Season 1

Sacred Rhythms in the Life of the Leader: A Taste of the Transforming Community Experience

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Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership Podcast

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 maintaining a life-giving connection with God in the midst of leading.

Episode 1 | Invitation to Retreat/Dangerously Tired

March 15, 2017

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…

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Episode 2 | A Leader’s Journey into Silence and Solitude

March 15, 2017

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…

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Episode 3 | Prayer – Deepening Our Intimacy With God

April 5, 2017

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…

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Episode 4 | Engaging the Scriptures for Transformation

April 12, 2017

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…

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Episode 5 | Honoring the Body as a Spiritual Discipline

April 19, 2017

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,…

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Episode 6 | Transformation Through Self-Knowledge and Self-Examination

April 26, 2017

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…

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Episode 7 | The Art and Practice of Spiritual Discernment

May 3, 2017

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…

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Episode 8 | For the Sake of Others

May 10, 2017

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…

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Episode 9 | A Rule of Life: Arranging our Lives for Spiritual Transformation

May 17, 2017

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…

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