Pastors Must Lead the Way in Spiritual Transformation

ROSEMONT, IL (February 5, 2003) - If the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) is serious about its theme for the 2003 Midwinter Pastors Conference, "In All Things Grow Into Christ," then pastors need to be ready to lead the way.

So said Tuesday night speaker, spiritual director Ruth Haley Barton, as she discussed the manner in which integral spiritual transformation can help pastors as they seek to encourage their congregations to full life in Christ. Haley Barton, who serves as an associate pastor in spiritual direction for Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington, Illinois, told her audience that spiritual transformation in pastors and their congregations cannot occur without three key variables:

• Pastors who continue to be spiritual seekers
• Pastors who are practicing spiritual disciplines
• Churches that are seeking spiritual transformation at the lay leadership level

"The very best thing we bring to ministry is our own transforming selves," Haley Barton said. "We need to create the conditions so the seeds of Christ can grow in our lives."

Although Haley Barton grew up as a pastor's kid and accepted Christ as savior at age four, she said she lost her love for learning about Jesus at some point after graduating from Wheaton College. "The moment I began to seek (Christ) again was at the end of my thirties," she said. "I was on staff at a seeker-minded church and going to a theological school . . . but underneath there was an inner chaos that I didn't know what to do with. I was asking is that all there is?"

A spiritual director became a valuable guide in helping Haley Barton rediscover her love for Christ because she was too busy talking to listen to God's still small voice. "My spiritual director told me, 'Ruth, you are like river water all shaken up. You need to be silent long enough so the sediment in your life can settle and the water can become clear."

Haley Barton shared a number of insights with Tuesday night's audience:

• The first part of spiritual transformation is noticing how noisy it is out there
• The questions we are willing to ask ourselves are far more important than the answers we think we know
• The truest thing about you is your desire for God
• Spiritual transformation should not be based on ought or should, but on desire and need
• Spiritual transformation is a plodding and patient process

In discussing how one can become spiritually transformed, Haley Barton suggested that pastors consider the rhythms of solitude, community and meaningful expressions of ministry that may best benefit them. She added that pastors needed to discern what fears are keeping them from their spiritual desires. And she urged pastors to re-examine the model of Jesus, who sought solitude and heard his father say to him, "You are my beloved" and who later sought disciples and followers who could model what it meant to be the beloved.

Haley Barton closed the service by co-leading a 20-minute period of silent reflection, scripture readings and responsive readings.

Her presentation was quite different from the "two-stepping" conclusion of a racial reconciliation conference where Haley Barton first met the Covenant's Executive Vice President Donn Engebretson, the one who invited her to speak to the Midwinter Pastors Conference. In a lighter moment during her introductory remarks, Haley Barton told of her acceptance of Engebretson's invitation saying, "How could you say no to a man you've 'peace danced' with?"

Tuesday night's prelude to worship was an organ and violin duet played by Randall and Bonnie Wilkens of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Lafayette, Indiana. The Covenant Ministers Chorus, directed by Royce Eckhardt, sang during an offering received on behalf of the Ministers' Relief Fund.

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