Individual Retreat Options

We will fashion your retreat to fit your spiritual journey or specific needs. The following three retreats formats have proven helpful for many Pastors, missionaries, and other Christian leaders over the past ten years.

Revitalization Retreat

A Revitalization Retreat is a 3 – 5 day getaway with a focus on resting and revitalizing your spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and creative life. Recover intimacy with God, restore your “margin,” take time to read and study, etc. Enjoy our nature trails, theological and devotional libraries, prayer walk, Jacuzzi, island/bonfire, Great Room, hammock, chalk drawings, birdwatching, and a variety of nearby activities (Gull Lake, Kellogg Forest, Bird Sanctuary, golf, etc.).

If desired, meet with John for a 2-5 hour “debrief” to walk through a specific issue in life or ministry (i.e., conflict; a relationship struggle), to work through basic strategies for recovering from or preventing burnout, to make critical decisions, or to begin the process of discovering your life-calling.

We also have guided curricula for each of the following Revitalization options (contact us for specifics; see also Dallas Willard’s Spirit of the Disciplines for descriptions of each):

Study retreat – utilize our extensive theological library to work through a challenging theological or cultural issue
Prayer and/or Fasting retreat (can reserve time in our “Cattail Chapel” or Great Room, conduct a structured Day of Prayer, etc.)
Solitude or silent retreat
Sermon prep retreat
Meditation retreat

Refocus Retreat: LifeBridge Coaching

(see our new LifeBridge Coaching page here)

Based on the call of Moses in Exodus 3, LifeBridge Coaching assists Pastors, missionaries, Christian leaders, and/or their spouses as they deal with the challenges of life within professional ministry. John will coach you through the LifeBridge process in order to focus your life and ministry around your unique “calling” – your purpose, mission and vision. promothumb

The results of LifeBridge Coaching will be renewed boundaries, passion for life and ministry, and a practical blueprint for life. In addition you will:

address the root causes of ministerial fatigue and (if needed) begin recovery from ministerial burnout or stagnation
develop or re-develop a “Purpose Statement” in order to focus each major area of life around your ultimate purpose and relationship with God
discover how God has designed you uniquely and develop a personal, actionable “Mission Statement” based on your unique design
discover your “Life Themes”, “Core Values”, and potential “Roadblocks”, along with how each of these can transform your overall life and ministry
write one-year “Vision Statements,” along with goals and faith steps, that will allow you to walk forward in your calling on a daily basis
develop an intentional, workable Re-assessment plan for retaining margin, joy, and “balance” in ministry
walk through a “turning points inventory,” discovering your personal life-themes, core values, and roadblocks.
for those in times of transition (personally, ministerially, etc.) you will work through tools designed to help you make decisions regarding your future (based on your unique calling and current needs)

Many pastors and Christian leaders have found LifeBridge Coaching to be a major catalyst in their own spiritual growth, ministry development, and overall focus (see “Testimonials” page). The process takes about 14 hours, which includes 6 hours working through our LifeBridge DVDs and about 8 hours with Dr. Studebaker. It is best to plan on 3-5 days at the Oasis.

We also provide optional follow-up coaching, once a month over the following 12 months, to assist you in walking out your plan.

The requested donation for a Refocus Retreat is typically $1200 for an individual, $1500 for a couple (tax-deductible). We encourage you to stay at the BMI Oasis during this time ($75/night donation in the Vineyard Suite). This support will help expand our ministry in the USA and overseas while assisting with our own ministry expenses as well.

Renewal Retreats and Courses:

Love and Respect Marriage Retreat

The Love and Respect DVD series is the best tool, in our opinion, for recovering marital intimacy, joy, and communication. Our own marriage has benefited tremendously from this series, and we have led dozens of couples through it in our own church. Preview this 6-hour series at www.loveandrespect.com

Renewal Courses

These highly-interactive continuing education courses are conducted on zoom or at a church venue.

VOCA: Theology and Practice of Life-Calling (Combines online interaction with biblical teaching, A DVD, and a Study Guide)
Be My Witnesses (Evangelism, Apologetics, and Understanding Worldviews)
World Religions (Using the textbook John recently edited, The Quest of World Religions)
Renewed and Empowered: A Practical Theology of the Holy Spirit

Day Use of Oasis Facilities

We encourage Pastors and other Ordained ministers to use the Oasis facilities (the Great Room, Cattail Chapel, Island, etc) for all or part of a day, typically for prayer, study, or staff meetings. Breakfast, lunch, or refreshments can be provided, upon request.