What are five values every Christian needs in order to find balance, focus, and meaning in today's relentlessly paced world? The answers may surprise you, says one New York City pastor.
Rich Villodas is the Brooklyn-born lead pastor of New Life Fellowship, a large, multiracial church with more than seventy-five countries represented in Elmhurst, Queens. Prior to becoming lead pastor, he gave oversight to New Life's small group ministry and served as preaching pastor. Rich graduated with a BA in pastoral ministry and theology from Nyack College. He went on to complete his master's of divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary. He enjoys reading widely, and preaching and writing on contemplative spirituality, justice-related issues, and the art of preaching. He's been married to Rosie since 2006 and they have two beautiful children, Karis and Nathan.
“Rich Villodas masterfully integrates a wide range of sources—from
contemplative to charismatic, monastic to missional, psychological
to theological—in a way that is unmistakably Christ centered and
gospel shaped. From his own deep spiritual journey, Rich has
emerged with a voice that is warm and wise. His vulnerability is
refreshing, and his distillation of these life-changing insights
and practices is clear and compelling. I found myself smiling and
feeling convicted by the Holy Spirit as I read it, and shouting,
‘Amen.’”—Rev. Dr. Glenn Packiam, associate senior pastor at New
Life Church and author of Blessed Broken Given
“The evidence is everywhere—Christians have been formed by our
culture for shallowness. The way to a more deeply formed life is no
great mystery, but it is, as Rich Villodas shows, filled with
countercultural practices that require intention, purpose, and
vision. These pages cast a vision for not only deeper, holistic
formation of each of us as individual believers but also for a more
deeply formed church as well.”—Karen Swallow Prior, author of On
Reading Well: Finding the Good Life Through Great Books and Fierce
Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More—Poet, Reformer,
Abolitionist
“Rich Villodas writes from the wellspring of a monastic spirit that
has been woven into the fabric of his life for years. I know very
few Christian leaders who embody the contemplative life in such a
way that connects the complex social, cultural, and spiritual
realities we face today. The Deeply Formed Life invites us to
journey with God toward personal wholeness and a new moral
imagination that creates a better world of justice, peace, and
reconciliation. I highly recommend it!”—Brenda Salter McNeil,
author of Becoming Brave: Finding the Courage to Pursue Racial
Justice Now
“The Deeply Formed Life is a powerful call to a holy pursuit away
from the temptations of a shallow discipleship that encumber our
generation. Rich masterfully weaves the experiences and disciplines
of both personal and communal formation that inspire and empower us
to a contemporary discipleship, which leads to spiritual health and
flourishing. This book is a gift that enriches us as we open every
layer.”—Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero, pastor at Calvario City Church
and president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition
“Rich Villodas understands that a pastor’s primary task is not to
gather a crowd but to form people in Christ. Spiritual formation is
not a practice reserved for the spiritually elite; rather it is the
very heart of all Christian discipleship. He embodies my hope for
the contemporary church in the Western world—for us to a shift
toward spiritual formation. The Deeply Formed Life clearly marks
the path we need to follow, making the essential practices of
formation accessible to everyone.”—Brian Zahnd, pastor of Word of
Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri, and author of Sinners in the
Hands of a Loving God
“My friend Rich Villodas has been marked deeply by the spiritual
directors of church history. And yet this book is not only about a
call to engage in ancient practices so that we can have a more
fulfilling life. Rich calls us to both personal refreshment and
missional engagement, the kind of engagement that challenges
injustice. I believe The Deeply Formed Life represents a new genre
of spiritual direction, a kind modeled after Jesus, who both went
away to pray and engaged the marginalized.”—Dr. Bryan Loritts,
author of The Dad Difference
“The Deeply Formed Life tackles the endemic issue of
non-discipleship within the Western church. The book is
theologically rich, pastorally sensitive, and wonderfully
practical. Rich does not shy away from addressing some of the most
pressing issues in our day and how they affect our discipleship.
This is much-needed!”—Deb Hirsch, missional leader, speaker, and
author of Untamed: Reactivating a Missional Form of Discipleship
and Redeeming Sex
“In a captivating and moving way, which is profound and personal,
Rich Villodas shows us how we can be formed by God into a
masterpiece. With shimmering insights and poignant stories, this
rare and powerful book will take you deeper into God and make the
world more beautiful.”—Ken Shigematsu, pastor of Tenth Church,
Vancouver, BC, and bestselling author of God in My Everything
“Revealing our shallowness with grace and helping us see there is
so much more to living, Rich Villodas leads us patiently into The
Deeply Formed Life. Step by step, this pastor walks us through the
malformations that plague our modern existence. He challenges us
with content that has a personal spirituality and with nothing less
than a full-orbed Christian discipleship. A powerful summons to the
deeper life.”—David Fitch, Lindner chair of evangelical theology at
Northern Seminary Chicago and author of Faithful Presence
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