Krista Carnet | 630.734.4013 | kkcarnet@ivpress.com

WESTMONT, IL—Award-winning author Ruth Haley Barton has signed a six-book contract with InterVarsity Press. Barton, president of The Transforming Center, a spiritual formation ministry to pastors and Christian leaders, will release Invitation to Transforming Community, the first of six books in the Transforming Church series, in Fall 2014.

“I am very excited about publishing a new series of books on becoming a transforming church with IVP,” Barton said. “This series will include a ‘big book’ addressed to leaders which will cast vision and clarify the major components of a church or ministry organization committed to becoming a transforming community plus a collection of smaller books designed to guide community members in studying and learning together in small groups and educational settings. Developing resources that equip and empower leaders to cultivate transforming communities is a natural next step for me and for the Transforming Center. We are so pleased to be taking it in partnership with IVP!”

“The Transforming Center is doing significant work equipping leaders in the church to have a transformational impact on the lives of the people they touch,” said Jeff Crosby, InterVarsity Press associate publisher and director of sales and marketing. “Throughout its existence, both IVP and, more personally, I have been honored to be a partner with Ruth and her team. I look forward to collaborating with them on the launch of this new collection of books.”

Barton published her first book with InterVarsity Press, Equal to the Task, in 1998. She has published five more books with InterVarsity Press, including Invitation to Solitude and Silence (2005 Christianity Today Book Award), Sacred Rhythms (2006 Logos Book Award), Longing for More, Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership and Pursuing God’s Will Together (2012 Leadership Book Award).

Cindy Bunch, Barton’s editor and associate editorial director said, “It has been a delight to be Ruth Haley Barton’s editor for the past fifteen years and to follow her journey as a leader in the area of spiritual formation. We are very pleased to be continuing the relationship long into the future. Ruth has some very important work ahead of her as she helps churches bring spiritual formation into the center of their ministry.”