Will I be expected to stay up all night praying?
Aren’t retreats for women who know more about the Bible than I do?
If you’ve never been to a Christian women’s retreat, you may feel uncertain about what goes on during a retreat. If you’re planning the retreat, you may feel unsure what to include for the day or weekend. What happens at a church retreat?
Every retreat is a little different. “Each church [and retreat] has its own unique personality,” says Missy Edgmon, Women’s Minister at First Colony Church of Christ, Sugarland, Texas. She advises women planning retreats: “Don’t try to copy someone else’s retreat. Plan what will work well for your women.”
At the same time, there are some common elements to expect on a Christian retreat. A typical retreat agenda reveals features you are most likely to encounter.
What Do You Do at a Women’s Church Retreat?
What to do at a women’s retreat is a common question among those planning and attending retreats. Simply put, at a women’s retreat, you engage in activities to help you grow in your relationship with God and other women. At the same time, you engage in activities designed for rest, reflection and fun. Here’s what that looks like:
Teaching Times
Most retreats feature a speaker who teaches from the Bible on a topic aligned with the retreat theme. She may teach three or four times over the day or weekend, or less. She may guide you through a section of the Bible or another book that points you to Christ. Some retreats use teaching videos. Sacred Story Retreats feature one teaching time from the Bible followed by practical sessions on how to write your personal story of God’s faithfulness.
Worship through Music
It’s likely your retreat will include times of singing praises to and about God’s character and his work in women’s lives. One or several music leaders will guide the time, with lyrics provided. Instruments may include piano or keyboard, guitar, and even string and wind instruments.
Equip, Encourage, Reflect
At retreats, women are encouraged to think about how God’s Word applies to their lives. This is the “So what?” of a retreat. “We’re not just planning events for the sake of the event,” Edgmon reminds women as they plan retreats. “We want to equip and encourage one another.” At a retreat, women may be equipped to better defend and explain the Christian faith or to deal with difficult life situations with skill and faith. Women reflect on the Bible and personal talents and skills, choosing new ways to apply the Bible in serving others.
Women may experience encouragement when they reflect on hope and the promises of God, such as Jesus’ words in John 16:33. At a Sacred Story Retreat, women are encouraged when they realize that other women’s stories often mirror their own heartaches and walks of faith. Suzan, a former retreat participant, explains, “Sharing our stories helps us heal and grow in Christ together.”
Small Group Interaction
Missy Edgmon also advises women planning retreats to “create space for more small group contact, so people don’t feel anonymous in an audience.” A woman may connect with another woman to discover something new or surprising about her. They may connect in groups of four to eight to discuss the speaker’s topic. Or they may simply connect over a meal or a walk.
Having Fun
As author J.I. Packer writes in his Christian classic Knowing God, “Live in the present, and enjoy it thoroughly; present pleasures are God’s good gifts.” This is also the message of James 1:17: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.”
Of course, part of a woman’s God-given, unique beauty is her own view of what’s fun. Good women’s retreats offer a variety of opportunities for women to enjoy free time, such as sports, creating art, watching a movie, going for a hike, or maybe just slipping off for a much-needed nap.
How to Make the Most out of Your Time at a Women’s Retreat
A woman may begin a retreat feeling physically exhausted and emotionally spent. Life asks so much of women, and just the effort of getting away for a day or a weekend may feel like an added burden. How can women make the most out of their time at a retreat, especially when they arrive with so many emotions in tow?
A retreat is not a place for women to pretend they have it all together. Women who arrive with open hearts are most likely to take maximum retreat benefits back home. These women arrive with this mindset:
- Commitment to Pray: I’m asking God to help me learn and believe what He wants to teach me.
- Commitment to Reach Out: I’ll make an effort to get to know other women, introducing myself, asking others to join me for meals and activities, and showing interest in others’ lives.
- Commitment to Be Real: I’ll be honest with others about my struggles on some level.
Women who attend church retreats aren’t spiritual giants with seminary degrees. They’re average women who want to follow our extraordinary God. As they seek to engage in retreat elements that encourage them to grow closer to God and one another, they are equipped and encouraged to press on in the life of faith.