The students in the Christian Ministries Leadership Development class put on a one-day retreat at a local church for students of any major.
“When we take time and devote it to the Lord He works in that time,” Isaac Rex, an intercultural studies major, said. “So, we can’t really anticipate how He’s gonna work, but I think that’s, that’s exciting. It may also be a little scary, because it’s like, ‘Wow, Lord, how are you gonna challenge me at this retreat?’”
The Christian ministries retreat is a one-day event for Taylor students of all majors hosted at Upland Community Church. It was planned and put on by junior and senior ministry students as a required assignment for their Leadership Development class, which organizes it once every semester.
It gave them an opportunity to grow in their planning and ministry skills while also providing a rejuvenating event for attendees.
The retreat's theme, prayerfully chosen by the students, was Testify, looking at the power of the testimony of the Bible as well as of personal testimony.
The class of about 25 students was divided into teams, each with their own planning responsibility. There were two student directors, Morgan Zagar and Tiernan Bass, who oversaw the entire planning process. Other teams were responsible for parts of the planning, such as small groups, worship, meals, games, finances, publicity, registration and transportation.
There were also two student speakers. Kaitlin Burden spoke on how the Scriptures testify to Jesus, and Max Otto spoke on how we should testify to Christ in our lives.
The event allowed the approximately 120 students who signed up to get acquainted with the ministry department, meet ministry professors and be immersed in fellowship with fellow students. This opportunity to meet new people was especially helpful for freshmen, who are still somewhat new to campus.
Morgan Zagar, a Christian ministries major and one of this year's retreat directors, recalls the time she went on the retreat for the first time as a “scared little freshman.” She said “it was just a really great way to get plugged into the ministry major,” and she grew in her relationship with one of her best friends. She has come full circle and is now leading the retreat that was so helpful years before.
“It provides a space where you are able to ‘be’ more than ‘do,’ if that makes sense,” Zane Patterson, Christian ministries major, said. “And rather than trying to accomplish something, you’re more receiving this gift based around passages [of] Scripture, but more than that, you’re surrounded by a community of people that are passionate about sharing the gospel.”
Retreats are a time to slow down, focus on Scripture and prayer and connect with the Lord and with others. In small groups, students had the opportunity to reach a deep level of vulnerability even with those they just met, Rex said.
“[Retreats] bring clarity to the business of life, and they kind of clarify what is actually important,” Rex said. “Why am I doing what I am doing?”
