Purpose of Retreats - Kalahari Recap

For those of you who are reading this and who live in the Midwest make sure you stay warm over the course of the next couple of days. I shoveled out the walk-way to my driveway and even though I had two pairs of gloves on my fingers they still got numb. They are calling for it to reach -15 degrees tonight with -35 to -40 wind chills!

Kalahari Recap/Value of Retreats

 

There is no coincidence that I JUST returned from a RETREAT and I will also be teaching a one-time session this Thursday for Grace College's youth ministry class on "Strategizing." My topic is Youth Retreat Effectiveness. Just returning from a retreat helped me today to flesh out the purpose and goals of retreat planning.

 

Here is what I enjoyed the most about the Kalahari Retreat:



1. I did not have to do the PLANNING! It was nice to leave that to someone else for once ;)

2. The valuable time connecting with our teenagers and staff. I got everyone's name nailed down. You don't truly get to know people unless you LIVE with them.

3. The commitments and decisions made by our students. I love the convicting and powerful work of the Holy Spirit and watching God work on a massive level is always awe-inspiring.

4. Reconnecting with my former students and staff of the Underground Movement in Kendallville.

5. Leading others.
6. Touching base and talking with other youth staff and pastors who have valuable insights.
7. Getting ideas from a programming element that I may be able to use within my own youth ministry.
8. Spending time in a HUGE indoor water park.
9. One on One conversations with guys in our youth group challenging them to 'step up their game' within our youth ministry.
10. Just making it back before a massive winter storm that allowed me a day of recuperation.

 

Youth Retreats are so Valuable within a Youth Ministry here are some additional reasons why:

1. Retreats are the end product of the visions and goals that you have cast to your teenagers and youth staff months prior! I always give my students numeric goals into how many people we want at a specific event. This gives them an evangelistic heart to reach out to their friends! Plus, I give goals that I want to see happen during the retreat and it keeps us 'on mission' to reach others!

2. Retreats allow opportunities to celebrate the accomplishment of reaching your goals! I enjoyed celebrating with students that made decisions. We will celebrate and have testimonies this Wednesday of what God did in working in people's lives at our next youth group session.

3. Retreats allow for extensive and vital ministry to be done corporately. Think about it, you get to spend an entire week pushing with and challenging your students AND you get to be a part of a conference that is bigger than yourself. This gives the students a vision of what could be at home and a sense of purpose in the mission of the global church.

 

 

Yes, Christian loves me - Daniel Cosentino! ;)

 

 

If your late you have to sit in the back row!