Thomas Nelson. 2011. ISBN 978-0-8499-4648-6.
- Believing Jesus: A Journey Through the Book of Acts. Thomas Nelson. 2015. ISBN 978-0-7180-1120-8.
- The Sacrament of Happy: What a Smiling God Brings to a Wounded World. B&H Publishing Group. 2017. ISBN 978-1-4336-9191-1.
- Who's Your Daddy? Discovering the Awesomest Daddy Ever. B&H Publishing Group. 2018. ISBN 978-1-5359-0602-9.
- Life: An Obsessively Grateful, Undone by Jesus, Genuinely Happy, and Not Faking it Through the Hard Stuff Kind of 100-Day Devotional. B&H Publishing Group. 2021. ISBN 978-1-4336-9194-2.
Personal life
Harper spent much of her adult life struggling with the shame stemming from her abusive childhood. In her forties, as a single woman, she felt a strong desire to become a mother and began exploring adoption.[12] However, a fellow church member discouraged her, suggesting that her past experiences might negatively impact her ability to parent. As a result, she postponed the adoption process for seven years. In her late forties, she resumed her efforts, and after two unsuccessful adoption attempts, she learned about a two-and-a-half-year-old girl in Haiti named Missy who was diagnosed with HIV, cholera, tuberculosis, and severe malnutrition.[8][12] She began adoption proceedings, visiting her daughter in Haiti until she was able to bring her home to Nashville in April 2014.[12]