Tony Horsfall

Mindfulness is not new, and God’s people down the centuries have always been encouraged to practise ‘the sacrament of the present moment’ – that is, to notice God in the events of everyday life and become attentive to that presence. Tony Horsfall explores six Bible stories that describe individuals encountering God, showing how we can learn how to notice the presence of the divine for ourselves. He also unpacks key spiritual practices that anyone can follow, and introduces insights from influential writers on the awareness of God in the ordinary.

Rhythms of Grace emerges from a personal exploration of contemplative spirituality. Coming from an evangelical and charismatic background, Tony Horsfall felt an increasing desire to know God more deeply. At the same time, he felt an increasing dissatisfaction with his own spiritual life, as well as concern at the number of highly qualified and gifted people involved in Christian ministry who experience burn-out. In this book he shows how contemplative spirituality, with its emphasis on realising our identity as God's beloved children and on being rather than doing, has vital lessons for us about discovering intimacy with God. It also provides essential insights about building a ministry that is both enjoyable and sustainable.

How to navigate a spiritual journey through these years, leading to deeper faith and a closer walk with God. Our 40s and 50s can be times of change and turbulent emotional transitions as we encounter a range of challenging personal issues. They can also be some of the most important years of our lives in spiritual terms. Tony Horsfall addresses a number of ‘midlife’ issues – from facing up to the past to renegotiating relationships – and explores how to navigate a spiritual journey through these years, leading to deeper faith and a closer walk with God. ‘Accessible and an easy read. The exercises are practical and pose useful questions. Spiritual Growth in a Time of Change offers a straightforward introduction to the issues, and may provide some welcome lightbulb moments for anyone who is new to the concept of midlife.’ Sarah Meyrick, Church Times

Inspired by the famous prayer of Richard of Chichester ‘to see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly and follow thee more nearly... day by day', this 365-day devotional encourages faith formation and intentional discipleship. Tony Horsfall, Mags Duggan, John Ayrton, Jenny Brown, Melinda Hendry and Steve Aisthorpe present a detailed, chronological exploration of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, drawing from all four gospels. As we immerse ourselves in the gospel story, may we not only understand it better but experience transformation into the likeness of Christ our Saviour.

Exhaustion, burnout, tiredness, even breakdown... sadly, such conditions are all too common these days, not least among those involved in some kind of Christian ministry, whether full-time, part-time or voluntary. In striving to do our utmost for God, we can easily forget that there were many times when Jesus himself was willing to rest, to do nothing except wait for the Spirit's prompting, so that he demonstrated the vital principle of 'working from a place of rest'. Drawing on extensive experience of training and mentoring across the world, Tony Horsfall reflects on the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman to draw out practical guidance for sustainable Christian life and work. As he writes: 'Come and sit by the well for a while. Take some time out to reflect on how you are living and working. Watch Jesus and see how he does it. Listen to what the Spirit may be saying to you deep within, at the centre of your being; and maybe, just maybe, God will give you some insights that will change your life and sustain your ministry over the long haul.'

این کتاب به موضوع راهنماییِ روحانی (منتورینگ) می]پردازد و صادقانه می]کوشد تا این سنت دیرینۀ مسیحیت را، به]شکلی بامعنی در اختیار نسل جدید بگذارد. کشف مجدد این خدمت را می]توان در تأکید فزاینده]ای که رهبران برجسته مسیحی در این مورد دارند مشاهده کرد. برای مثال نویسنده و مشاور آمریکایی لَری کرب خاطرنشان می]سازد که در طول ۵۰ سال زندگی مسیحی]اش هرگز چنین اشتیاقی برای خدا ندیده است، و انسان]ها در این مورد بیشتر سخن می]گویند و بیش از گذشته آن را به]عنوان انگیزه]ای حیاتی برای شخصیت انسانی می]پذیرند و این اشتیاق به]عنوان شور و شوقی نیرومند در بسیاری دیده می]شود. او در ادامه می]نویسد در پیشبرد این انقلاب هیچ چیز بیشتر از این موضوع اهمیت ندارد که راهنمای روحانی در کتاب]مقدس ریشه بدواند و تا حد امکان قابل فهم شود و به]کارگیری خردمندانۀ آن باارزش]تر و رایج]تر گردد. در انگلستان سلوین هیوز در سال]های پایانی عمرش، دوره]هایی را در مورد راهنماییِ روحانی برگزار کرد. دو سال قبل از مرگش در سال ۲۰۰۶ او چنین نوشت من خود را نبی]ای که آینده را پیش]گویی کند، نمی]دانم اما بر این باورم که در آینده راهنماییِ روحانی روشی خواهد بود که توسط بسیاری در کلیساهای اونجلیکال مورد استفاده قرار خواهد گرفت.

In Grief Notes Tony Horsfall charts the first year of his grief journey since the death of his wife from cancer. Month by month he tells the unfolding story of walking with and through loss, weaving this together with biblical teaching on grief and insights gained from grief counselling. With a poignant mix of honesty and humour, Tony shares the challenges of rebuilding his life and reflects on how he has seen God meet his needs as he wrestled with grieving in a time of lockdown and pandemic. Praise for Resilience in Life and Faith: 'This book will have a ministry-wide impact.' Dr Laura Mae Gardner, former International Vice President for Personnel for Wycliffe Bible Translators and SIL International

The book of Psalms offers honest insights into the reality of life with God, reflecting every human emotion and situation. Through looking at some of the psalms written ‘from the depths’, we can understand more fully the way in which God is at work to shape our characters and form the life of Christ within us during difficult times. This book offers reflections drawn from selected psalms to guide us as we begin to make sense of our own history with God, and also points us to how we can get to know God better here and now, preparing us for whatever may lie ahead. Deep Calls to Deep speaks to those who are ‘passing through the valley’. It will also be helpful to anyone who desires a deeper walk with God, as well as those who accompany others on their Christian journey as mentors, soul friends or spiritual directors.

Finding Refuge charts the journey that Tony & Evelyn Horsfall made after Evelyn's condition with cancer became terminal. It follows them as they went from care at home to the local hospice, and then to a Care Home, where both of them contracted the coronavirus. Tony was hospitalised for 9 days in Intensive Care, but recovered, but was then separated from Evelyn for a month before she finally passed away. The book is built around daily postings that Tony made during this five month period, sharing openly and honesty his thoughts and feelings. He found great comfort from the Bible, and shares his thoughts on the book of Ruth, and Psalm 13, one of the songs of lament. Throughout this time, although isolated from friends and family, Tony and Evelyn were upheld by a world-wide stream of prayer, and their story is a testament to the power of prayer. It will encourage all who read as the pandemic continues.

A core resource for anyone involved in spiritual mentoring, Mentoring Conversations provides a basis for spiritual conversation in a mentoring context through 30 short chapters structured around six key topic areas: Foundations; Steps to growth; Living out your faith; Going deeper; Staying strong; and Living with mystery. Each chapter begins with a Bible passage or text, followed by the author’s comment on the topic, questions to use as a starting point for conversation and suggestions for further reading.

Servanthood is something to which all believers are called, not just those in full-time ministry. This means that understanding what servanthood means is vital for the health and well-being of local churches. Every member needs to appreciate their role as a servant of God. At the same time, the principles of servant leadership provide an essential framework for those called specifically to the work of the church, whether at home or overseas. Servant Ministry offers a practical exposition of the first ‘Servant Song’ in Isaiah (42:1–9). Writing from many years of Christian teaching and mentoring, Tony Horsfall applies insights drawn from the Isaiah passage to topics such as the motivation for service and the call to serve; valid expressions of servanthood and the link between evangelism and social action; character formation and what it means to be a servant; how to keep going over the long haul in the harsh realities of ministry; the importance of listening to God on a daily basis and also over a whole lifetime.

‘The need of the hour is for Spirit-filled, Christ-centred, Father-glorifying, Bible-based, fruitful individuals and churches. This book can only help towards that goal.’ In A Fruitful Life we ponder the teaching of Jesus in John chapter 15, the famous ‘vine’ passage. He is preparing his disciples for his departure and describing how they can be effective witnesses in a hostile world. Just as his instructions revolutionised their lives, so a proper understanding of what he is saying can revolutionise our lives also. It is the heart of the gospel message: the only way to live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live his life in us and through us. This book includes material for individual reflection and questions for group discussion.

Tony Horsfall and Debbie Hawker encourage us to develop our resilience and to prepare ourselves for the challenges that life throws at us in an increasingly difficult world. Through biblical wisdom and psychological insight, they show us how to understand ourselves better, appreciate our areas of strength and strengthen our areas of weakness. Read this book if you want a faith that persists to the finishing line.

"We all know how easy it is to lose concentration and let our attention wander. In the middle of talking to a friend, you suddenly realise you have not been listening at all and have lost the thread of the conversation because you were miles away. It happens so easily, and far too frequently, this problem of inattentiveness. This also happens in the spiritual life. God speaks to us but we fail to recognise his voice. He has things to teach us, but our minds are elsewhere and we are not attuned to his whisper. He wants to lead us and guide us, but we miss his gentle promptings. He is present all around us, yet we don't notice his approach or register his nearness. This robs us of a greater depth in our relationship with him. The purpose of this book is to help you become more consistently aware of God, to train your ear to hear his voice, and your eye to see what he is doing. I am a learner just as you are, and I have my own struggles with spiritual attentiveness, but I want to grow and improve so that I can serve God more eectively. I'm sure you do as well, which is why you are reading this book." - from the Introduction

Rhythms of Grace emerges from a personal exploration of contemplative spirituality. Coming from an evangelical and charismatic background, Tony Horsfall felt an increasing desire to know God more deeply. At the same time, he felt an increasing dissatisfaction with his own spiritual life, as well as concern at the number of highly qualified and gifted people involved in Christian ministry who experience burn-out. In this book he shows how contemplative spirituality, with its emphasis on realising our identity as God's beloved children and on being rather than doing, has vital lessons for us about discovering intimacy with God. It also provides essential insights about building a ministry that is both enjoyable and sustainable.

In recent years the ancient Christian practice of spiritual direction has become increasingly popular, as more and more people from every part of the Church seek to know God more deeply. Terms such as 'mentoring' and 'soul' or 'spiritual' friendship are also being used to describe the process of one person coming alongside another to help them grow as a disciple of Jesus. This accessible book is an introduction to spiritual mentoring, for those exploring this aspect of discipleship or embarking on training for ministry as a mentor within their church. As an experienced spiritual mentor, Tony Horsfall uses the metaphor of a journey to explain what mentoring means, its benefits to all involved, and how to explore the call to mentor others. It will encourage you to prioritise your own spiritual growth, as well as consider whether God may be calling you to be a 'soul friend'.