A Man's Retreat with God
March 6, 2025 | Kyle Runnels
I have been attending the men’s retreat for the past 4 years. The first year I went was probably the most spiritual growth I had ever had. Since then, I have been hooked. I didn’t know what to expect at the time, but the conversations I had with my fellowship of men catapulted me in my spiritual journey. This year, as with every year, I am looking to grow my faith more. It has always been enjoyable for me to see how much I have learned since the previous year.
Getting away from the distractions of life really helps me connect with God. Cell service at the camp grounds leaves a lot to be desired, food is prepared for me, and my agenda is set so I can focus all my time on Him, with no distraction. I will take a moment to say that I do miss my family, but I believe the sacrifice away from them allows me to grow in ways I wouldn’t be able to otherwise. There is something to be said about the congregation of men setting out with one thing in mind. God. The conversations are organic, vulnerable, and centered on the most important topics in our lives.
I have seen so many fruits come from the Men’s Retreat that I decided to join the planning team this year. Stepping into a leadership position like this made me feel a bit uncomfortable. What value could I add? What would the rest of the panel think of my ideas? Imposter Syndrome at its finest. I have never done something like this, but I have gotten so much from the retreat I wanted to give back. I wanted as many men to experience this retreat as possible. I loved being able to help refine a better experience and felt so grateful for being allowed to be part of this team.
For those of you who haven’t participated, the way the retreat works is you are assigned to a small group. Typically 5-7 men. You have a total of 3 worship sets, followed by 3 services, and group discussions for each session. Outside of that, you have free time to just nerd out about God. You can talk with other men, play a variety of games, attend various breakout sessions, or just find a nice spot to be alone with Jesus.
During the retreat, I got everything I hoped for. First, the worship was amazing. The choir of 150 men singing in a relatively small chapel is something to behold. The praise and joy of these vocals makes the hair on my arms stand. There is no judgement. No concerns. No worries. Just praise. Looking around the room, I sometimes don’t know how we sound so good, but it just works.
Second, the small group time. This is always a crowd favorite. I have never seen men so vulnerable. It is often inspirational to hear men who have never been to the retreat talk about how shocked they are by how much they open up. It makes sense though. Everyone at the retreat wants the same thing. They want to grow in their faith, and they want to bring their brethren along with them. There is no judgement in the groups which typically leads to everyone being completely transparent about their life. Their worries, fears, and transgressions are exposed. Hopes, dreams, and desires are laid out. For those of you who are reserved, that is okay too. Come as you are. No one expects anything from you, and you aren’t forced to say anything, but gosh does it feel good to participate.
Finally, the environment is always amazing. The food is always made from scratch and delicious. The surrounding woods are a great place to get away and connect with God. The light pollution is minimal so the stars really glisten at night. There is just nothing like it.
This year, I had 2 big takeaways. The first was the realization of how much I have grown. The first couple of years, I could talk about my personal thoughts and feelings, but I didn’t feel comfortable giving advice. I didn’t know scripture, and I didn’t really know Him. This was more than okay, though. Everyone at the retreat is in a different place in their journey and this is part of what makes it so enjoyable. Men who know God can shepherd and mentor those who don’t. Those who don’t can find the answers they are desperately looking for. This year, however, was different for me. I was able to talk about stories in the Bible and relate it to the conversation at hand. I got to be a shepherd and help a man in my group find answers in his journey. I don’t know enough to quote actual scripture, but I am at the point where I can now talk confidently about stories and reference the books in the Bible. Having confidence in my relationship and having a deeper connection really brought out the fruits of my labor.
The second takeaway I had this year was what the retreat is all about. I saw young men standing in front of large groups of men giving speeches, giving their testimony. I saw men opening up and being vulnerable. I saw men attending just to see who this Jesus guy is. Men there to just see what faith is about. Men repenting. Men hugging. Laughing. Crying. Men purposely putting themselves in uncomfortable situations. Laying it all out there. I realized this happens all the time in our lives. We put ourselves in uncomfortable postions at work, with hobbies, or volunteer work, so what is the big deal? The reason. The intention. Men at the retreat do it all for Him. He is the reason.