The United Methodist Church (UMC) has approved grants worth $3.5 million to promote agriculture as churches within its African conferences seek to become less dependent on Western funds.

The money is being channeled through the Bishop Yambasu Agricultural Initiative (BYAI)—a project named in honor of John K. Yambasu, a leading figure in the church who died in a traffic accident in Freetown, Sierra Leone, two years ago.

Three million dollars has already been dispersed under BYAI to support projects ...

When songwriter Krissy Nordhoff moved to Nashville in 1996, she had hoped to be guided and supported by the women who had gone before her in the Christian music industry.

Her first musical mentor was a woman—her grandmother, who inspired her to start writing songs when she was five years old. But as she found success in the industry, penning hits including “Your Great Name” and “Famous For (I Believe),” there weren’t many veteran women alongside her.

“I prayed ...