Christian Formation Workshop 2026
Practice Unto Virtue: The Role of Christian Practices in Virtue Formation
May 27-29, 2026
Global Leadership Center
Westmont College, Santa Barbara
You may view last year's recorded sessions of our Christian Formation Workshop 2025 on our Conversatio webpage.
Practice Unto Virtue: The Role of Christian Practices in Virtue Formation
Christianity is an overall way of salvific life that has as its central aim the transformation of persons into the likeness of Christ. Christians have understood spiritual practices—such as prayer, fasting, and service—to be essential for life with Christ and for virtue formation (e.g., humility, patience, love). The question arises, what role do spiritual practices play in generating and strengthening Christlike virtues?
Although the Christian tradition insists that practices appropriate God’s transformational grace, there are different models of grace, its relation to nature, how practices appropriate grace, and how grace facilitates virtue development. In light of these models, this workshop gathers biblical, theological, philosophical, and psychological evidence to refine Christian understandings of the role of spiritual practices in virtue formation and considers implications for assessing the effectiveness of spiritual practices for virtue formation. Throughout, we are concerned to make practical applications to Christian life and ministry.
Practice Unto Virtue: The Role of Christian Practices in Virtue Formation
The annual Martin Institute Christian Formation Workshop brings together academics and ministry leaders for integrative learning and application leading to real-world impact. The overall goal of each workshop is to help establish knowledge of Christian formation to further spiritual maturity among Christians. This year’s workshop is co-organized by Steve Porter (Westmont College) and Rebecca DeYoung (Calvin University) with funding from the Science of Religious and Spiritual Exercises initiative of the Templeton World Charity Foundation.
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:
- Holly Beers, Westmont College
- Lisa Igram, Biola University
- William Mattison, Notre Dame
- Angela Knobel, University of Dallas
- Douglas E. Christie, Loyola Marymount
- Carmel Saad, Westmont College
- Robert Garcia, Baylor University
- David Wang, Fuller Seminary
- Justin Barrett, Blueprint 1543
- Jonathan Pennington, SBTS
- Joshua Jipp, TEDS
- Joseph Clair, George Fox University
- Andrew Pinsent, Athenaeum of Ohio
- Bruce Hindmarsh, Regent College
- Pamela King, Fuller Seminary
- Sabrina Little, Ohio State University
- Brittany Tausen, Baylor University
- Miguel Farias, University of Coventry
- Jeannine Brown, Bethel Seminary
- Nijay Gupta, Northern Seminary
- Kent Dunnington, Biola University
- Adam Pelser, U.S. Air Force Academy
- Helen Rhee, Westmont College
- Charlotte Wveitlett, Belmont University
- Jason Baehr, Loyola Marymount
- Jesse Fox, Stetson University
- Elizabeth Hall, Biola University
- Jim Taylor, Westmont College
- Tom Crisp, Biola University
- Eileen McQuade, Westmont College
- Nathan King, Whitworth University
- Jeff Schloss, Westmont College
- Michael Brady, University of Glasgow
- Dan Speak, Loyola Marymount
- Doug Daugherty, Biola University
- Kyle Strobel, Biola University
- Aaron Sizer, Westmont College
- Gregg Ten Elshof, Biola University
- Jennifer Abe, Loyola Marymount
- Tim Steenbergh, Indiana Wesleyan
- Aaron Cobb, Wake Forest University
- Lynn Underwood, Case Western Reserve
Ministry Leaders/Partner Organizations:
Dallas Willard Ministries
Vineyard USA
The Eden Project
Wellspring
Renovaré
Vantagepoint3 Ministries
Center for Christianity and Public Life
Christian Alliance for Orphans
From Platform to Table
CRU
The Well Church OC (Fullerton, CA)
Practicing the Way
Global Network of RSHM Schools
Churches for the Sake of Others
CHORD
Yale Center for Faith and Culture
Christ Presbyterian Church
Science for the Church
Institute for the Study of Contemporary Spirituality
Congar Institute for Ministry
Westmont College/Martin Institute
- President Gayle and Pam Beebe, Westmont College
- Eff and Patty Martin
- Gary W. Moon, Founding Director
- Steve Porter, Executive Director
- Mariah Velasquez, Associate Director
- Mike Di Fuccia, Director of Research
- Mark Nelson, Dallas Willard Research Center Director
- 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.