April 4-6 Encounter Retreat

I used to be really cynical about church retreats. We go, we cry, we decide to change our lives forever, everyone hugs, and then we go right back to the way things were. After attending more retreats than I can count and seeing the same temporary results, I had grown rather disenchanted with the whole idea.

But that's when we planted our church in Fowlerville (www.ffcag.org), and our pastor invited the staff to attend an Encounter Retreat with another church. Long story short, none of our lives have been the same since!

At the Encounter, we deal with matters of personal transformation, freedom in Christ, and deliverance from habits, addictions, bitterness, wrong thoughts, and past mistakes. Furthermore, we focus on the foundations of Christian life and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. At this year's retreat, I'll be leading worship and presenting three lessons:

• "What Do You Desire?" - All about who we are and how much more important the God-given desires of our personal spirit are than the desires of our flesh or soul.
• "Others and You" - Forgiveness and freedom from bitterness and resentment.
• "Knowing your New Best Friend: the Holy Spirit" - All about the baptism in the Holy Spirit, how to be led by the Spirit, and how to deepen your relationship with Him.

This year's retreat will be held in the lodge of Youth Haven Ranch, which is a beautiful facility in the little town of Rives Junction, Michigan (about halfway between Jackson and Lansing).

I've posted an informational flyer on the Documents page in case you're interested. We would love to have you join us! I know I have readers all over the world; but if you happen to be in the area, we would love to have you (we've had people come from as far away as Pennsylvania and Texas to past retreats).

This will be the fourth retreat I've helped staff, and each one seems better than the last! Also, we have limited space, so please contact me soon if you're interested.

God bless!
--Art--