Pursuing God's Will Together

Ruth Haley Barton's Pursuing God's Will Together emerged from her decades of experience guiding Christian leaders and communities through processes of spiritual discernment. Writing as founder of the Transforming Center, Barton observed that while many Christians longed to discern God's will collectively, few possessed practical frameworks for moving beyond individual preference or organizational politics toward genuine spiritual listening as a community. The book addresses the gap between the biblical vision of Spirit-led community decision-making and the reality of how most Christian organizations actually function.

Barton anchors her approach in the conviction that communities can learn to recognize God's voice together through cultivated practices of corporate spiritual discernment. She draws extensively from Ignatian spirituality, Quaker decision-making traditions, and monastic wisdom to outline a process that moves groups through stages of preparation, exploration, and confirmation. The work emphasizes creating conditions where communities can move beyond debate and advocacy toward shared listening for the Spirit's leading. Barton details practical elements including the cultivation of indifference to personal outcomes, attention to consolation and desolation in group settings, and the patient work of waiting for clarity rather than forcing premature closure. Throughout, she insists that discernment is fundamentally about relationship with God rather than technique, requiring ongoing spiritual formation in both individuals and communities.

The book has found particular resonance among Christian leaders frustrated with purely secular models of organizational decision-making who seek approaches rooted in Christian spiritual tradition. Barton's integration of contemplative practices with practical organizational life has influenced churches, nonprofits, and Christian institutions seeking alternatives to purely pragmatic or political approaches to decision-making. Who should read this: Leaders of Christian organizations, church boards, and ministry teams who want to move beyond conventional decision-making toward genuine spiritual discernment, particularly those already committed to contemplative approaches to Christian leadership. This is not for readers seeking quick fixes or those uncomfortable with extended processes of corporate spiritual listening.