Episodes
Wednesday Oct 11, 2023
Season 20: Episode 2 | Beyond Auto Pilot: Worship that is Spiritually Substantive
Wednesday Oct 11, 2023
Wednesday Oct 11, 2023
We’re back! This season we’re focusing on worship, particularly worship that is transformative. Our season long guest is Rory Noland and we will be working with his book, Transforming Worship: Planning and Leading Sunday Services as If Spiritual Formation Mattered. In addition to Ruth and Rory, we will also be bringing other guests into the conversations about worship with spiritual formation at its core. This season is for all who worship, not just pastors and leaders who plan the weekly services!
In today’s episode Aaron Niequist joins Ruth and Rory to discuss the practices that make up Transforming Worship. They discuss how Covid revealed just how little participation was required in most church services, the temptation leaders face to create emotional experiences rather than allow space for the Holy Spirit to do its work, and what’s wrong with how most of us pray in worship settings. This conversation is full of thoughtful dialogue and practical advice.
Aaron Niequist is a liturgist, writer, and pastor who recently graduated from General Theological Seminary in NYC. After leading worship at Mars Hill Church (Grand Rapids, MI) and Willow Creek Church (Barrington, IL), he created A New Liturgy - a collection of modern liturgical worship recordings. He then curated a discipleship-focused, formational, ecumenical, practice-based community at Willow Creek called “The Practice”. Aaron released a book called The Eternal Current: How a Practice-based Faith can Save us from Drowning, and continues to create resources to help others flesh it out. He currently serves at St Peter’s Episcopal Church in Chelsea and helps lead Pastors, Priests and Guides retreats around the country. The best part of his life is his wife Shauna, and their sons Henry and William. Aaronniequist.com
Rory Noland is the director of Heart of the Artist Ministries, an organization dedicated to serving artists in the church. He mentors worship leaders, speaks at churches and conferences, leads retreats for artists, and consults with churches in the areas of worship and the arts. Rory is also a trained spiritual director, a published songwriter and has authored five books, including the best-seller, The Heart of the Artist: A Character-Building Guide For You and Your Ministry Team. Rory earned a Doctoral Degree from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies. He was part of TC2 and led worship for the The Transforming Center for fifteen years.
We are now accepting applications for Transforming Community 20! Use the code Podcast20 to receive $50 off your application fee. Learn more and apply HERE.
Mentioned in the episode:
Transforming Worship: Planning and Leading Sunday Services as If Spiritual Formation Mattered by Rory Noland
All music in this episode is featured on the Transforming Resource, The Lord is In Our Midst CD
Music Credit:
Kingdom Come by Aaron Niequist
Support the podcast! This season, patrons will receive bonus conversations, extra content and guided practices relating to Rory’s book. Become a patron today by visiting our Patreon page!
The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders. Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self!
Friday Oct 06, 2023
FROM PATREON: Principles of Transforming Worship
Friday Oct 06, 2023
Friday Oct 06, 2023
Today we are sharing a clip from an episode that was released over on Patreon. This is a conversation between Rory and Ruth about what they both consider to be the principles of transforming worship. They draw from the ideas in Rory’s book and from their work together in Transforming Community. If you are not already a patron, may we humbly ask that you consider supporting the work of this podcast over on Patreon? Patrons receive all sorts of excellent bonus content like additional podcast conversations, guided spiritual practices, and episodes where listeners get to ask Ruth their questions. This season we have a ton of great stuff for our patrons including extras from Rory’s book, Transforming Worship: Planning and Leading Sunday Services as If Spiritual Formation Mattered, a guided practice helping us to reflect on the attributes of God, and a special conversation between Rory and Ruth about the tension between prioritizing the planning of Sunday services to edify believers or engage non-believers.
Right now you can sign up for a free 7 day trial where you are able to check out our Patreon program and listen to the rest of the conversation that we are sharing today. Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast is listener supported and runs because of our wonderful patrons. If you love what you hear on this podcast we think you’ll really enjoy all that we offer over on Patreon. Go to patreon.com/transformingcenter to take advantage of that free 7 day trial and become a patron today!
Wednesday Oct 04, 2023
Season 20: Episode 1 | Beyond the Frenzy: Worship that Transforms
Wednesday Oct 04, 2023
Wednesday Oct 04, 2023
We’re back! This season we’re focusing on worship, particularly worship that is transformative. Our season long guest is Rory Noland and we will be working with his book, Transforming Worship: Planning and Leading Sunday Services as If Spiritual Formation Mattered. In addition to Rory and Ruth, we will also be bringing other guests into the conversations about worship with spiritual formation at its core. This season is for all who worship, not just pastors and leaders who plan the weekly services!
This week Ruth and Rory discuss how this idea of transforming worship grew from their time together in Transforming Community. They share the necessity of making space for the Holy Spirit in worship that is transformative, the importance of one’s own private worship in the public worship setting, and the sacred cows of Sunday morning worship.
Rory Noland is the director of Heart of the Artist Ministries, an organization dedicated to serving artists in the church. He mentors worship leaders, speaks at churches and conferences, leads retreats for artists, and consults with churches in the areas of worship and the arts. Rory is also a trained spiritual director, a published songwriter and has authored five books, including the best-seller, The Heart of the Artist: A Character-Building Guide For You and Your Ministry Team. Rory earned a Doctoral Degree from the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies. He was part of TC2 and led worship for the The Transforming Center for fifteen years.
We are now accepting applications for Transforming Community 20! Use the code Podcast20 to receive $50 off your application fee. Learn more and apply HERE.
Mentioned in the episode:
Transforming Worship: Planning and Leading Sunday Services as If Spiritual Formation Mattered by Rory Noland
All music in this episode is featured on the Transforming Resource, The Lord is In Our Midst CD
Music Credit:
Kingdom Come by Aaron Niequist
Support the podcast! This season, patrons will receive bonus conversations, extra content and guided practices relating to Rory’s book. Become a patron today by visiting our Patreon page!
The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders. Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self!
Tuesday Aug 22, 2023
FROM PATREON: A Special Conversation about Justice with Sandra Van Opstal
Tuesday Aug 22, 2023
Tuesday Aug 22, 2023
This is a replay of an episode we released only to patrons of The Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast. While we take a small hiatus from normal programming to attend to the work of The Transforming Center as well as a special Digital Film Capture project we invite you to revisit some of our previous seasons.
Please visit our website to learn more about the work of The Transforming Center and our Digital Capture project!
For our patrons during the Lent season we recorded a special conversation with Sandra Van Opstal. Sandra sat down with Ruth and Tina to discuss why lent is so significant to someone who was formed in a Latina Roman Catholic tradition, how the Transforming Center helped make the bridge to a reforma-costal BIPOC pastoral space as well as why diverse spiritual practices lead us to solidarity and mutuality.
This conversation was insightful and important for us all as we seek to be leaders doing God's important justice work.
Sandra Maria Van Opstal is a second-generation Latina and the executive director of Chasing Justice. She is an author, pastor, and activist reimagining the intersection of faith and justice. Her work centers on chasing justice under the mentorship of the global church, for the mobilizing of the next generation of leaders. Sandra has given leadership in global movements such as Lausanne, The Justice Conference, and Urbana Missions Conference. She has also had a strong domestic presence as an executive pastor at Grace and Peace Church and as an activist on the west-side of Chicago. Sandra serves as a board member for CCDA. She holds a Masters of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is currently pursuing doctoral work in urban leadership and transformation. She is a contributor to the New York Times Bestselling book A Rhythm of Prayer and she's also the author of The Next Worship.
If you’d like to hear more content like this, become a patron! Patrons receive an overflow of bonus content from the episodes, including exclusive conversations between Ruth and guests, clips that we couldn’t fit into the final cuts, and more! Become a patron today by visiting our Patreon page!
The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders. Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self!
Tuesday Aug 08, 2023
FROM PATREON: Ask Ruth #8: Questions about A Just Lent
Tuesday Aug 08, 2023
Tuesday Aug 08, 2023
This is a replay of an episode we released only to patrons of The Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast. While we take a small hiatus from normal programming to attend to the work of The Transforming Center as well as a special Digital Film Capture project we invite you to revisit some of our previous seasons.
Please visit our website to learn more about the work of The Transforming Center and our Digital Capture project!
Over on patreon we close out every podcast season with a special Ask Ruth episode, where Ruth answers patron’s questions about the season. This episode includes Ruth and Transforming Center staff member Tina answering questions about our most recent season, A Just Lent: Learning to Love What God Loves. These questions were thoughtful and challenging and we hope they serve to round out our most recent season.
If you’d like to hear more content like this, become a patron! Patrons receive an overflow of bonus content from the episodes, including exclusive conversations between Ruth and guests, clips that we couldn’t fit into the final cuts, and more! Become a patron today by visiting our Patreon page!
The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders. Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self!
Tuesday Jul 25, 2023
REPLAY Season 17: Episode 5 | The Power of Unplugging
Tuesday Jul 25, 2023
Tuesday Jul 25, 2023
This is a replay of a previous episode of The Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast. While we take a small hiatus from normal programming to attend to the work of The Transforming Center as well as a special Digital Film Capture project we invite you to revisit some of our previous seasons. Please enjoy this episode from Season 17: Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again.
Please visit our website to learn more about the work of The Transforming Center and our Digital Capture project!
We’re here this week to talk about the elephant in the sabbath room… technology. Ruth and guest, Tiffany Shlain, talk all about how our technology impacts our ability to truly rest, why a “tech Shabbat” has been a lifeline for Tiffany, and the nitty gritty details of how Tiffany goes completely screen-free (and we mean completely) for 24 hours each week. We also hear from one of the founders of our sponsor, Good Kind, Chris Pappalardo, about the Sabbath Boxes they created to help people really unplug on the sabbath.
Tiffany Shlain is a multidisciplinary artist, writer, filmmaker, and public speaker. Her work explores the relationship between humanity and technology; the future of work, digital wellbeing and happiness; gender and women's rights; and neuroscience and creativity.
Honored by Newsweek as one of the "Women Shaping the 21st Century," Tiffany is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, founder of the Webby Awards, and author of the national bestselling book 24/6: Giving up Screens One Day a Week to Get More Time, Creativity, and Connection.
Chris Pappalardo is editor at The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. He is the author and co-founder of GoodKind, an organization that cultivates practices that draw people to God and to one another. He is married to Jenn and is the proud dad of Lottie, who wants to save the planet, and Teddy, who wants you to read him another book.
Mentioned in this episode:
24/6: Giving up Screens One Day a Week to Get More Time, Creativity, and Connection by Tiffany Shlain
.
Purchase Ruth’s new book! Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest is available wherever you buy books (Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop.org).
You can also order the Sabbath Journal.
This season of our podcast is sponsored by GoodKind. GoodKind is all about helping people cultivate the GoodKind of habits and holiday practices that allow them to engage with God and one another throughout the year. They have a great tool for Advent, a Sabbath Box to help you practice unplugging, and more. To learn more about them and the products they make, you can find them at goodkind.shop
Music Credit:
Kingdom Come by Aaron Niequist
Reflection from Transforming Center Resource Music in Solitude
Support the podcast! This season, patrons will receive an overflow of bonus content from the episodes, including exclusive conversations between Ruth and guests, clips that we couldn’t fit into the final cuts, and more! Become a patron today by visiting our Patreon page!
The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders. Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self!
Tuesday Jul 11, 2023
Tuesday Jul 11, 2023
This is a replay of a previous episode of The Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast. While we take a small hiatus from normal programming to attend to the work of The Transforming Center as well as a special Digital Film Capture project we invite you to revisit some of our previous seasons. Please enjoy this episode from Season 16: Transforming Leadership: Managing Anxiety Within our Communities.
Please visit our website to learn more about the work of The Transforming Center and our Digital Capture project!
Sometimes our greatest anxieties can surround areas of stuckness, places where we know what we are doing isn’t working, but we can’t seem to find our way out. This week, Ruth and Steve will discuss second order change and how we can recognize and dissolve our stuck patterns. How does paying attention to process over content help us with this? And how can changing our own behaviors actually change the behaviors of others? Find out all this and more in this episode.
Helpful to this episode:
Everything Isn’t Terrible by Dr. Kathleen Smith
Steve Cuss Resources:
Managing Leadership Anxiety, Yours and Theirs by Steve Cuss
General Resources for Systems Theory:
Season 9 Episode 6 of the Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership Podcast
Season 9 Episode 7 of the Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership Podcast
Family Systems and Congregational Life: A Map for Ministry by R. Robert Creech
Lombard Mennonite Peace Center
Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue by Edwin H. Friedman
Extraordinary Relationships: A new Way of Thinking about Human Interactions by Roberta M Gilbert
Music Credit:
Kingdom Come by Aaron Niequist
Support the podcast! This season, patrons will receive exclusive bonus content that includes conversations with Ruth and Steve that delve into episode topics a little deeper. This week we will offer a conversation about universal sources of anxiety. Become a patron today by visiting our Patreon page!
The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders. Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self!
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
REPLAY Season 10: Episode 7 | The Classic Spiritual Disciplines
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
Tuesday Jun 27, 2023
This is a replay of a previous episode of The Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast. While we take a small hiatus from normal programming to attend to the work of The Transforming Center as well as a special Digital Film Capture project we invite you to revisit some of our previous seasons. Please enjoy this episode from Season 10: Invitation to a Journey
Please visit our website to learn more about the work of The Transforming Center and our Digital Capture project!
We begin this episode by redeeming the word “disciplines" by offering up the word “practices” and looking at disciplines through the lens of desire and about opening ourselves up to God, reminding us that we are not in charge of our spiritual journey. Ruth Haley Barton and Steve Weins discuss four practices: prayer, spiritual readings, lectio divina, and liturgy. They sound familiar, but be prepared for some refreshing ideas on how to use them to open yourself up to God.
SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES
You can also access podcast on Google Play or Stitcher.
Listen to other episodes from Season 10 | Access past podcast seasons
Mentioned in this podcast:
Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation, M. Robert Mulholland
Become a patron: Join a growing movement of transforming leaders. We’ve received fantastic feedback about the podcast, and we would like to create even more episodes. We need you! Become a patron this summer!
Music Credit:
I am New by Joel Hanson. Kingdom Come by Aaron Niequist
Tuesday Jun 13, 2023
REPLAY: Season 6: Episode 4 | Finding Your Rhythm on Retreat
Tuesday Jun 13, 2023
Tuesday Jun 13, 2023
This is a replay of a previous episode of The Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast. While we take a small hiatus from normal programming to attend to the work of The Transforming Center as well as a special Digital Film Capture project we invite you to revisit some of our previous seasons. Please enjoy this episode from Season 6: Invitation to Retreat.
Please visit our website to learn more about the work of The Transforming Center and our Digital Capture project!
Human beings are made with rhythms and for rhythms. A beautiful conversation ensues about the beauty of rhythms, and how to find and recognize rhythms. In the Christian tradition tears are always a gift. Ruth provides a great encouragement to let the tears come. We end this episode with Ruth sharing a personal story of how the rhythm of retreat opened up space for God to speak to her.
Go deeper with this content and purchase Ruth's newest book, Invitation to Retreat: The Gift and Necessity of Time Away with God.
Mentioned in this podcast:
Invitation to Retreat, Ruth Haley Barton
Transforming Community
Exploring Further:
Music in Solitude Ruth Haley Barton Steve Wiens
Become a patron: Join a growing movement of transforming leaders. We have gotten fantastic feedback about the podcast, and we would like to create even more content. We need you! Become a patron and receive exclusive bonuses and our gratitude.
Music Credit: The intro and outro by Aaron Niequist.
Tuesday May 16, 2023
Special Mini-Episode: A State of the Podcast Announcement
Tuesday May 16, 2023
Tuesday May 16, 2023
Hello! We’re popping in the podcast feed with a little “State of the Podcast” announcement (don’t worry! It’s not ending!). Ruth gives a peak behind the curtain as to what is happening over at the Transforming Center this year and shares about our Alumni Retreat in July. Then, we’ll hear from some Transforming Community alumni about their experiences applying for and participating in a Transforming Community. It’s not too late to sign up for TC19, which starts in June!
As an added bonus we’re offering to waive the application fee for podcast listeners who apply to Transforming Community 19. Simply go to the application page for TC19 and use the code TC15CVL45 at checkout!
Alumni! Come join us on retreat! We’re having a special Sabbath retreat exclusively for alumni on July 9-11, 2023. Sign up today!
Interested in learning more about the Digital Capture Project and how to support this work? Check out what we’re doing!
Music Credit:
Kingdom Come by Aaron Niequist
Support the podcast! Patrons receive exclusive bonus content and other perks! Become a patron today by visiting our Patreon page!
The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders. Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self!