Christian Formation Workshop 2025
Theories of Divine Transformation: Understanding How God Changes Lives
May 28-30, 2025
Global Leadership Center
Westmont College, Santa Barbara
If you have questions, please contact us at martininstitute@westmont.edu.
Theories of Divine Transformation
This workshop treats the nature of Divinely caused human moral transformation. We will address two questions: What is it about God that causes human transformation? And what is it about human persons such that they are transformed by God in that manner?
St. Augustine tells us that our hearts are made for God and are restless until they rest in him. But what is it about God that humans were made for such that they find rest in him? Does human transformation occur due to contact with God’s being, grace, power, word, presence, or love? Is the contact cognitive, emotional, experiential, interpersonal, mystical, or perceptual? Is moral change best described in terms of transformed emotions, beliefs, dispositions, desires, dependence? Put simply, what is the nature and effect of the Holy Spirit’s work in sanctification?
Theories of Divine Transformation
These issues are at the heart of the Martin Institute Christian Formation Workshop 2025 at Westmont College. The Martin Institute Workshops bring together Christian academics and ministry leaders for integrative learning and application leading to real-world impact. The goal of the workshops is to help establish knowledge of Christian spiritual and moral formation to further spiritual maturity among Christian individuals and groups. This workshop is co-organized by Steve Porter (Westmont College) and Rebecca DeYoung (Calvin University).
Schedule & Invited Participants
Introduction
7:00 am - 8:00 Breakfast at Global Leadership Center (GLC)
8:00 am - 8:15 am Welcome | Mariah Velasquez | Westmont College
President Gayle Beebe | Westmont College
8:15 am - 8:45 am Opening Comments | Steve L. Porter | Westmont College
8:45 am - 8:55 am Ministry Spotlight | Rachel Medefind | Christian Alliance for Orphans
8:55 am - 9:10 am Visio Divina | Lisa DeBoer | Westmont College
Part One: Biblical and Theological Perspectives on God’s Transformational Work
9:10 am – 10:30 am Session 1 | Tremper Longman | Westmont College
- Commentator: Nijay Gupta - Northern Seminary
- Chair: Helen Rhee - Westmont College
10:30 am – 10:45 am Break
10:45 am – 12:00 pm Session 2 | Michael Gorman | St. Mary’s Seminary
- Commentator: Holly Beers - Westmont College
- Chair: Kyle B. Wells - Christ Presbyterian Church
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Lunch | Ministry Leader Focus Lunch (please find a table at one of the designated tables from 12:00 -12:30 pm) | Global Leadership Center (GLC) Keller Plaza
2:00 pm – 3:15 pm Session 3 | Simeon Zahl | Cambridge University
- Commentator: Angela Carpenter - Hope College
- Chair: Kyle Strobel - Biola University
3:15 pm – 3:30 pm Break
3:30 pm – 4:45 pm Session 4 | Adonis Vidu | Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
- Commentator: Lisa Igram - Biola University
- Chair: E. Trey Clark III - Fuller Theological Seminary
4:45 pm - 5:00 pm Ministry Spotlight | Patti Pierce | WellSpring Closing Prayer/Meditation
5:00 pm - 5:05 pm Benediction
5:25 pm Vans Leave for Dinner-on-the-Town
6:15 pm - 7:30 pm Dinner-on-the-Town
Scroll to schedule for Thursday via tabs at the top of the schedule.
7:00 am - 8:00 Breakfast at Global Leadership Center (GLC)
8:00 am - 8:05 am Welcome | Mike Di Fuccia | Westmont College
8:05 am - 8:15 am Ministry Spotlight | Michael Wear and Chris Butler | Center for Christianity and Public Life
8:15 am - 8:25 am Visio Divina | Lisa DeBoer | Westmont College
Part Two: Psychological Perspectives on God’s Transformational Work
8:25 am – 9:35 am Session 5 | Steve Sandage | Boston University
- Commentator: Alexis Abernethy | Fuller Seminary
- Chair: Dave Wang | Fuller Seminary
9:35 am – 9:50 am Break (Group Picture)
9:50 am – 11:00 am Session 6 | Todd Hall | Rosemead School of Psychology
- Commentator: Erin Smith | California Baptist University
- Chair: Justin Barreg | Blueprint 1543
Part Three: Philosophical Perspectives on God’s Transformational Work
11:00 am – 12:15 pm Session 7 | Angela Knobel | University of Dallas
- Commentator: William Matthison | University of Notre Dame
- Chair: David Vander Laan | Westmont College
12:15pm – 1:30pm Lunch at Global Leadership Center (GLC)
1:30 pm – 2:45 pm Session 8 | Kimberley Kroll | Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
- Commentator: Frederick Aquino | Southern Methodist University
- Chair: Eric Yang | Santa Clara University
2:45 pm - 3:00 pm Break
3:00 pm – 4:15 pm Session 9 | T. Ryan Byerly | University of Sheffield
- Commentator: Jordan Wessling | Lindsey Wilson College
- Chair: Kent Dunnington | Biola University
Conclusion
4:15 pm - 4:45 pm Closing Comments Rebecca DeYoung - Calvin College
4:45 pm - 5:00 pm Benediction
5:10 pm Vans leave for Cold Spring Tavern
6:00pm - 8:00 pm Dinner at Cold Spring Tavern (please take shuttles)
8:00pm - 8:30pm Shuttles return to hotel and Westmont GLC
*This concludes the workshop portion of our gathering. Pastoral Fellows and representatives of partner organizations continue with the Ministry Leaders Colloquium.
Ministry Leaders Colloquium (Invited ministry partners/leaders only)
This applied portion of the workshop is for pastors and ministry leaders of partner organizations. If you wish to stay for the applied sessions, please contact the Martin Institute.
7:30am-8:00am Breakfast on President's Patio at Kerrwood Hall
8:00 am – 8:15 am Moving from Knowledge to Vista to Confidence to Praxis | Steve Porter | Hieronymus Lounge, Kerrwood Hall
8:15 am – 8:30 am In My Experience... | Mimi Dixon
8:30 am – 9:30 am Praying and Pondering | Solitude Time
9:30 am – 10:30 am Renewing the Vision | Small Groups
10:30 am – 11:15 am Sharing the Vision | Large Groups
11:15 am - 11:30 am Break
11:30 am - 12:15 pm Next Steps: A Model for Moving Forward | Gary Moon
12:15 pm - 12:30 pm Closing
12:30pm – 1:30 pm Lunch (optional) on President's Patio at Kerrwood Hall
Academic Participants:
- Helen Rhee, Westmont College
- Tremper Longman, Westmont College
- Kyle B. Wells, Christ Presbyterian Church
- Michael Gorman, St. Mary’s Seminary
- Kyle Strobel, Biola University
- Simeon Zahl, Cambridge University
- E. Trey Clark III, Fuller Seminary
- Adonis Vidu, Gordon-Conwell
- Dave Wang, Fuller Seminary
- Steve Sandage, Boston University
- Justin Barrett, Blueprint 1543
- Todd Hall, Rosemead School of Psychology
- David Vander Laan, Westmont College
- Angela Knobel, University of Dallas
- Eric Yang, Santa Clara University
- Kimberley Kroll, Trinity Evangelical Divinity
- Kent Dunnington, Biola University
- T. Ryan Byerly, University of Sheffield
- Nijay Gupta, Northern Seminary
- Lisa DeBoer, Westmont College
- Holly Beers, Westmont College
- Gregg Ten Elshof, Biola University
- Angela Carpenter, Hope College
- Tom Crisp, Biola University
- Lisa Igram, Biola University
- Brandon Rickabaugh, Palm Beach Atlantic
- Alexis Abernethy, Fuller Seminary
- Michael Pace, Chapman University
- Erin Smith, California Baptist University
- Dan Speak, Loyola Marymount University
- William Matthison, University of Notre Dame
- Jason Baehr, Loyola Marymount University
- Frederick Aquino, Southern Methodist University
- Jeff Schloss, Westmont College
- Jordan Wessling, Lindsey Wilson College
- Rebecca DeYoung, Calvin University
- Steve Porter, Westmont College
Ministry Leaders/Partner Organizations:
Dallas Willard Ministries
- Jan Johnson
- Cliff Young
- Rich Gregory
Cultivare
- Bonnie Fearer
- Duane Grobman
- Eugene Kim
Vineyard U.S.A.
- Caleb Maskell
- Annie Dimond
- Jared Boyd
The Eden Project
- Melissa Miller
- Nathan Wagnon
- Chuck Gschwend
Wellspring
- Patti Pierce
- Richard Gotthardt
- Chris Colli
Renovaré
- Miriam Dixon
- Jeremy Chambers
- Monica Peredes Chambers
- David Kim
Vantagepoint3
- Rob Loane
- Jim Matthies
Center for Christianity and Public Life
- Michael Wear
- Chris Butler
Christian Alliance for Orphans
- Rachel and Jedd Medefind
The Journey Home
- Jon Huckins
- Joyce Campbell
From Platform to Table
- Sara Di Fuccia
- Ken Van Vliet
City-to-City Los Angeles
- Larry Acosta
- Paul Kim
- Ed Salas
CRU
- Ron Sanders
Richmont Graduate University
- Preston Hill
Purpose Church (Pomona, CA)
- Marcus Robinson
Lifepoint Church (Delaware, OH)
- Bryan Shuler
The Well Church (Fullerton, CA)
- Daniel Kim
Rock Harbor Church (Costa Mesa, CA)
- Glenn and Holly Packiam
Special Guests:
- President Gayle and Pam Beebe, Westmont College
- Eff and Patty Martin, Martin Institute
- Phil and Susan Aronson, Aronson Family Foundation
- Bill and Becky Heatley, Dallas Willard Ministries
- Jane Willard, Dallas Willard Ministries
Martin Institute Staff:
- Steve Porter, Executive Director
- Mariah Velasquez, Associate Director
- Mike Di Fuccia, Director of Research
- Gary W. Moon, Founding Director
- Mark Nelson, Dallas Willard Research Center
- Beth Cook, Administrative Assistant
This is a limited list of hotels in the Santa Barbara area. Inquire regarding possible discounts for Westmont. The list does not include all of the hotels in the Santa Barbara area. Prices as of Summer 2021 and are subject to change.
| Name | Address | Phone |
| Bath Street Inn (B&B) | 1720 Bath St, Santa Barbara | (805) 682 - 9680 |
| Beach Bunny Cottage | 310 W Yanonali St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 | (805) 968-1905 |
| Best Western Beachside Inn | 336 W. Cabrillo, Santa Barbara | (805) 965 - 6556 |
| Best Western Plus Carpinteria Inn | 4558 Carpinteria Ave, Carpinteria | (805) 684 - 0473 |
| Best Western Plus Pepper Tree Inn | 3850 State St, Santa Barbara | (805) 687 - 5511 |
| Brisas Del Mar, Inn at the Beach | 223 Castillo St, Santa Barbara | (805) 966 - 2219 |
| Casa Del Mar (B&B) | 18 Bath St, Santa Barbara | (805) 963 - 4418 |
| Cheshire Cat Inn | 36 W. Valerio, Santa Barbara | (805) 569 - 1610 |
| Hotel Santa Barbara | 533 State St, Santa Barbara | (805) 957 - 9300 |
| Inn By the Harbor | 433 W Montecito St, Santa Barbara | (805) 963 - 7851 |
| Inn on Summer Hill | 2520 Lillie Ave, Summerland | (805) 969 - 9998 |
| Lavender Inn By the Sea | 206 Castillo St, Santa Barbara | (805) 963 - 4317 |
| Montecito Inn | 1295 Coast Village Rd, Santa Barbara | (805) 969 - 7854 |
| Pacifica Suites | 5490 Hollister Ave, Santa Barbara | (805) 683 - 6722 |
| The Upham Hotel | 1404 De La Vina St, Santa Barbara | (805) 962 - 0058 |
| Villa Rosa Inn | 15 Chapala St, Santa Barbara | (805) 966 - 0851 |
CAMPUS MAP
An interactive map is located here.
CAMPUS ENTRY
Entry kiosks are located at each of Westmont's two campus entrances. If the gate is down, a staff member will greet you and assist you with entering campus for the conference.
PARKING
Reserved lots will be indicated. For special parking needs, contact (805) 565-6050 for assistance.
FROM NORTH
Directions to campus: Take 101 South to the Coast Village Road exit. Turn left onto Coast Village Road, and at the roundabout, turn right onto Hot Springs Road. At the stop sign, turn left onto Sycamore Canyon Road and continue for 1.25 miles. Turn right onto Cold Spring Road (you will see the fire station on your left), and continue half a mile to Westmont's Main Entrance.
FROM SOUTH
Directions to Campus: Take 101 North to the Olive Mill exit, and turn right on Olive Mill Road. Take the first left onto Hot Springs Road. At the stop sign, turn right onto Sycamore Canyon Road and continue for 1.25 miles. Turn right onto Cold Spring Road (you will see the fire station on your left), and continue half a mile to Westmont's Main Entrance.