Zondervan Publishing, new owners of the National Pastors Convention (once owned by Youth Specialties), is now presenting National Pastors Retreats. Ruth Haley Barton, who has partnered with Zondervan, is the featured speaker at these upcoming retreats. The theme of the retreats is “Experiencing a Deeper Connection with God” will surely introduce pastors to contemplative spirituality. Barton, trained at the New Age promoting Shalem Institute, now has an organization called The Transforming Center (after spending time at Willow Creek developing their Spiritual Formation curriculum). Sessions during the retreats include “Encountering God in Solitude and Silence” and other workshops that emphasize the silence (that state of being achieved from practicing contemplative prayer).
The next four scheduled retreats (taking place between October 2006 and April 2007) will be held at four locations, three of which are Catholic retreat centers and the fourth – Robert Schuller’s Rancho Capistrano.
If your pastor is in need of some rest and retreat, we hope he may be able to get away to a safe place – and we hope it will not be at a place where contemplative spirituality permeates the premises.
