InterVarsity Press authors Richard Foster and James Bryan Smith keynoted the second annual Aprentis Institute Conference on spiritual formation at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas, last month. InterVarsity Press (IVP) cosponsored the sold-out event, along with the Aprentis Institute for Christian Spiritual Formation, Renovare and Christian Audio. Other plenary speakers included IVP author Nathan Foster and John and Nancy Ortberg.

Richard J. Foster

"The Aprentis Institute Conference is annually among the most strategic venues for InterVarsity Press to be a part of," said Jeff Crosby, associate publisher and director of sales and marketing. "It gathers in a significant way the very people who are drawn to write, read and utilize our Formatio line of spiritual formation titles, and the engagement at this year's conference exceeded our expectations. We're privileged to be a partner with Jim Smith and his team at the Aprentis Institute."

For the second consecutive year, the conference included more than six hundred attendees drawn from across the United States and internationally. The audience included pastors of spiritual formation, senior pastors, youth ministers, volunteer staff and lay leaders interested in spiritual formation. In addition to the plenary speakers, IVP authors Bob Fryling, Adele Calhoun, Beth Booram, Mike King and Cindy Bunch led preconference sessions and breakout seminars surrounding the theme of the conference, "Grace, Grace and More Grace."

James Bryan Smith

"The Aprentis conference was a great success," said James Bryan Smith, director of the Aprentis Institute for Christian Spiritual Formation and author of The Good and Beautiful God. "The speakers were dynamic, valuable voices that connected well on the theme of grace. As a key partner, InterVarsity Press not only produced great concept and design, but provided marketing, resources and tremendous authors. Their partnership provides valuable synergy as we seek to advance the field of Christian spiritual formation."

The Aprentis Institute was created in June 2010 to promote higher-level thinking, deeper conversation and a creative track for growing closer to God around the discipline of spiritual formation.