Family Retreats

Getting to Know Jesus through Scripture’s Central Teachings

What’s the Bible for? To help us know stuff? Yes, but it all adds up to zero if it doesn’t help us know Jesus. Come engage the Bible’s six core teachings so that we might personally know Jesus, and know Him more deeply—His identity, values, and intentions, plus the means He gives to be joined to His family, to be real with Him, and to be part of the ongoing conversation in Him. 

Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler is the 10th Speaker of The Lutheran Hour, LHM, in St. Louis, MO. Prior to this role, he served as pastor of Epiphany Lutheran Church (2014-2018) and assistant pastor at Timothy Lutheran Church (2012-2014), both in St. Louis. Before becoming a pastor, he served as an aircraft maintenance officer in the Air Force.

Walking the Wilderness: Purpose and Presence in the In-Between

What’s next? It’s not like how it was. How’s this going to go? Whether expected or unexpected, good or bad, times of change are both disorienting and repeating occurrences in life. During the week, we’ll follow the people of Israel out of Egypt and other stories that illustrate the wilderness and “in-between” times. As we uncover the presence and promises of an unchanging God even there, we will glean meaning for our own wilderness times.

Shelly Schwalm is Director of the DCE (Director of Christian Education) Program and Assistant Professor of Christian Ministry. She is a double alum from CSP with her DCE degree and a Master’s in Creative Writing and has also served as a Bible study leader for the LCMS Youth Gathering.

Integrated: Building a Life Rooted in Grace

No one wants to waste their life. We want to live lives of purpose, virtue, and loving community.  And yet, so much of modern life pulls us into lives of distraction, isolation, and hurry. In the midst of this, Jesus invites us to something better: an integrated life. Join us for a week of practical wisdom as we learn to live rooted in the grace of God. 

Rev. Gabe Kasper is Lead Pastor of University Lutheran Chapel in Ann Arbor, MI. Prior to his current role, he spent 5 years as a church planter in Austin, TX. 

Rev. Dr. Ryan Peterson is the Senior Development and Church Relations Officer at Concordia University, St. Paul in Minnesota. He previously served in roles of Campus Pastor and Assistant Professor of Theology, and then Vice President at Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

What We Must Know

What primary things would the Christians who lived before us want us to know about seeing the world, contemplating divine mysteries, knowing ourselves, and living a life fit for the Kingdom of God? Together let’s learn from them – and even see how the Biblical narrative has been embodied in great literature – as we quest for holy life together as Church in our time.

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.

Rev. Dr. Arthur Just has been on the faculty of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, since 1984 as a Professor of Exegetical Theology. 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.

“But, What If We Didn’t?” – Learning to Let Go of Pleasing and Proving

If you’ve ever felt stuck in a life of proving your worth or held captive by the needs of others and a desire for their approval, you are not alone. Many, if not most, of us struggle with performance addiction and people-pleasing. Join Matt Popovits as he invites you to imagine a life where you say, “No,” to these pressures and embrace the gift of your own limitations. Through biblical insights and personal stories, you’ll explore how the work of Christ sets us free to do less, disappoint others, and find peace in a life that is less than perfect.

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 communication and confident leadership. For more, head to makeitsimple.org.

Shining a Light on What is in the Darkness

What the biblical authors intended about Satan and the darkness he inhabits is stranger than you might think, but not nearly as odd as the picture that’s been painted for you. Clearly, the Light shines out of the darkness, but what does the Bible actually say about who or what lurks in the shadows? 

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.

Interrupted by the Future

Could it be that the change we are experiencing is from the Spirit who invades our lives not to harm us, but for our good? We will look at the ways God moves with disruptions of grace and we respond faithfully in family, work, government, and the church.

Rev. Dr. John Nunes has served in faith-based, non-profit leadership for more than four decades. He enjoys thinking, writing, and storytelling about the ways we learn and grow together. With Monique, he currently lives in the greater Los Angeles area and serves as the interim President of California Lutheran University. 

Meeting Jesus, My Bible, and the Holy Land Again…for the First Time

Jesus lived his earthly life as a Jew in the land of Israel and within the background of first-century Galilean messianic fervor. We’ll explore how the Hebrew language, geography, and culture influenced the Bible’s narrative and Jesus’ message and first followers. Come learn the first-century Hebraic context of Jesus.

Rev. Dr. Chad Yeshayahu Foster is both an ordained LCMS pastor and an ordained rabbi. He has studied at Christian seminaries and Jewish yeshivas in England, France, and Israel. Currently, he serves as the Senior Pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Macomb, MI.

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.

As It Is Written: Reading the Bible as God Intended

God promises His Word will be a source of truth, wisdom, and guidance for us. But, that promise assumes we are reading His Word correctly. That’s not easy to do with a book written thousands of years ago, by multiple authors, in a very different culture. These lectures will explore the many ways we misread the Bible and make us better aware of the blind spots we often don’t even realize we have!

Rev. Scott Christenson serves as the Senior Pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church & School in Orange, California.

First Things First: Life Together in/as God’s Creation

“What’s past is prologue,” but how does creation, an event long ago, shape our present? We will journey through the ‘firsts’ of Christianity – The First Article, Commandment, and Book of the Bible – to rediscover our identity as creatures and our place in God’s creation. We will see how the past informs our present as we navigate life together, recognizing, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”

Rev. Warren Lattimore is a Th.D. student at Duke Divinity School and an instructor in the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program. His research focuses on First Article Theology and the history of African-American Lutheranism. Prior to matriculation, Warren served as the chairman of Camp Restore/RAI Ministries and president of the Black Clergy Caucus of the Lutheran Church. Currently, he serves on the Board of Trustees of Duke University and the Ethics Commission of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

Rev. Dr. Paul Maier is a best-selling author of fiction and nonfiction and a retired Professor of History at Western Michigan University.

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.

The Big Relief: Re-Discovering the Urgency of Grace for a Worn-Out World

We could all use a little–or a lot–of relief from the pressures of life. And there is no bigger relief than the grace of God. During our week together, we’ll seek to appreciate the beauty and depth of grace anew, outlining how it provides deep relief from the accelerating demands that characterize so much of modern life. Drawing on the witness of Scripture and a wide variety of contemporary examples, we’ll also explore the many fruits of grace, such as freedom, play, surrender, humility, rest, surprise, and joy.

David Zahl is the director of Mockingbird Ministries, co-host of the Mockingcast, and author of Seculosity, Low Anthropology, and The Big Relief. 

Better Off: Disconnecting to Reconnect

We live in an “always-on” world. This surely has its benefits, but as we all experience it also has myriad consequences—not least in how it impacts our relationship to God. Taking inspiration from one of Camp Arcadia’s mottos, we’ll look at how we as people of faith who are living amid ubiquitous devices, social media, and even A.I. can “disconnect to reconnect”—and find ourselves better off.

Rev. Dr. Ryan Tinetti is Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis and author of the book Preaching by Heart.

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.

Devoted to Prayer

In the book of Acts, early followers of Jesus were described as “devoted to prayer”. It’s an inspiring idea, but it feels unrealistic to our modern lives. Our deadlines and demands make it hard to find the time or energy to pray as we ought. In these sessions, you’ll be inspired by what’s possible in prayer and learn new ways to pray so you can be “devoted to prayer.”

Rev. Chris Paavola serves as Senior Pastor of St. Mark Lutheran Church in Battle Creek, MI.

Healthy Relationships in a Complicated World

Do you ever struggle interacting with people who are different than you? Whether it’s race, class, culture, or even morality, it can be difficult to know what to say or how to say it. We will take a deeper look into five relationships from the Bible to help you discover the skills you need to develop healthy relationships in a complicated world as a follower of Jesus.

Ashley Paavola serves on staff at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Battle Creek, MI as the Director of Youth and Family Ministry.

The Biblical Concept of Hope

We use the word all the time: “I hope it doesn’t rain today,” or, “I hope I find a new job.” But the Biblical concept of hope is so much deeper than its common, everyday use. During this time together we will explore hope in Old Testament historical books, in the writings of the Prophets, in the Psalms, in Paul’s letters, and in the life and ministry of Jesus. 

Rev. Mark Schultz has served as Senior Pastor at Trinity in Lisle, IL. He has been involved in Lutheran ministry since his graduation from Concordia College in River Forest, IL, in 1980. 

Hoping in the Face of Temptation to Despair

Loneliness, social unrest, technological and cultural change, disease, dying and death—all present powerful temptations to anger, fear, and despair. What is hope? How can we practice hope, courage, and resilience when such challenges arise? Drawing from the thoughts and experiences of Christians both ancient and modern we will explore despair and hope in order to be ready to live well through the challenges of life in a broken world.

Benjamin Parviz is a philosopher and bioethicist at Saint Louis University. He teaches courses in philosophical and theological ethics in the Christian tradition and works on ethics of despair and hope, particularly with respect to death and how to die well. 

The Wild Man in the Wilderness

Take a deep dive into the wild and fascinating life and ministry of John the Baptist!  We will explore what historians outside the Bible say about him, the deep roots of his eccentric lifestyle, and the significance of how he is portrayed in Renaissance Art.  There is so much to learn from every part of this forerunner of Christ!

Pastor Matt Hoffmann serves St. Andrews Lutheran Church and School in Park Ridge. He is married to Anne and has two awesome teenage kids. Matt serves as a police Chaplain and enjoys studying the Old Testament, Early Jewish Writings, the Church Fathers, and Renaissance art.