
Summary
Church boards and other Christian leadership teams have long relied on models adapted from the business world to make decisions. Trained spiritual director and not-for-profit leader, Ruth Haley Barton, helps teams transition to a much more fitting model—becoming spiritual communities that practice discernment together.
The book includes a substantive biblical and theological reflection on corporate discernment, a step-by-step guidance for your group, personal reflection questions throughout, and group practices at the end of each chapter.
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Reviews
“Pursuing God’s Will Together is a powerfully convicting and timely book for those of us who are fully aware that we are incapable of effective leadership apart from God’s wisdom and direction. How to discern God’s purposes individually and as a dynamic team is the genius of this compellingly creative call to kingdom movement. Ruth Haley Barton presents us with a proven–if at times painful–practice that can ultimately take our finite efforts to where our infinite God wants them to go.”
-Harold B. Smith, President and CEO, Christianity Today International
“Pursuing God’s Will Together is a much needed corrective to our head-strong individualism today. It drills down deep into the rock-bed practicalities for any community seeking to discern the will of God together. I recommend it highly.”
Richard J. Foster, founder of Renovaré and author of numerous books including Celebration of Discipline andSanctuary of the Soul
“This book needs a warning label: ‘Content may be disruptive to your understanding of Christian life, leadership and community.’ Ruth Haley Barton has provided every Christian with an invaluable resource for discerning and fulfilling the purposes of God. In a world where Christians and Christian leadership and communities have largely succumbed to secular processes for decision making, Barton brings a clear, challenging and compelling call for a radical alternative. This book is not the product of a ‘theorist,’ but the mature distillation of Barton’s own journey into a life hid with Christ in God for the sake of others. This is a must-read for every Christian leader and leadership group, and a primer for every Christian.”
M. Robert Mulholland, Jr., professor emeritus, Asbury Theological Seminary, and author of Invitation to a Journey and The Deeper Journey
Going Deeper
- Visit the book site to learn about book events and download free resources
- Download: Movements in Corporate Leadership Discernment Chart
- Download: Becoming A Community That Practices Corporate Leadership Discernment Chart
- Download: Ways to Pray in a Board Meeting
- Download: A Biblical and Theological Perspective on Spiritual Transformation (with discussion questions)
- Download: Fixed-hour prayers
Videos
Introduction
Video 1 - Incorporating Silence, Psalm 131
Part 2: Introducing Fixed Hours of Prayer
Part 3: Including Scripture and Lectio Divina
Part 4: Slowing Down and Creating Space
Other Places to Buy
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