Archive for 2017
Merry Christmas
Equipping and Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders
Dear Friend, When a few of us started meeting together fifteen years ago to attend to our own spiritual formation as leaders, it would have been impossible to imagine all the Lord would eventually do. We began gathering on retreat not to start a ministry—but to survive and thrive ourselves. Now I can hardly believe…
Read MoreAdvent: Leaders in Waiting
Lectionary Readings for the first week of Advent: Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37 Click for complete Advent calendar (CycleB) and guidance on using the lectionary. “No one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him.” Isaiah…
Read MoreWhat Happens After 30 Years of Being on Call 24/7/365
Phil Jackson has served full time in urban ministry to youth for thirty years. He is currently a church planter and the lead pastor of The House and founder and executive director of The Firehouse Community Art Center. I have served Christ for thirty years in urban youth ministry in the Lawndale community of Chicago. The need to be “on call”…
Read MoreFall Garden
In fall the garden is spent having given its all. Cucumber vines lie exhausted on the ground Tomato plants list to one side Cornstalks stand dignified and empty Sunflower faces droop earthward, shades of their former selves. All that has not been claimed lies moldering in the dirt— a bruised tomato, a forsaken pepper… a…
Read MoreSpiritual Direction (Part 2): A Key Practice for Transforming Leaders
Part One of this eReflections series can be found here. “There is a temptation to think that spiritual direction is the guidance of one’s spiritual activities, considered a small part or department of one’s life. This is completely false. Spiritual direction is concerned with the whole person not simply as an individual human being, but…
Read MoreSpiritual Direction (Part 1): A Key Practice for Healthy Leaders
Part Two of this eReflections series can be found here. “The whole purpose of spiritual direction is to penetrate beneath the surface of a man’s life, to get behind the façade of conventional gestures and attitudes which he presents to the world, and to bring out his inner spiritual freedom, his inmost truth, which is…
Read MoreA Taste of the Transforming Community
You’re invited on the journey of transforming leadership! Sacred Rhythms in the Life of the Leader is Season 1 of Ruth Haley Barton’s podcast Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership. Each episode highlights a quarterly theme of the Transforming Community experience. Join Steve Wiens (a Transforming Community alum) for a lively dialogue with Ruth Haley Barton about forging and…
Read MoreSustained by the Rhythm of Retreat
Continuing the story of Transforming Community: Transforming Community 4 (TC4) continued to impact the greater sense of community as more spouses of alumni and a church pastor, along with one of his elders, decided to embark on the transformational journey together. Shared language and experience can have a profound impact on these significant relationships, and it…
Read MoreThe Desert Blooms
Continuing the story of Transforming Community: Transforming Community 4 (TC4) continued to impact the greater sense of community as more spouses of alumni and a church pastor, along with one of his elders, decided to embark on the transformational journey together. Shared language and experience can have a profound impact on these significant relationships, and it was…
Read MoreSeason 2: Episode 9 | You are Witnesses of these Things
As we conclude season two, the disciples on the Emmaus Road are so excited about what has happened in and through their encounter with Jesus on the Emmaus Road that they jump up from dinner and turn right around to go back to Jerusalem to share what has happened with the other disciples. The trauma…
Read MoreSeason 2: Episode 8 | Discerning the Presence of Christ
Ever had a conversation you wish didn’t have to end? The two disciples were so stirred by their conversation that “they urged Jesus strongly to stay.” And it was in the staying that the disciples recognized Jesus’ transforming presence as they shared a meal together. The practice of stability is not a strength of western…
Read MoreSeason 2: Episode 7 | Finding Our Story in HIS Story
Jesus is on a roll now—helping the disciples on the Emmaus Road to see their story and what felt so personal to them as part of the larger story of what God has been doing down through history. What makes the human journey really exciting is being able to understand our own story in light…
Read MoreThe Darkness of Indifference
“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.” –Elie Wiesel Remember when the question, “Where were you when Kennedy was shot?” was a point of conversation? …
Read MoreSeason 2: Episode 6 | The Nature of the Spiritual Journey
Jesus listened long enough to the disciples on the Emmaus Road to offer a spiritual perspective on the hardest experiences of life. In this conversation, Ruth and Steve discuss the role of suffering in the Christian journey and how we need to normalize suffering so we can claim its fruitful role in the spiritual life.…
Read MoreSeason 2: Episode 5 | Men and Women in Community
If you read the Emmaus Road conversation carefully in Luke 24, you will notice that part of the story the disciples told Jesus was that “the women of our group astounded us” with news of the Resurrection on that first Easter morning. Ruth unpacks the countercultural approach Jesus took to the role of women and…
Read MoreEarn academic credit through our partnership with Sioux Falls Seminary
Earn academic credit while participating in a Transforming Community® We are pleased to announce that the Transforming Center has formed a partnership with Sioux Falls Seminary, located in Sioux Falls, SD. Through the Kairos Project, an alternative educational track, participants in a Transforming Community® can fully integrate their transforming leadership journey with one of several…
Read MoreSeason 2: Episode 4 | Gathering on the Basis of Shared Desire
In their conversation on the Emmaus Road, Jesus created a safe space for the disciples to share their deepest desire. Getting in touch with our deepest desire is like peeling an onion—there are many layers, and getting to the center might leave you in a pool of tears. Listen to a great conversation about how…
Read MoreSeason 2: Episode 3 | Choosing to Listen Rather than Fix
Continuing the story of the Emmaus Road, Jesus plays dumb and models what spiritual companionship can look like. How do we become the kind of person who can listen rather than fix, and stand still being sad rather than rushing in with our own advice? In episode 3, we discover some great questions that can…
Read MoreSeason 2: Episode 2 | Welcoming the Stranger
Jesus wants to be in your juicy conversations. Just think about it—the Emmaus Road encounter would not have happened had the disciples not welcomed “the stranger” on their journey home. Welcoming the other’s experience and story are integral to the idea of welcoming the stranger. In episode 2, Ruth shares a story of how welcoming…
Read MoreSeason 2: Episode 1 | Choosing to Walk Together
Many of us are carrying a lot of baggage regarding Christian community. Ruth has often commented that it is one of the most over-promised, under-delivered aspects of the Christian life—which means that Christians who have been deeply involved in church are often the most cynical and disillusioned. In Season 2 of the Strengthening the Soul…
Read MoreOn the Road to Becoming a Transforming Church
“Nondiscipleship is the elephant in the church.” – Dallas Willard Oak Hills Church was founded in 1984 with seventeen people in rented space at a strip mall in the “quickly growing but still quaint” little suburb known as Folsom, CA. Original members walked the streets, knocking on doors, inviting people to come to this brand new…
Read MoreWhat Kind of Church Are You?
“Eventually, someone looking for a church home will ask some variation of this question: So what kind of church are you?” – Kent Carlson Recently while signing books at a conference on spiritual formation, a sharply-dressed woman approached who seemed to have no interest in purchasing a book. Instead, she marched right up to me…
Read MoreIn memory of David Strieff: A charming and righteous man
David Hall Strieff, 69, died peacefully but too soon on June 5th due to complications from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He was born in Harvey, IL, and graduated from Glenbard West and Coe College. A loving father and grandfather, he loved providing opportunities to enjoy the beaches of Sanibel, or a few days at Christmas in…
Read MoreThe Loneliness of Leadership
Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have said to me, ‘Bring up this people’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me…If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here.” Exodus 33:12, 14 Any leader who cannot endure profound levels of loneliness will not last…
Read MoreEpisode 9 | A Rule of Life: Arranging our Lives for Spiritual Transformation
The final episode of Season 1: Sacred Rhythms in the Life of the Leader. Ruth and Steve wrap up season 1 with a lively discussion of how to put it all together in your own sacred rhythms. Ruth confesses her true feelings about rules before she defines a rule of life and shares why it…
Read MoreHow do we build a bridge to the next generation of spiritual leaders?
Consider these statistics from Barna Group’s 2017 State of Pastors Project: The average age of Protestant senior pastors is 54, a decade older than 25 years ago, when the average age was 44. Today just one in seven pastors leading congregations is under 40. In the 1960s the majority of pastors were under 45. In…
Read MoreEpisode 8 | For the Sake of Others
Are you a missional or a formational organization? Steve and Ruth take on this dualism. As usual, the conversation begins with looking at Scripture, showing the cause and effect relationship between our formation and the ability to discern the will of God. Ruth finally gets around to defining spiritual transformation and puts a stake in…
Read MoreEpisode 7 | The Art and Practice of Spiritual Discernment
Discernment is not a subjective woo-woo experience! Ruth begins episode 7 by explaining why discernment is an art AND a practice. This discussion highlights the unlikely place discernment begins, and why it is important to remember God’s wisdom is often very different than human wisdom. Steve shares his own story of discerning together with other…
Read MoreEpisode 6 | Transformation Through Self-Knowledge and Self-Examination
This podcast kicks off with a discussion of the ancient practice of the Examen. In case you are wondering, self-examination is so much more than just asking God to show us our sin. In this rich discussion straight out of Psalm 139, Ruth provides a clear definition of true self and false self and deals…
Read MoreUnfinished Business: Staying on the Journey
Continuing the story of Transforming Community: The launch of Transforming Community 3 marked significant growth in the number of participants but also in the experience itself. With 40 people on retreat–including six Christian Reformed Church pastors who came together from Michigan on a Lilly grant!– it was time to create a small serving team that could better facilitate…
Read MoreA Good Gift: Experiencing Transformation in Community
Continuing the story of Transforming Community: The launch of Transforming Community 3 marked significant growth in the number of participants but also in the experience itself. With 40 people on retreat–including six Christian Reformed Church pastors who came together from Michigan on a Lilly grant!– it was time to create a small serving team that could better facilitate…
Read MoreEpisode 5 | Honoring the Body as a Spiritual Discipline
Ruth draws from Elijah’s story to shed light on the role of the body in the spiritual life. This episode explores the connection between our bodies and our spiritual lives. Discover the joy of living in your body as a gift from God. Ruth and Steve discuss different practices for honoring God in our bodies,…
Read MoreEpisode 4 | Engaging the Scriptures for Transformation
What happens to a leader’s soul when s/he only engages Scripture for ministry? Steve asks for a friend. 😉 What can a pastor or leader do when they are no longer encountering God in Scripture? Join us for an enlightening discussion about the practice of finding yourself in the Biblical story — especially difficult for…
Read MoreAn Act of Discipleship: Walking with Christ through Holy Week
Guidance on using the lectionary. “It is not the act of a good disciple to flee from the cross in order to enjoy an easy piety.” St. John of the Cross Several years ago during this season, my family gathered to bury my grandmother. She was 92 years old and greatly loved by many. On Saturday…
Read MoreEpisode 3 | Prayer – Deepening Our Intimacy With God
How does Ruth respond when a pastor admits they don’t know how to pray anymore? You will be surprised. This episode is for those who feel stuck in their prayer even though prayer is part of their job description. Ruth describes transitions in the life of prayer with a rich discussion of intimacy that isn’t…
Read MoreObserving Lent: Seeing What We’re Missing
Lectionary readings for Fourth Sunday of Lent Cycle A: 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41 Guidance on using the lectionary. “Spiritual masters often refer to a kind of “dread,” the nagging sense that we have missed something important and have been somehow untrue—to ourselves, to others, to God. Lent is a good…
Read MoreFinding My Voice: Experiencing Transformation in Community
Continuing the story of Transforming Community: After Transforming Community #1 (TC 1) concluded, there was a sense that others might want to join the journey as well; an invitation was offered a little more widely to start Transforming Community #2 and 26 people accepted. In this group were several spouses from those in TC 1 – some of whom were a…
Read MoreBonus Episode | Lent: Returning to God with All Your Heart (2017)
Ruth Haley Barton and Steve Wiens begin the discussion of Lent by talking about the seasons of the church calendar. Each season has unique invitations and keep us connected with Jesus’ spiritual journey while he was on earth. Lent invites us into aspects of transformation that we might not choose on our own, or even…
Read MoreEpisode 2 | A Leader’s Journey into Silence and Solitude
Do you sleep with your phone? You won’t believe who has your number! Ruth and Steve talk about the challenge of technology for leaders who desire to practice silence and solitude. They discuss the unique difficulties leaders face as they enter into solitude and silence. And you will hear more about Ruth’s own journey into solitude and…
Read MoreEpisode 1 | Invitation to Retreat/Dangerously Tired
Join us on the journey of transforming leadership! What do pastors and ministry leaders tell Ruth when they know they are safe? In the very first episode of the Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast, Ruth and Steve discuss what it looks like for leaders to be dangerously tired. Are you holding a beach ball under water? Ruth shares…
Read MoreA Heart of Stone to a Heart of Flesh: Experiencing Transformation in Community
Editor’s Note: As part of our 15-year anniversary celebration we are sharing stories and testimonies from each completed Transforming Community to celebrate all the Lord has done. We hope these stories will inspire you to continue to go deeper in your relationship with God, draw you into celebration of all the Lord has done, and encourage you to…
Read MoreReturning to God with All Our Hearts: Preparing for a Holy Lent
Lectionary readings for Ash Wednesday Cycle A: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Psalm 51:1-17; II Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 and Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 Guidance on using the lectionary. I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting and self-denial; and by reading and meditating…
Read MoreA Leader’s Guide to Planning for Lent and Easter
The seasons of the church year are meant to teach us essential truths of the spiritual life. Beyond mere information about the spiritual life, they offer us the opportunity to practice some of the key disciplines of our Christian faith and to do so together in community. The Lenten resources below will guide you and your congregation…
Read MoreAll the Lord has Done: Sharing Stories of Transformation
“I have not hidden your saving help within my heart, I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness, from the great congregation.” Psalm 40:9 The practice of noticing Those of you who have been through a Transforming Community remember that on the last retreat there is a…
Read MoreMartin Luther King, Jr. and the Soul of Leadership
We shall meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you… One day we shall win freedom, but not only for ourselves. We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process, and our victory will be…
Read MoreEpiphany: In Celebration of the Journey
Guidance on using the lectionary. Lectionary readings for January 6, 2017: Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72: 1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12 “A good journey begins with knowing where you are and being willing to go somewhere else.” Richard Rohr Today we celebrate epiphany—the “showing forth” or “the revelation” of Christ in the world. Epiphany takes its themes…
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