Member-only story
So What Happens at a Men’s Retreat?
Recently, my niece hosted a party to watch my cousin’s grandson play in the Men’s NCAA Final Four Basketball Tournament. I was unable to attend the party because I had previously signed up to attend a men’s retreat sponsored by our church. My wife, however, did attend the party and when she explained my absence to other family members, she said some of them looked at her funny or were puzzled and wondered about what I was actually doing. Thus, I thought I’d try to explain what happens at a typical men’s retreat.
I’ve been to probably a dozen of these retreats through the years, most of which were somewhat small (40–50 guys, all from one church), but some were bigger events that included multiple churches or organizations and involved hundreds of participants. In either case, they all seem to follow the same basic pattern. They usually begin on Friday afternoon and end on Sunday morning with four Bible study sessions worked into the three-day schedule. Typically, too, they are held at a Christian summer camp during its off season in the fall, winter, or spring, and the extra-curricular activities depend on the camp’s location and the season.
