Archive for 2018
Season 6: Episode 6 | Letting Go of Your Grip
Steve has control issues even if surrender is one of the major movements of the spiritual life. Retreat is a powerful tool to practice surrender. Could your absence from those you love while on retreat be a ministry? Ruth discusses the ministry of absence. Ruth also shares a personal story about her daughter, and how…
Read MoreMerry Christmas
Special music for a special time of year:
Read MoreSeason 6: Episode 5 | Sweet Hours of Prayer
Fixed hour of prayer. It is as simple as praying at fixed hours of the day. It is about reorienting ourselves to God. Ruth shares the four prayer movements that are used in the Transforming Community experience at the Transforming Center. Whether this is new or you have written this practice off as too rote,…
Read MoreTiptoeing Around the Edges of Burnout
By Daniele Evans My Transforming Community (TC13) experience began with plenty excitement, anticipation and my soul tiptoeing around the edges of burnout. Fifteen years of pastoral ministry alongside raising a young family had taken the bulk of my energy. I felt weary and worn in ways difficult to express. My spouse and I were mid-sabbatical,…
Read MoreSeason 6: Episode 4 | Finding Your Rhythm on Retreat
Human beings are made with rhythms and for rhythms. A beautiful conversation ensues about the beauty of rhythms and how to find and recognize rhythms. In the Christian tradition tears are always a gift. Ruth provides a great encouragement to let the tears come. We end this episode sharing the story of Kevin and how…
Read MoreChampioning a new reality for the body of Christ and its leaders
Your gift creates “ripples of transformation” in our communities and beyond. When people allow God to work in and through their lives ‘from the center out’ they are leading from the strength and wisdom of a transforming soul. One way to reflect on the impact of Jesus’ birth during the season of Advent is to…
Read MoreSeason 6: Episode 3 | The Sources of Our Exhaustion
Are you living out of external expectations instead of God’s calling on your life? Learn more about common sources of exhaustion. Could it be that our desire to serve is more about staying in control? Ruth names some of her own sources of exhaustion. Go deeper with this content and purchase Ruth’s newest book, Invitation…
Read MoreSeason 6: Episode 2 | Just Flop Down
Too busy? When is the best time to go on retreat? Join Ruth Haley Barton and Steve Wiens for episode 2, and don’t forget your pillow. A great discussion about how technology has caused many of us to feel we can never do enough to feel like we’ve done enough. Listen and discover how to…
Read MoreSpecial Episode | Discovering Advent
The seasons of the church year are meant to teach us essential truths of the spiritual life, offering us an opportunity to practice some of the key disciplines of our Christian faith together – in community. The Advent season marks the beginning of the church year and while we have always provided reflections and gatherings…
Read MoreSeason 6: Episode 1 | Strategic Withdrawal
Why did Ruth write another book? How does it relate to Invitation to Solitude and Silence? We start with a delicious word – invitation. Ruth moves in to define our terms and discuss how retreat has been compromised in our culture. Ruth and Steve even discuss who should go on retreat. Lets reclaim the word…
Read MoreTwo Years Transforming: Forever Grateful
By Nathan Albert For the last two years, I traveled to a monastery outside of Chicago every three months for a three day retreat to tend to my soul. With a group of 70 others, as part of the Transforming Center, we practiced ancient spiritual practices and rhythms such as silence, solitude, centering prayer, lectio…
Read MoreThe Major Imperatives Within Mature Discipleship
“At a certain age our lives simplify and we need have only three phrases left in our spiritual vocabulary: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” –Morris West Gratitude is the ultimate virtue, undergirding everything else, even love. It is synonymous with holiness. Gratitude not only defines sanctity, it also defines maturity. We are mature to…
Read MoreSeason 5: Episode 12 | For the Sake of Others
Why does Ruth end a book on silence and solitude with a chapter on for sake of others? Listen to find out. Ruth describes her own journey of moving out of silence and solitude and how it transformed her interaction with teenagers. A great discussion of words and why silence and solitude are important for…
Read MoreSeason 5: Episode 11 | Receiving Guidance
Why does Elijah say the same things again? We expect Elijah’s experience of God’s presence to transform him, but there is a comforting interpretation of this passage. The good news: we don’t have to beg God for guidance. He is our shepherd and wants to guide. A great conversation ensues around how silence and solitude…
Read MoreSeason 5: Episode 10 | Pure Presence
We begin this episode with a quick review of the story of Elijah. There is a payoff to waiting, and not running away. God is becoming Elijah’s ultimate orienting reality. Entering a silence that is not empty but full of God’s presence. Good news, God is a much better parent than we ever could be.…
Read MorePracticing Relinquishment: The Enneagram Goes on Retreat
“Every movement toward the humiliation of the false self, if we accept it, is a step toward freedom and inner resurrection.” – Fr. Thomas Keating Many of us have no idea how addicted we are to human striving, hard work, and performance-oriented drivenness until we actually stop. This may be one of the most shocking…
Read MoreTransforming Gift Creates Endowment Fund for Scholarships
When Anjuli Seth Nayak arrived for the first retreat of her Transforming Community, she was clearly a force to be reckoned with! Anjuli was not our typical retreatant. She was Indian in background and a physician by profession, certified as an allergist and immunologist. She was also a cancer survivor, enjoying a temporary…
Read MoreSeason 5: Episode 9 | Facing Ourselves
We are in the chaos with Elijah. In solitude and silence we feel the battle between the false self and the true self. Some of the most important questions emerge from the chaos. Ruth and Steve discuss what facing ourself really means and how our true self is hidden with Christ in God. This is…
Read MoreSeason 5: Episode 8 | Emptiness
It takes stamina to stay in silence and solitude. Why does God meet us in such vast emptiness? Ruth has a thought. There is great encouragement in Elijah’s journey and how long it took. Emptiness can be very lonely, yet you don’t have to go alone. It is good to have some human support and…
Read MoreRetreat: Invitation to a Counter-Cultural Practice
“I have lived too long where I am reachable.”–Rumi It is a wonderful thing to be invited—especially when the invitation is particularly well-suited to our needs, our desires, our delights. A gifted communicator receives a significant invitation to speak on a topic that is important to them. An artist is commissioned to create banners for…
Read MoreSeason 5: Episode 7 | Rest for the Soul
We have made it to the cave with Elijah and he is telling the whole truth. The good news is God can handle anything. Ruth shares about being in solitude and silence with gratitude and how restful and energizing it can be. What if we feel like God didn’t show up? Ruth has some advice. Faithfulness to these practices…
Read MoreSeason 5: Episode 6 | Rest for the Mind
We are moving through this story slowly and it is good. At this point God asks Elijah a question. Allowing the mind rest into the heart is a helpful way to describe letting the mind rest without discounting the contribution of the mind. Ruth shares a personal example of resting and trusting God. We end…
Read MoreSeason 5: Episode 5 | Rest for the Body
What is not to like about the fact that God instructed Elijah to take not one but two naps? Why do we treat our body so poorly? Ruth and Steve discuss a powerful psalm to better understand the dynamic of silence and solitude. They also discuss how the daily examen can help us get in…
Read MoreRetreat: The Gift and Necessity of Time Away with God
“If we don’t come apart for while, we will come apart after awhile.” –Dallas Willard Brad is a pastor whose church is going well. Attendance at weekend services is growing steadily, and they have just completed a building project that is enabling them to grow and provide a variety of ministries to meet needs within…
Read MoreSeason 5: Episode 4 | Dangerously Tired
We pick up with the story of Elijah, and why it is important that he rested first. We talk about how to recognize being dangerously tired, with Ruth sharing some concrete examples. How does one surrender to exhaustion. We get into describing what sane rhythms look like, and we close by practicing again. Subscribe on…
Read MoreSeason 5: Episode 3 | Resistance
Our lives are not in danger like Elijahs, but we all have to face resistance. If you feel the push pull, then this is likely a signal God is at work. How do we push through our fear? What if we are afraid God will not show up? It is good to know our own baggage.…
Read MoreJustice and the Inner Life
In October of 2004, I gave each of my colleagues at International Justice Mission two gifts: a blank leather journal with the words “8:30 Stillness” embossed on the cover and Invitation to Solitude and Silence by Ruth Haley Barton. As an organization, we were experiencing incredible growth on a global scale. We were bringing rescue to…
Read MoreSeason 5: Episode 2 | Beginnings
Learning to be present with God alone – where do we begin? How do we get to the point where we recognize that what needs done in our lives only God can do? We define our terms in this episode – what is silence and what is solitude? Steve is already overachieving, Ruth encourages people…
Read MoreSeason 5: Episode 2 | Beginnings
Learning to be present with God alone – where do we begin? How do we get to the point where we recognize that what needs done in our lives only God can do? We define our terms in this episode – what is silence and what is solitude? Steve is already overachieving, Ruth encourages people…
Read MoreNew Podcast Season | Season 5: From Invitation to Solitude and Silence
In Season 5: Invitation to Solitude and Silence, Steve Wiens and Ruth Haley Barton will walk through Ruth’s book by the same name. Join us for a rich conversation, and grab a copy of the book to take a deeper dive into solitude and silence. Episode 1: Beyond Words finds us walking with Elijah in…
Read MoreBonus Episode | A Conversation with Ruth Haley Barton and Aaron Niequist
Before we kick off a new season next Wednesday, Ruth Haley Barton sat down with Aaron Niequist and discussed a variety of topics from their shared background to their journey to a practiced-based faith. In a time where there is much to be discouraged about about in the Church, this conversation will give you hope. Mentioned…
Read MorePart Four: Reenvisioning the Promised Land
“We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.” —Bishop Ken Untener Strengthening the soul of your leadership is a journey that begins, continues and ends with a tenacious seeking after God in the crucible of ministry. It is an invitation to stay connected with your…
Read MorePart Three: The Conundrum of Calling
“Calling is a much abused word today. In the church it can be little more than a pious euphemism for doing what we feel like doing. Such abuse is brought to celebration in the secular culture, when doing what we feel like doing, attained by any way we feel like doing it, seems often to…
Read MoreA Bold New Vision and $30,000 Match Opportunity
It has been a thrilling three months since I stepped into the role of Chief Operations Officer. A bold new vision, moving our retreats to a new venue, six retreats, a cross-country move, a trip to Kenya, and contractors still at work in our new home have created a sense of excitement! All that God…
Read MoreSeason 4: Episode 9 | Finding God in the Crucible of Ministry
This episode begins with a discussion of the kind of lonineless that is probably the hardest for a spiritual leader – when we feel God is against us. Moses’ story in Exodus 33 has a lot to teach us. If you have ever doubted God’s goodness to you because of the personal cost of ministry…
Read MoreSeason 4: Episode 8 | From Isolation to Discernment in Community
Episode 8 highlights God’s faithfulness in meeting us in the loneliness of our leadership and how that leads to discerning together. We do an overview of corporate leadership discernment (All of Season 3 is devoted to the topic) and end with the conclusion to the story Ruth began in Episode 4 of this season. Ruth…
Read MoreSeason 4: Episode 7 | Leadership as Intercession
Leadership opens leaders up to a whole world of pain. Moses is such a great leader because he always brings the difficulties people brought to God. You don’t hear much about the role of intercession in leadership circles. A rich discussion of differentiation and its importance in leadership ensues. Ruth shares how she makes intercession…
Read MorePart Two: The Power of a Well-Timed Pause
“Spiritual leadership springs forth in grace from our very desire for God’s presence. This does not take effort or striving. It takes courage, a kind of showing up, attentiveness.” –Gerald May Moses remained in a solitary, non-public existence for a long time. It was as if—in some deep and fundamental way—he just let go. He…
Read MoreSeason 4: Episode 6 | Spiritual Rhythms in the Life of a Leader
The story of Moses and Jethro brings us right into the topic of sane rhythms in the life of the leader. What are the signs we are dangerously tired? What is the role of technology in all that! You won’t believe what Ruth does not have on her iPhone. Everyone is dealing with pace of…
Read MoreSeason 4: Episode 5 | Guiding Others on a Spiritual Journey
In this episode Ruth and Steve start looking at the implications of the leadership journey, and how to guide others on their spiritual journey. Ruth makes a distinction between first half of life leaders and second half of life leader – looking at suffering and experiencing an internal death which leads to inner authority. Great…
Read MoreSeason 4: Episode 4 | The Conundrum of Calling
This episode begins a bit differently. Instead of starting with the biblical story (Moses) Steve dives in and turns the table on Ruth, asking her about her own calling and what it looks like right now. Steve and Ruth talk about the fatal question, and a great discussion proceeds out of understanding the difference between…
Read MorePart One: Coming Home to Ourselves in God’s Presence
“When I want to do good, evil is close at hand.” ~the apostle Paul Moses was destined to be a leader. When you are raised as the son of a princess, you are groomed to lead. You are scrutinized and evaluated regarding your capacity to lead. Expectations are high. But Moses was not just expected…
Read MoreSeason 4: Episode 3 | The Practice of Paying Attention
Don’t wait till you’re headed into a collision to recognize the need to pay attention. Ruth shares a funny, but sobering example. In this episode Ruth and Steve discuss practices to help leaders pay attention to their life in leadership, and you will find encouragement in Steve’s faith building experience of learning to page attention…
Read MoreSeason 4: Episode 2 | The Place of Our Own Conversion
Ruth and Steve jump right into the story of Moses and we learn why he is such a great guide for those who are in leadership. Ruth and Steve explore some of the common family of origin issues that tend to negatively affect a leader’s life. And Ruth will guide you in finding your own…
Read MoreWhen Leaders Lose Their Souls
“For what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” Matthew 16:26 (NLT) I want to talk to you about the soul—your soul, my soul, and the soul of our leadership. When I refer to the soul, I am not talking about…
Read MoreSeason 4: Episode 1 | When Leaders Lose Their Souls
It was 10 years ago that Strengthening the Soul of your Leadership was published by InterVarsity Press. Last year we launched this podcast by the same name, and this year to celebrate the 10th anniversary InterVarsity released an expanded edition with a group experience and an assessment tool (check it out). Ruth and Steve will…
Read MoreExpanded Edition Now Available: Strengthen the Soul of your Team!
The expanded edition of the best selling InterVarsity Press book, Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership, includes guidance for reflecting together on the soul of your leadership. This Transforming Resource also includes the popular “How Is It with Your Soul?” assessment for leaders and a new compelling forward by Gary Haugen, International Justice Mission. Order before May 31st and receive these book…
Read MoreSeason 3: Episode 9 | Discerning and Doing God’s Will Together
Last episode of Season 3. Are you still listening? Listening is a huge part of corporate leadership discernment. Ruth points out the role of listening in the discernment process in Act 15. Leaders are often poor listeners and there are some helpful practices around becoming better listeners and guidance for noticing without judging. Ruth and…
Read MoreStaying Awake During Holy Week
Lectionary readings and guidance on using the lectionary Good Friday: Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25; John 18:1-19:42 “Stay together, friends, don’t scatter and sleep. Our friendship is made of being awake.” Rumi In her book Cloister Walk, Kathleen Norris comments that in a monastery, Holy Week is “a total surrender to worship.” This surrender allows for a greater…
Read MoreSeason 3: Episode 8 | Get Set: From Decision-Making to Discernment
This episode begins with a discussion of why sailing is such a beautiful metaphor for discernment. In this episode Ruth and Steve delve into what helps groups cross the threshold from decision-making to discernment. The prayer of indifference might be new, but it is deeply biblical and Ruth explains its role in discernment. How do…
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