BRANSON – Bob Caldwell, Mobilization Strategist for the Making Disciples Group of the Missouri Baptist Convention, says a recent retreat for student pastors and their wives helped refresh ministers and provided instruction in dealing with common ministry issues.
The Dec. 1-3 invitation-only Retreat for Student Pastors and Wives at Chateau on the Lake in Branson was attended by 20 student pastors from across the state and their spouses. It focused on helping pastors remain spiritually healthy, Caldwell said.
“The goal was to leave refreshed: physically, spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. New friendships were formed and current friendships rekindled. Each couple know others they could now call if in need.”
He said the necessity of establishing strong friendships among pastors is important because “if one does ministry for 40 or 50 years, they will get hurt” through relationships, job stress, mistakes, and other causes.
Six session topics focused on recognizing and avoiding work burnout, healing after being hurt in ministry, and other topics. “Two of them were with husbands only and wives only in different rooms,” Caldwell said.
“There were some subjects discussed in these settings about (the ministers’) personal walk with Christ, being the best support for each other, and an open forum to discuss tough times related to ministry.”
Caldwell led the open sessions. He and Brad Bennett – the MBC’s Multiplying Churches Director – co-led the men’s sessions on personal holiness and mistake recovery.
“While Brad was sharing with the men God fell in a unique way. It was one of the sweetest times of youth pastors ministering to other youth pastors,” Caldwell said. “God did the same with the wives.”
The session for the wives was led by Sandee Hedger, wife of the MBC’s Multiplying Churches Director Rick Hedger. Those sessions focused on the women’s spiritual health for longevity in ministry.
The event was invitation-only due to funding requirements. The MBC’s Making Disciples Budget from the Cooperative Program paid a large percentage of the retreat cost, with participants paying the balance.
The 2022 event included new couples as well as attendees from the first retreat.
Caldwell plans to hold another this fall, and he’d like to find a venue that could accommodate a larger group within the funding budget.
However, he said the smaller group had its advantages. “If people need to open up, it might be a bit easier in a smaller group. The atmosphere is more inviting.”