Introducing Houston Heflin

We are pleased to announce that Houston Heflin has joined our team as the new director for the Contemplative Ministers’ Initiative (CMI).

Houston Heflin is no stranger to CMI, as he has led several classes during past retreats. You may also recognize him from a recent Intersection webinar on breath prayers.

He will continue to teach spiritual formation and ministry courses in ACU’s Department of Bible, Missions and Ministry as well as the Graduate School of Theology. Houston has authored several books and articles on spiritual disciplines, including Pray Like You Breathe: Exploring the Practice of Breath Prayer and Teaching Eutychus: Engaging Today’s Learners With Passion and Creativity. He frequently visits churches for preaching, teaching, consulting, and seminars in the area of spiritual formation. Houston and his wife, Karen, have been married 24 years and have four children.

As he begins working more closely with the initiative, Houston looks forward to spending time together on retreats and joining early-career lead ministers on the journey toward a more contemplative life.

Randy Harris, who launched CMI in 2015, recently retired from teaching, but this major change in his life does not mean he is leaving his many deep commitments to ministers. He will continue to teach and facilitate sessions at CMI, and he will remain available for spiritual direction at CMI. We are thankful for his devotion to this initiative since its inception and thankful for his ongoing commitment to CMI, the Siburt Institute, and the well-being of ministers across the country.

We are also grateful that Renee Paul, Ben Ries, and Eddie Sharp will continue to take an active role, and that David Kneip, our new associate director, will also begin working closely with the rest of the CMI team.

After a year of hiatus due to the pandemic, we look forward to resuming CMI retreats this fall and welcoming a new cohort!