Season 4

Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry

This season begins by defining what the soul is and Ruth describes one of the clearest moments when she realized that she lost touch with her soul. Through the story of Moses, Ruth challenges us to pay attention to what is happening in our leadership and to own it. Along the way we discover why crucible is such a great word, and what and why a spiritual director is so important for a spiritual leader.

Season 5

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.

Season 6

Invitation to Retreat

In Season 6, Steve Wiens and Ruth Haley Barton walk through Ruth's new book, Invitation to Retreat. 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. Let's reclaim the word retreat!

Season 7

Lent: A Season of Returning

The seasons of the church year are meant to teach us something about the spiritual life we need to learn. In fact, by entering into these seasons we experience the deeper dynamics and rhythms of the spiritual life by walking closely with Jesus and learning from him as we go. In this season of the Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast, we are privileged to prepare and walk through the season of Lent together.

Season 8

Advent and Christmastide Reflections (Cycle A)

Join us for this series of Advent and Christmastide reflections. The seasons of the church year are meant to teach us something about the spiritual life we need to learn. In fact, by entering into these seasons we experience the deeper dynamics and rhythms of the spiritual life by walking closely with Jesus and learning from him as we go. In this season of the Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast, we are privileged to prepare and walk through the season of Advent together.

Season 9

Ruth and Friends: “Conversations on Spiritual Transformation and…”

In each episode this season, Ruth invites leaders with diverse callings and expertise to dialogue and explore how spiritual transformation intersects with some of the most significant topics of this time.

Season 10

Invitation to a Journey

In this season Ruth and her conversation partner, Steve Weins, discuss one of Dr. M. Robert Mulholland, Jr.’s most important works, Invitation to a Journey. In each episode Steve and Ruth engage in a lively discussion of Mulholland’s profoundly biblical road map for spiritual formation.

Season 11

Advent Reflections (Cycle B)

Happy New Year! Advent marks the beginning of the church year. Join Ruth Haley Barton and Steve Weins for spiritual encouragement based on this year’s Advent Reflections (Cycle B) with an episode for each week of Advent. This podcast season is designed to help leaders (and everyone) carve out time to make Advent a season of transformation. If you would like to make listening to the scriptures each day a spiritual practice for this season, follow this link. The podcast conversation begins at 7:19.

Season 12

The Deeper Journey

We are excited to be back with our first season of 2021. Ruth Haley Barton and Steve Wiens will be walking through Robert Mulholland’s book, The Deeper Journey. If you would like to read along with this podcast season you can purchase Mulholland’s book at your favorite place to buy books or visit our online store.

Season 13

Invitations From God

We are excited to be back with a new season with Ruth’s friend and fellow spiritual director Adele Calhoun. She and Ruth Haley Barton will be walking through Calhoun’s book, Invitations From God. If you would like to read along with this podcast season you can purchase Calhoun’s book at your favorite place to buy books or visit our online store.

Season 14

Advent Reflections: Come, Lord Jesus, Come

This season we invite you to walk through Advent by engaging with the lectionary Scripture readings and listening for what God might want to say through them. In each episode, Ruth and members of the Transforming Center staff will read and reflect on the themes of Cycle C of the Revised Common Lectionary for Advent together.

This podcast season is designed to be a companion to this year’s updated Advent Reflections, Come, Lord Jesus, Come: Walking Through the Advent Season Together, Year C.  The Advent Bundle includes both the softcover and digital edition of the Advent Reflections and a set of 5 corresponding Advent Liturgies to print out and pray as a family or with others. It is available now in our online store.

Patrons at all levels received a bonus conversation between the creator of the Advent Liturgies, Charity McClure, and podcast producer, Colleen Powell where they discussed their experience using these liturgies with their families. Become a Patron today to hear that conversation and all of our other bonus content.

Season 15

Lent for Leaders: With God in the Wilderness

Ruth Haley Barton and Steve Weins will journey through Lent with a spirit of self-examination and desire for intimacy with God. Each episode will highlight a particular temptation found in one of the passages from Cycle C of the Revised Common Lectionary for Lent that is relevant for leaders today and Ruth and Steve will provide practices to combat those temptations.

Support the podcast! Patrons at the $10 level received a digital download of Ruth Haley Barton’s Lent: A Season of Returning. It includes Cycle C scriptures and space to journal your own thoughts and prayers. This season $10 patrons will also receive guided spiritual practices like Lectio Divinas and Examens that correspond with each week’s episode. Become a patron today by visiting our Patreon page.

Season 16

Transforming Leadership: Managing Anxiety Within Our Communities

Welcome to Season 16, Transforming Leadership: Managing Anxiety Within Our Communities. This season we will be exploring Systems Theory, also called Family Systems Theory. Many of us have seen the troubling Barna research about the extreme levels of burnout pastors are experiencing right now. As we look at Systems theory, we will be examining how it relates to and can transform our lives in leadership. Ruth welcomes guest Steve Cuss, pastor and author of Managing Leadership Anxiety, Yours and Theirs, to help us unpack Systems Theory.

This season, patrons received exclusive bonus content that includes conversations with Ruth and Steve that delve into episode topics a little deeper. Become a patron today by visiting our Patreon page!

Season 17

Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again

This season we are celebrating the launch of Ruth’s newest book, Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again. Ruth has invited a number of friends to come on the show to discuss the themes found in her book. These episodes are for pastors and leaders who are tired and longing for new rhythms of rest and work.