Family Retreats

Wrestling with God

While only one person in the Bible literally wrestled with God, every believer has moments when they question and challenge God. It can be the result of a personal or public situation, something that causes a crisis of faith or a moment of misunderstanding and concern. We can learn from the faith-filled people of the Bible to be guided through the wrestling without a loss of faith. 

Rev. Dr. Scott Giger is the senior pastor of Cornerstone Lutheran Church, a large multisite church in central IN. He and Kate have been married for 26 years. They have three great children, a new son-in-law and a mediocre dog. Hailing from Lakeville, MA, he is rabid Red Sox fan and still thinks he could hit one out of Fenway.

Questions That Jesus Asked

Did you know that the Bible records that Jesus asked 307 questions, while Jesus was only asked 183 questions? We often view Jesus as the answer person, but he was also an amazing question asker. In these sessions, we will take some time focusing on the questions that Jesus asked, because they are questions that are important for us to contemplate. The questions that we seek answers to are the questions that shape our lives for now and eternity. 

Rev. Dave McGinley is the senior pastor at The Lutheran Church of Webster Gardens. He loves playing or watching any sport, drinking good drinks, and trying to get you to say “Amen.” He served formerly as an associate pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Chicago. He is married to Gretchen and they have three awesome kids.

The Space Between Us: Hope in the Hardest Relationships

Some of our most important relationships can also be the hardest; strained by political differences, past hurts, or simply not seeing eye to eye. Pastor Matt Popovits will share five biblical truths that can fill the space between you and those who are hard to love with hope and healing. We’ll explore how God equips us to bridge divides, soften hearts, and reflect the One who closed the greatest gap of all, restoring us to Himself in Jesus Christ.

Rev. Matt Popovits is the Senior Pastor at St. Mark Houston in Houston, TX. He’s the author of Tough Call and Junk Drawer Jesus. Matt is the founder of Make It Simple, which exists to share the Christian message with simplicity and joy and equip others for effective leadership and communication. For more, head to makeitsimple.org.

Beyond the Mirage: Genuine Community in a Lonely, Antisocial Culture

Have you ever felt alone in a crowded room? Have you ever avoided people simply because they are exhausting to be around? Most of us have. Sociologists point out that our culture is both lonely and antisocial. What looks like community (even at church) is often an illusion. But as followers of Jesus, we have a unique calling and privilege. God sends us beyond the mirage toward a life of genuine unity in his Spirit.

Dr. Peter Nafzger is an associate professor at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, teaching courses in preaching, Lutheran theology, and Christian formation. He teaches courses in preaching, Lutheran theology, and Christian formation. He also serves as Director of Student Life, Coordinator of International Exchange Programs, and head coach for the Seminary basketball team (the “Preachers”). For many years he has been a planner and theological advisor for LCMS Youth Gatherings. He is currently working on a book about building community through preaching. Before joining the faculty, he served a pastor in Minnesota for nine years. He and his wife Katie (who teaches biology at Lutheran North High School) have four children: Olivia, Johann, August, and Louisa. Together with his family, he enjoys hiking, camping, rock climbing, road trips, German board games, World Cup soccer, and March Madness.

Bob Unger is the Director of Worship and Music Ministry at Resurrection Lutheran Church and School in Cary, North Carolina and the Music Director of the North Carolina Boys and Girls Choirs.

Curb the Curse: Helping the Word Connect

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus describes how the seed of his Word takes root and bears fruit—and how it fails to do so. In these sessions we’ll look at the spiritual, cultural, and psychological factors that can keep the Word from connecting with others. Whether you are a parent, Sunday School teacher, church worker, or everyday disciple, you’ll leave as a more confident and equipped sower. 

Rev. Dr. Ryan Tinetti is Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and author of the book The Quiet Ambition. You can read more from him at https://ryantinetti.substack.com. 

People of The Way

In the Exodus, Yahweh not only provided the way out of slavery in Egypt, He also revealed the way He acts and what His character is like. This not only shapes how God’s people live in the wilderness, but also how, in Jesus, we become people of The Way. 

Sarah Salzberg teaches Old Testament at Orange Lutheran High School in Orange County, CA. In addition, she has served as a planner and theological advisor for the LCMS Youth Gathering as well as a speaker for youth and women’s retreats around the country. She earned her Masters in Theology from Concordia University in Irvine, but her pride and joy will always be Concordia Seward where she earned her Bachelors in Education.

Bob Unger is the Director of Worship and Music Ministry at Resurrection Lutheran Church and School in Cary, North Carolina and the Music Director of the North Carolina Boys and Girls Choirs.

Common Sense and Uncommon Sensibility

Our senses—hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, and touching—are gifts to fortify our faith and beautify our lives with practical wisdom.  

Dr. John Nunes—for four decades has worked in the faith-based, non-profit sector—now serves as the President of California Lutheran University. John enjoys writing and storytelling about “fides et ratio” (faith and reason) as a resource for human flourishing. He and Monique currently live in the greater Los Angeles area.

“City on a Hill”? U.S. Christianity at 250

As the nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we’ll look back at the role that Christianity has played in U.S. life—and with an eye toward where we go from here. This week isn’t just for history buffs. As people of faith trying to navigate this complex time we all have much to learn from the struggles and triumphs of the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us.

Dr. Heath W. Carter is Associate Professor of American Christianity at Princeton Theological Seminary. His latest book project, entitled On Earth as it is in Heaven: Social Christians and the Fight to End American Inequality, will be published by Oxford University Press.

Dr. Samuel Eatherton is Kantor and Professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis where he leads worship, directs the choirs of the Seminary, and teaches classes on worship and formation. He and his wife Lois (also a musician) have five children, ages 16 to 25.

The Touch that Heals the World

One joy of the Incarnation is that our Lord Jesus Christ has a body eager for touch — hands that cure, feet for anointing, a lap where children sit like kings, and even the hem of his garment heals.  Come rejoice in the bodily, tactile, tangible, sacramental touch of Jesus that changes everything, blessing us here and now, guaranteeing our place someday in heaven, and ultimately healing the whole world.

Rev. Dr. Scott Bruzek is an Associate Pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton, Illinois. His preaching, teaching, and writing have focused on the beauty and rhythm of the sacramental life that orbits Christ. 

The Acts of the Apostles

The Gospels tell the story of Jesus, and the Acts of the Apostles tell the story of the church, how Jesus became a people.  This is our story.  Come and hear how, in the Acts of the Apostles, it is the touch of the church that heals the world, beginning with Pentecost when the Spirit of Jesus launched the church and continuing in Jerusalem with Peter and the twelve (Acts 1-12).

Rev. Dr. Arthur Just is a Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne. He teaches New Testament, liturgics, and sacramental theology. He also serves as seasonal pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Naples, Florida during the winter months.

Kevin Hildebrand is Cantor at Concordia Theological Seminary and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Fort Wayne, IN.

Luke: The Gospel for Outsiders Like Us

More than any of the other Gospels, Luke reveals how, by the grace of God and through the power of the Holy Spirit, surprising figures can be major players in the story of God. Our time together will explore Scriptural narratives that highlight this reality, while also reflecting on and celebrating God’s work in and through ragamuffins like us.  

Brian Davies serves as pastor of Lord of Glory Lutheran Church in Grayslake, Illinois, and as Chaplain for the Grayslake Fire District and the Round Lake Fire Protection District. He is the author of Captivating Conversations: How Christians can Reclaim the Lost Art of Listening (CPH, 2024) and Connected to Christ: Overcoming Isolation through Community (CPH, 2021). He is married to his wife, Elizabeth, who serves as the Mayor of Grayslake. Together they have three children: Kate, Megan, and Luke.

The Cross Next Door

In our week together, we’ll explore Martin Luther’s Theology of the Cross through the lens of five distinctly modern maladies: loneliness, vengeance, perfectionism, depression, and nihilism. Don’t worry, it’ll be a whole lot more fun than it sounds! Expect plenty of humorous clips and illustrations from pop culture, with a healthy dose of scripture to ground us in the grace of God as we seek to understand our neighbors (and ourselves) better. 

David Zahl is the director of Mockingbird Ministries, co-host of the Mockingcast, and author of Seculosity, Low Anthropology, and The Big Relief. He also serves on the staff of Christ Episcopal Church in Charlottesville, VA, where he and his wife, Cate, live with their three sons.

Blake Flattley is an accomplished singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He holds a BA in Humanities and an MA in Theology from Concordia University, Irvine and has served as a Worship Director for churches in Southern California, Houston, New York City and the Phoenix area. Blake currently lives with his wife Tara and their four children, Amelia, Olivia, Willa and Rowan in Southern California.

Intimacy and Order: An Invitation to Religious Spirituality 

Perhaps you’ve heard someone describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious.” And if you’ve spent much time in the church. you’ve met folks who we might say are “religious but not spiritual.” The invitation of Scripture is for us to have an intimate spirituality with God but that relationship is not meant to be divorced from Christ’s church, but rather found within it. Join us as we explore what this looks like. 

Rev. Gabe Kasper is Lead Pastor of University Lutheran Chapel in Ann Arbor, MI. He has an MDiv from Concordia Seminary St. Louis and an MPhil from Eastern Michigan University. In his spare time, Gabe enjoys soccer, reading books, listening to punk rock, and co-hosting the Pint Glass Preachers Podcast. He and his wife Melissa have 3 great kids.

Getting Through What You’re Going Through

We’re all going through something – it’s part of the human experience. So how do we get through what we’re going through? Together, we’ll explore how God meets us in our struggles and invites us to trust him, opening our eyes to the promise that everything will, in the end, be okay – even when everything doesn’t feel okay today. With the help of humor, poetry, storytelling and Scripture, you’ll be invited to look back with grace and move forward with hope.

Tanner Olson is an author, poet, and speaker living in Nashville, TN. His children’s book All The Things I Say to God was released in April 2025, and his next book of poems and essays, Getting Through What You’re Going Through, will be released in February 2026. He and his wife, Sarah, have one son, Judah, and a beloved Goldendoodle named Pancake.

Jacob – Holy Scoundrel

What can we learn from this bad boy of the Old Testament, who eventually bears the name for God’s chosen people? How do Jacob’s struggles relate to ours? What does he teach us about the long winding journey of faith, and the reach of God’s grace for flawed people? 

Rev. Matt Hoffmann has been the Lead Pastor of St. Andrews Lutheran Church and School in Park Ridge, IL since 2011. Matt and his wife Anne have two great teenage kids, Killian and Elsa. Matt serves as a chaplain of the Park Ridge Police Department and loves studying the Old Testament, early Jewish writings, history, and Renaissance art. 

The Story of Christianity in Five Objects

This series journeys through the surprising material world of Christianity, told through stories of five objects scattered across the globe. Through a patchwork of connected and varied human experiences, Chitwood takes us on a physical and historical expedition, exploring the role of incarnation, sacraments, the senses, and everyday objects that offer a deep witness to how faith is expressed through the physical and profane, not apart from them.  

Rev. Dr. Ken Chitwood is a professional religion nerd. Religion scholar, journalist, and pastor, he is on the humanities faculty of the University of Bayreuth in Bavaria and an affiliate researcher with the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture. He lives in Eisenach, Germany, with Paula (his wife) and an ever-growing menagerie of house plants.

The Gospel Wow Factor

Being a follower of Jesus is not an institutional effort, a bureaucratic pursuit, a ritualistic exercise, or moral philosophy. It is the freeing, refreshing, and surprising journey of living in God’s grace and gifts. Join Michael Newman in examining five key Biblical personalities who reveal the delightful surprises of faith. Refresh your Christian life by discovering the Gospel Wow Factor!

Rev. Michael Newman is a writer, speaker, and former president of the Texas District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. Michael loves pursuing the creative life, running the Texas roads, practicing gratitude and positivity, and spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren.

Acts: Next Steps With the First Believers

Jesus said “Follow me.” That worked great for the Gospels. But then he ascended into heaven. Now what? Suddenly, in Acts, the first Christians became a lot more like us: having to figure it out as they go. We’ll see together that the things that challenged them and solutions they found are more than a little like our own.

Dr. Conrad Gempf is a retired lecturer in New Testament at London School of Theology, where he taught and learned for over 30 years. After growing up in New Jersey at Trinity Lutheran in Clifton, he went on to a life studying the Bible – receiving his BA at Gordon College, his Masters at Boston University, his PhD at Aberdeen University, Scotland and a post-doc year at Cambridge University.

Enchantment vs Entrapment: Reconfiguring Your Gospel Imagination

Jake and Mel will explore how the power of story and play opens our faith up to a deeper sense of wonder and mystery and have revealed that God is always at work in unexpected and unfamiliar ways. They will explore the question of how an imagination captured by the Gospel, sets us free from the dominant stories of scarcity, fear, and control.

Rev. Jacob Smith is rector of the Parish of Calvary – St. George’s in Manhattan, NY and co-host of Same Old Song, the lectionary podcast of Mockingbird Ministries.

Melina Smith is Executive Director of Storymaker NYC, a ministry that provides resources to help pass on the faith to the next generation.