Richly illustrated life lessons that will guide and shape the spiritual formation of Christian leaders. Like E. Stanley Jones, the authors show how you can experience God and launch into the adventure of a lifetime. By conforming to the life Jesus Christ, become a leader who is always a "Christian-in- the-making." From the book: "Amid a sea of spiritual options, this is the fundamental truth upon which true Christian spirituality builds: we live on a visited planet. Other great religions emphasize a philosophy of life, moral teachings, spiritual disciplines, or techniques...By contrast, Christianity focuses on Jesus. It announces the appearance of a flesh and blood person who perfectly embodied his own teachings, actually forgave his enemies, and willingly offered himself on a cross."

Why do the demands of leadership often draw leaders away from intimacy with God? What can I do to become a more effective leader? How can I keep from burning out and bailing out? How can we develop effective leaders who are being spiritually transformed as they abide in Christ? Key to answering these questions is the simple but profound truth that we must be the people of God before we do the work of God. That's why The Spiritual Formation of Leaders invites you to deeper intimacy with Christ so, in Him, you will be empowered to enjoy rich community with one another and a life of fruitful ministry. Spiritual leadership formation happens only in God's presence. So come to Jesus. Meet with Him in the Soul Room, walk with Him into the Leadership Room, and watch Him work in you and through you for His kingdom

When we choose retreat we make a generous investment in our friendship with Christ. Seasoned spiritual director Ruth Haley Barton gently and eloquently leads us into an exploration of retreat as a key practice that opens us to God, guiding us through seven invitations to retreat. You will discover how to say yes to God's winsome invitation to greater freedom and surrender.

This comprehensive theory and practice of Christian spiritual formation weaves together biblical and theological foundations with interdisciplinary scholarship, real-world examples, personal vignettes, and practical tools to assist readers in becoming whole persons in relationship with God and others.

Church boards and other Christian leadership teams have long relied on models adapted from the business world. Ruth Haley Barton, president of the Transforming Center, helps teams transition to a much more fitting model—the spiritual community that practices discernment together.

Evan Howard, a noted authority on Christian spirituality, provides a holistic, accessible, and informed introduction to Christian spiritual formation written from a broadly evangelical perspective. Howard joins Scripture with themes of community, spirit, formation, and mission in a single integrative guide. The book includes helpful features such as figures, charts, chapter overviews, and formation-focused questions. Its evangelical-ecumenical and global perspectives will appeal to a wide audience. Resources for professors and students are available through Baker Academic's Textbook eSources.

Most books on spiritual formation focus on the individual. But spiritual formation is at the heart of the church's whole purpose for existence. It must be a central task for the church to carry out Christ's mission in the world. This book offers an introduction to spiritual formation set squarely in the local church. The first edition has been well received and widely used as a textbook. The second edition has been updated throughout, incorporates findings from positive psychology, and reflects an Augustinian formation perspective. Foreword by Dallas Willard.