Brian Sanders - The 6 Seasons of Calling: Discovering Your Purpose in Each Stage of Life

Once in a great while, a book comes along that speaks deeply into my soul, that gives me insight, encouragement, and perspective on my lifelong desire to be the person God created me to be. This is that book. Brian Saunders created a masterpiece that should be reviewed every ten years or so. This is deep, spiritual truth that speaks to how God grows us and calls us through all seasons of life, from childhood to senior years.

DAVE HATAJ | Author of Good Work; CEO of Edgerton Gear, Inc.

This book was a journey in self-reflection. It was a chance for finding where I am along the path, where I might be headed, and how God has shaped the road on which I find myself. Leadership is often about seeing the bigger picture. Self-leadership, a skill we all need to practice, relies on getting above the fray to see this more expansive view. Brians book helped me to do this.

TED ESLER | President, Missio Nexus, author of Innovation Crisis

God has planted within us the seeds of growth that are designed to bear fruit throughout our lives. Brian Sanders has written a clear, engaging tutorial describing the developmental tasks, invitations, and challenges to growth at every stage of faith formation. The 6 Seasons of Calling offers readers an indispensable companion as they seek to live into a healthy, generative discipleship process every step of the journey. Highly recommended!

MICHELLE VAN LOON | Author of Becoming Sage: Cultivating Maturity, Purpose, and Spirituality in Midlife

We have all faced a painful challenge or change that stops our forward movement like a brick wall. At that moment we wonder, can anything good come from this? What if Im finished? With sage wisdom, The 6 Seasons of Calling dismantles the brick wall were facing. Brian Sanders creates a liberating pathway for seeing and discerning how God is present amidst our bewilderment. Gods spirit is not only working in our best days but in all our days! This book might be the most accessible and actionable resource Ive seen on navigating lifes surprising journey of beauty and brokenness. I want to give a copy of this potent book to everyone I know that is experiencing a crisis of calling and passion!

DAN WHITE JR. | Author of Love Over Fear, coauthor of The Church as Movement, and cofounder of The Kineo Center in Puerto Rico

Brians previous books charged my conscience and challenged my imagination for the church. His same prophetic voice comes through in The 6 Seasons of Calling. The framework he proposes here comes from deep reflection on his own life and ministry. This book will help you gain perspective for your current moment so that instead of feeling hurried or like youre trailing behind, youll have the courage to be present and to live into it as God intends.

DANIEL YANG | Director of the Send Institute

Most of us wish wed had a road map to navigate the stages of our own development in our personal calling. Brian Sanders provides a road map of the six stages using Scripture, psychology, and a width of personal experience from leading one of the most innovative ministries in the West. Sanders is one of the best-read leaders the church has, and his depth of insight and ability to analyze come to bear in this seminal work that we all wish wed had starting out. Fortunately, its just in time for wherever you are on the journey of your own calling.

PEYTON JONES | Author of Church Plantology: The Art and Science of Planting Churches; founder of newbreednetwork.org

I had such deep resonance with The 6 Seasons of Calling that I couldnt stop talking about it. I wanted everyone to share in the wisdom gleaned in this gem. Brian has gifted us with a seminal book on the stages of calling common to all of our lives. It is as inspiring as it is insightful. An outstanding book! Highly recommended!

DEB HIRSCH | Missional leader, pastor, and author of Redeeming Sex: Naked Conversations about Sexuality and Spirituality

I loved Brians book! The clarification that calling is more relational and dynamic was so helpful. The focus on conceptual language to understand and describe my own journey created a strong framework for my ongoing development and my coaching of others. I have already started to pass on what I learned from Brians work to those I mentor, and look forward to getting this book in their hands. Brians Day 5 calling to give away what he has been given is clearly demonstrated in his book. It truly is a gift of his own experience and wisdom that will in turn bless many!

JEFF VANDERSTELT | Author and visionary leader of Soma Family of Churches and Saturate

A renewed clarity on calling may be the most pressing need for every leader in any discipline of life. Brian has put in the hard work, and this book is a treasure for any person looking to make a legitimate contribution to the world.

HUGH HALTER | Author of The Tangible Kingdom

2022 by
BRIAN SANDERS

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotation marked NRSV is from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All emphasis in Scripture has been added.

A version of the section Interlude: The Descent of Leadership was previously published by Brian Sanders on the Medium blog: Brian Sanders, The Descent of Leadership, June 5, 2020, https://bsunderground.medium.com.

Edited by Amanda Cleary Eastep
Interior Design: Puckett Smartt
Cover Design: Erik M. Peterson
Cover illustration of leaf copyright 2020 by Svetsol / Shutterstock (1824306794). All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Sanders, Brian, 1972- author.

Title: The six seasons of calling : discovering your purpose in each stage of life / Brian Sanders.

Description: Chicago : Moody Publishers, [2022] | Includes bibliographical references. | Summary: This book helps you view your calling as ongoing and dynamic. God has ordained six seasons as your life unfolds: childhood, adolescence, early career, mid-career, late career, and transition. Instead of wandering aimlessly through life, let the six seasons of calling provide structure for the life God has for you-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021034557 (print) | LCCN 2021034558 (ebook) | ISBN 9780802423948 | ISBN 9780802499783 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Christianity--Psychology. | Developmental psychology--Religious aspects--Christianity. | Vocation--Christianity.

Classification: LCC BR110 .S328 2022 (print) | LCC BR110 (ebook) | DDC 261.5/15--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021034557

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021034558