Transforming Center

Name

Transforming Center

Legal name

The Transforming Center

Website

https://transformingcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Spiritual Formation and Leadership Development Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Wellness Retreat Centers (Yoga, Meditation & Mindfulness) (THAGAMAB)

Keywords

• Spiritual formation programs
• Christian leadership retreats
• Spiritual direction services
• Ministerial formation resources
• Contemplative leadership training

Headquarters

HQ city

Wheaton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: As a 501(c)(3) organization (Tax ID: 32-0041715), the Transforming Center relies heavily on donations from individuals, with options for one-time gifts, monthly patron support, stock donations, and estate planning contributions. The organization actively promotes giving campaigns and matching gift opportunities.
2. Retreat and Event Fees: Revenue generated from multi-day retreat registrations, including the Leading a Transforming Community retreat and Transforming Community cohort experiences. Pricing varies by program.
3. Educational Credits and CEUs: Continuing Education Units are available for the Transforming Community program at $75 per retreat ($675 for 90 CEUs total). This provides an additional revenue stream alongside the spiritual formation experience.
4. Resource Sales: Sale of published materials including books by Ruth Haley Barton, CDs (Advent and Christmastide Music in Solitude), prayer guides, study guides, and downloadable resources through their digital store.
5. Podcast Patron Support: Monthly giving program supporting the Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast, with eligible bonus content and offers for patrons.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Transforming Center is a Christian 501(c)(3) ministry that delivers immersive, multi-day spiritual formation retreats and a flagship 27-month cohort program called Transforming Community, designed to help pastors and ministry leaders sustain a life-giving relationship with God. The organization also sells accompanying content products — books by founder Ruth Haley Barton, a podcast, downloadable prayer resources, a lectionary calendar, and digital library courses — and connects participants to academic credit pathways through partner universities.

Product overview

Transforming Center is a Christian ministry organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of spiritual formation programs and resources. The core offering is the Transforming Community® 27-month program consisting of 9 retreats combined with ongoing spiritual practices, readings, group spiritual direction, and a final Rule of Life project. Supporting this core program are retreat experiences (including the 'Leading a Transforming Community' retreat and TC19/TC20 series), academic partnerships (with Kairos University and Richmont Graduate University) offering certificates and degree credit, the Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast, digital resources through the Podia Digital Library, Fixed-Hour Prayers (including family versions), the Lectionary Calendar, online programming (Online Oasis), spiritual direction services, and books by Ruth Haley Barton. The organization also facilitates the Transforming Church® Network and Alumni Network for ongoing community connection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Transforming Community® A 27-month immersive spiritual formation journey consisting of 9 retreats, designed to guide Christian leaders through experiential learning in spiritual transformation within a cohort community. Includes substantive teaching, required readings, written reflections, guided experiences in classic Christian disciplines, group spiritual direction, and a final Rule of Life project.
• Leading a Transforming Community Retreat A multi-day retreat designed to equip leaders to open space for God together in community, held at Siena Retreat Center in Racine, WI. Aimed at Christian leaders considering or preparing to facilitate Transforming Community cohorts.
• Online Oasis Online spiritual formation offerings and resources delivered remotely for participants who cannot attend in-person retreats, providing accessible formation content and community connection.
• Haven A specialized program within the Transforming Community framework focused on particular spiritual formation needs for leaders seeking a more contained formation experience.
• Theology Course A theology course focused on shaping the soul, offered for registration to leaders seeking substantive theological formation in the Transforming Center tradition.
• Spiritual Direction One-on-one spiritual guidance and direction services for leaders seeking accompaniment in their spiritual journey, provided by trained spiritual directors.
• Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership Podcast A podcast featuring Ruth Haley Barton discussing transforming leadership and how to maintain a life-giving connection with God in ministry. Now spanning 29 seasons and distributed globally via major podcast platforms.
• Digital Library A Podia-based online platform hosting digital spiritual formation resources, courses, and materials available for purchase and on-demand access.
• Fixed-Hour Prayers (Downloadables) Downloadable prayer resources including Morning, Mid-Day, Evening, and Night prayer PDFs for personal and communal spiritual practice, plus family-friendly prayer liturgies with songs for children.
• Lectionary Calendar A Revised Common Lectionary calendar with Scripture readings organized by liturgical year and season, including Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost.
• Books by Ruth Haley Barton Published works including Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership, Sacred Rhythms, Life Together in Christ, Pursuing God's Will Together, Invitation to Solitude and Silence, Invitation to Retreat, Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest, and Leading a Transforming Community, distributed via the organization's store and Amazon/ChristianBook.com.
• Leadership Journey A free 4-week guided journey for spiritual leaders written by Ruth Haley Barton, with weekly reflections to help leaders listen to what their soul wants to say to God and what God wants to say to their soul.
• Academic Partnership Programs Programs enabling Transforming Community participants to earn academic credit, graduate certificates, and advanced standing toward degrees through partnerships with Richmont Graduate University (12 credits toward a Master of Arts in Spiritual Formation and Direction) and Kairos University (graduate certificates, MA, MDiv, DMin).
• Transforming Church® Network A network of churches committed to becoming communities of authentic spiritual transformation, providing connection and resources for congregations pursuing the Transforming Center vision.
• Alumni Network Ongoing connection, resources, and sponsorship pathways for graduates of Transforming Community programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85.5% of surveyed alumni since 2001 rated the Transforming Community experience as very valuable and changed them in profound ways
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Richmont Graduate UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020Academic partnership providing 12 credits of Advanced Standing in Master of Arts in Spiritual Formation and Direction for Transforming Community graduates. Located in Atlanta, GA, Chattanooga, TN, and online. Focused on Richmont's innovative cohort model of accredited training in the ministry of Spiritual Direction. Partnership announced December 2020 with credits effective spring 2021.
• Kairos UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2020Academic partnership through the Kairos Project offering graduate certificates, Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Leadership, Master of Divinity, and Doctor of Ministry degrees. Located in Sioux Falls, SD with online and intensive options. Allows Transforming Community participants to integrate their spiritual formation journey with academic credentials.
• Siena Retreat CentersupportingOthersRetreat venue partner hosting the Leading a Transforming Community retreat in Racine, Wisconsin. Multi-day immersive retreat experiences held at this facility.
• University of St. Mary of the LakesupportingOthersRetreat venue hosting Transforming Community retreats in Mundelein, Illinois. TC20 retreats (including Retreats 6, 7, 8, 9) scheduled at this location.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation: A contemplative Christian organization offering spiritual direction training, retreats, and formation programs. Comparable in focus on spiritual direction and leader formation; Ruth Haley Barton herself trained at Shalem, making it a direct methodological peer.
• Upper Room / Academy of Spiritual Formation: Runs the Academy of Spiritual Formation, a two-year lay/leader formation journey combining retreats and spiritual direction. Directly comparable as a structured, multi-year Christian formation program for leaders.
• Renovaré: A Christian spiritual formation organization founded by Richard Foster that offers conferences, resources, and training for pastors and leaders. Highly comparable to Transforming Center in mission, audience (Christian leaders), and the integration of retreats, resources, and formation journeys.

Broad incumbents

• Spiritual Directors International (SDI): A broad ecumenical membership and professional association for spiritual directors. Comparable as a hub for the same audience and practice area (spiritual direction), though it serves a more diverse interfaith community.
• Christianity Today: A leading Christian media and publishing organization producing books, magazines, and digital content for church leaders. Comparable as a content/publishing peer in the same target audience, though broader in editorial scope.
• Lifeway Christian Resources: A large Southern Baptist publisher and ministry resource provider offering books, conferences, and leader training. Comparable in publishing and leader-development scope, but at materially greater scale and denominational breadth.
• Fuller Theological Seminary – Institute of Theology and Culture: Offers graduate formation and continuing education for ministry leaders, including spiritual formation tracks. Comparable in audience and academic-credentialing model, particularly as a competitor for the same credit-bearing leaders.

Regional players

• Kairos University: An academic partner of Transforming Center, Kairos offers graduate certificates and master's/doctoral degrees with a focus on spiritual formation and ministry leadership. Comparable as both a partner and a competitor for the same credit-seeking leader audience.
• Richmont Graduate University: An accredited graduate university offering the MA in Spiritual Formation and Direction, including through cohort-based delivery. Comparable as an academic partner and as a competing credentialed formation pathway for the same leader segment.

Emerging players

• LeaderTreks: Provides leadership development and spiritual formation programming for youth pastors and student ministry leaders. Adjacent peer serving a narrower subset of the same church-leader audience with retreat-style programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/transformingcenter
• Xx.com/transformingctr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Transforming Center