Dr. James Bryan Smith is the Dallas Willard Professor of Christian Spiritual Formation at Friends University, in Wichita, Kansas. Jim received his B.A. in Religion and Philosophy at Friends University, his M.Div. at Yale Divinity School, and his D.Min. at Fuller Theological Seminary. Jim has taught at Friends University for over 30 years, teaching primarily in the area of Christian spiritual formation. He is also the Executive Director of The Apprentice Institute for Christian Spiritual Formation. In addition, Jim is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, and co-founding pastor of Chapel Hill UMC, in Wichita, Kansas, and is currently a teaching pastor at that church. He is also a best-selling author of twelve books, most notably The Apprentice Series (InterVarsity Press), which includes The Good and Beautiful God. He is also one of the original founders, alongside Richard J. Foster and Dallas Willard, of the spiritual renewal ministry, Renovare. James is the host of the Things Above Podcast.