This section connects you to three CRC ministries. One provides retreats, and the other two may be able to assist in planning retreats for your region.
Deeper Journey
Deeper Journey is a CRC ministry providing retreats designed to restore one’s soul. It encourages participants to deepen their intimacy with Father, Son and Holy Spirit by exploring ancient Christian practices. The ministry is intentionally shaped by 5 values: sacred space, contemplative worship, silence and solitude, practical teaching and safe community.
Those who participate in Deeper Journey attend eight retreats over a two-year period. At each retreat, they engage in large and small group sessions as well as spend time alone with God. For many pastors, a highlight of the retreats is the communal worship experience.
Deeper Journey is open to pastors, church leaders and all others who long for a more intimate relationship with God. It’s currently located in Michigan and Illinois. For more information, see the website deeperjourney.org.
Stories from Deeper Journey
- “Recognizing I was burning the candle at both ends and close to burning out,” reminisces Doug Kamstra, “I asked a friend for counsel. He said, ‘Read Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton.’ So I did.” But reading the book didn’t really do anything for Doug. It wasn’t until he committed to doing the exercises that changes began to happen. Read the rest of the story.
- Despite their best intentions, pastors don’t always practice what they preach when it comes to spending meaningful time in Scripture reading, prayer, and solitude. “Like the rest of humanity, we get caught up in busy schedules and pressing commitments,” says Paul DeVries. To remedy this DeVries joined 24 others for the Deeper Journey retreats. Read more.
- In "Learning to Be Still", one pastor gave testimony to transformation in his life. So much so that an elder recently told him, “Something is different about you.” Through the understanding and spiritual disciplines he developed through Deeper Journey he now has a deeper relationship and dependency on God. See the Banner article.
Two more CRC Resources
Contact Thrive or your Regional Pastor to help plan a pastor retreat in your area. To locate the Regional Pastor(s) in a particular classis, select your classis.