Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership with Ruth Haley Barton

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 with the unsettling truth that most leaders are hired for their false-self strategies. Along with touching on the Enneagram, Ruth shares her own story of wondering if she was falling off the spiritual path only to discovering that this was in fact the spiritual journey. Listen to episode 6 of Season 1: Sacred Rhythms in the Life of the Leader for a glimpse of what the journey of faith really is — because you can’t have a faith journey without faith. 

Digging Deeper into this topic:

Sacred Rhythms, Ruth Haley Barton

Invitation to Solitude and Silence, Ruth Haley Barton

Strengthening the Soul of your Leadership, Ruth Haley Barton

Transforming Center

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, including learning how to live within limits. There is so much joy, life, and energy when we connect our spiritual lives with life in our bodies! Listen with your whole body to Episode 5 of Season 1: Sacred Rhythms in the Life of the Leader.

Mentioned in the podcast:

Sacred Rhythms, Ruth Haley Barton

Transforming Center

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 leaders who want to “make it happen.” Ruth affirms the importance of moving from information to transformation in our approach to Scripture, and emphasizes how important it is for pastors to create space for God to surprise them through Scripture. All this and more in episode 4 of Season 1: Sacred Rhythms in the Life of the Leader.

Mentioned in the podcast:

Sacred Rhythms, Ruth Haley Barton

Transforming Center

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 about sex — or at least mostly not about sex. :) Ruth shares a liberating way to pray for someone when they ask, “Please pray for me.” Best of all, Ruth ends this episode by guiding you through a prayer practice. Don’t miss Episode 3 of Season 1: Sacred Rhythms in the Life of the Leader.

Mentioned in the podcast:

Sacred Rhythms, Ruth Haley Barton

Strengthening the Soul of your Leadership, Ruth Haley Barton

Transforming Center

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 know how to choose.  They also discuss some of the unique challenges for leaders during the season of Lent. Whether you have never participated in Lent or wish to re-engage Lent in a fresh way, you will learn something new in this bonus episode of the Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast.

Mentioned in the podcast:

Other resources for Lent:

An Invitation to Walk with Christ: Stations of the Cross Prayer Guide, Ruth Haley Barton

Transforming Center