The Purpose of Christian Retreats
Christian retreats serve multiple purposes, all centered around nurturing faith and fostering meaningful connections. Unlike vacations focused solely on relaxation or entertainment, retreats are intentionally designed with spiritual growth in mind.
At their core, Christian retreats provide the gift of time—time away from distractions, time for deepening relationships with God and others, and time for personal reflection. The word "retreat" itself suggests a strategic withdrawal, not in defeat, but to gain perspective and renew strength.
For many participants, retreats offer a rare opportunity to disconnect from technology and reconnect with what matters most. As one retreat attendee at Camp Tekoa shared, "Tekoa has such a fun and unique way of connecting us with one another, with God, and with God's glorious creation." This sentiment captures the transformative power of stepping away from daily routines to experience God in community and in nature.
Retreats also cultivate an environment where spiritual breakthroughs can happen. Away from familiar surroundings, participants often find themselves more open to God's voice and more willing to wrestle with difficult questions or long-held assumptions. The combination of focused teaching, shared experiences, and natural beauty creates fertile ground for renewal and transformation.
Types of Christian Retreats
Christian retreats come in various forms, each tailored to meet the needs of specific groups while maintaining the central focus on spiritual growth and community building.
1. Youth Retreats
Youth retreats provide teenagers with a formative experience away from school pressures and social media. At Camp Tekoa, youth retreats combine adventure activities like ziplines and high ropes courses with worship, small group discussions, and opportunities for personal faith decisions.
Kevin Ward, a Youth Pastor from Mooresville, NC, notes, "I continue to bring youth on retreats to Camp Tekoa because time and time again I have seen the transformative power of God's grace through Tekoa and the activities they offer for groups!" These retreats often become milestone moments in young people's faith journeys, with many citing retreat experiences as pivotal in their spiritual development.
2. Small Group and Adult Retreats
Small group retreats foster deeper connections among church members who might only see each other briefly on Sundays. These gatherings allow for more in-depth discussions, vulnerable sharing, and collaborative spiritual practices. The intimate setting of a small group retreat can strengthen bonds that sustain faith communities long after the retreat ends.
Adult retreats often focus on specific themes like prayer, Scripture study, or life transitions. These retreats might include more contemplative elements while still incorporating fellowship and outdoor activities. Camp Tekoa's variety of meeting spaces, from the cozy Laurel Main room to the rustic Chapel in the Woods, provides perfect settings for adults to engage in meaningful conversations and spiritual practices.
3. Women's and Men's Retreats
Gender-specific retreats address the unique spiritual journeys and challenges faced by women and men. These retreats may incorporate elements of creativity and relational growth or might focus on leadership, accountability, and authentic faith expression. Tekoa can create safe spaces for discussing gender-specific faith challenges and celebrating the particular ways God works in and through women and men. Both types of retreats foster supportive communities that extend beyond the retreat itself.
4. College Ministry Retreats
The college years represent a critical time of faith formation and potential drift from religious practice. College ministry retreats provide students with an anchor during this transitional phase, connecting them with peers who share their values and mentors who can guide their spiritual growth.
These retreats often balance deeper theological discussions with fun, high-energy activities, recognizing that college students are wrestling with big questions while still appreciating playful community building. Camp Tekoa's blend of adventure elements and serene natural settings makes it an ideal location for college groups seeking both intellectual stimulation and experiential faith practices.
5. Corporate and Team-Building Retreats
While less explicitly religious in focus, corporate and team-building retreats at Christian centers like Camp Tekoa still incorporate values-based activities and reflective practices. These retreats help workplace teams develop stronger connections, clearer communication, and shared purpose.
The low elements challenge course at Camp Tekoa offers ideal activities for corporate groups, presenting teams with problems that require collaboration and creative thinking to solve. These experiences often serve as metaphors for workplace challenges, while the peaceful mountain setting encourages the kind of big-picture thinking that busy offices rarely accommodate.
What to Expect Day-by-Day
Most Christian retreats follow a general rhythm, though specific schedules vary based on the group's needs and the retreat's purpose. Here's what a typical retreat at Camp Tekoa might look like:
Day One: Arrival and Orientation
The retreat journey begins with arrival and check-in, usually in the afternoon or early evening. After settling into your cabin or lodge, the first gathering typically includes a welcome session where the retreat theme is introduced, and initial community-building activities help break the ice among participants.
The first evening often includes a worship service that sets the spiritual tone for the weekend, followed by a time of fellowship over dessert or a campfire at one of Camp Tekoa's outdoor gathering spots. Many retreats include a nighttime activity like stargazing or a moonlight hike on the first evening, taking advantage of the camp's beautiful natural setting.
Day Two: Deep Engagement
The full retreat days typically begin with morning devotions or quiet time, allowing participants to center themselves before the day's activities. Breakfast in the dining hall offers a chance for informal connections before the morning's main sessions, which might include worship, teaching, and small group discussions related to the retreat theme.
After lunch, many retreats at Camp Tekoa incorporate adventure activities or outdoor experiences. Participants might challenge themselves on the high ropes course, glide across the lake on the zipline, or hike one of the camp's scenic trails. These activities aren't merely recreational—they often serve as powerful metaphors for faith journeys and create shared experiences that deepen group bonds.
Evening sessions frequently represent the spiritual high point of the retreat, with extended worship, testimonial sharing, and opportunities for response or commitment. The campfire circle at Camp Tekoa provides a particularly meaningful setting for these pivotal evening gatherings, where the walls between heaven and earth often seem thinner than in everyday life.
Day Three: Integration and Return
The final day of a retreat focuses on integrating insights and preparing to return to daily life. Morning sessions might address practical application of retreat lessons, while closing ceremonies often include communion or another meaningful ritual that marks the retreat experience as sacred.
Before departure, many groups participate in a service project or cleanup activity, expressing gratitude for the retreat center and extending the spirit of service beyond the retreat itself. Final group photos at iconic camp locations like the lake or chapel help commemorate the experience.
The journey home carries its own significance, as participants begin processing their experiences and considering how retreat insights might transform their everyday lives. Many retreat leaders encourage journaling or paired conversations during this transition time to help solidify retreat takeaways.
Activities and Programming
The activities offered during a Christian retreat significantly influence its impact. Camp Tekoa boasts an impressive variety of options that support different aspects of the retreat experience:
1. Adventure Elements
Adventure activities often push participants beyond their comfort zones, creating powerful metaphors for faith development. Camp Tekoa's adventure offerings include:
- The "Big Zip" double zipline that launches from a 45-foot tower
- A challenging 35-foot high ropes course
- The thrilling 70-foot giant swing
- A lake zipline that sends participants soaring over the water
- Tree climbing experiences in majestic Tulip Poplars
These activities aren't just for thrill-seeking—they build trust, encourage mutual support, and often serve as tangible illustrations of faith concepts like surrender, trust, and overcoming fear.
2. Outdoor Activities
The 354-acre Camp Tekoa property offers numerous outdoor spaces for recreation and reflection:
- A spring-fed 3-acre lake with swimming, canoes, and paddle boats
- An exciting rope swing over the lake
- Multiple hiking trails of varying difficulty
- An 18-hole disc golf course
- A full-size activity field for group games
- A meditation trail for contemplative walks
These natural settings provide both active recreation and quiet spaces for personal reflection. Many retreat participants report experiencing God's presence most powerfully during unstructured time in nature, whether watching a mountain sunrise or sitting beside a babbling stream.
3. Indoor Programming
When weather doesn't cooperate or for more focused sessions, Camp Tekoa offers comfortable indoor spaces:
- The dining hall, which seats 185 for meals and meetings
- Laurel Main, a versatile meeting space for up to 75 people
- Smaller meeting rooms in various lodges for breakout discussions
- The open-air pavilion, which bridges indoor comfort and outdoor beauty
These spaces host worship services, teaching sessions, group discussions, and creative activities that form the core content of most retreats. Comfortable meeting areas allow participants to focus on spiritual matters without distraction, while flexible setups accommodate different teaching and learning styles.
4. Team-Building Exercises
The Low Elements Challenge Course at Camp Tekoa specifically targets group cohesion and collaborative problem-solving. Elements like the PB & J Log, Whale Watch, and Spider Web present groups with challenges that can only be overcome through communication, cooperation, and creative thinking.
These activities often prompt deeper discussions about church community, the body of Christ, and how diverse gifts and perspectives strengthen the whole. Skilled facilitators can draw powerful spiritual lessons from these seemingly simple challenges.
The Spiritual Elements
While activities and accommodations create the framework, the spiritual elements constitute the heart of a Christian retreat. These vary somewhat based on denominational background and retreat focus, but typically include:
1. Worship Sessions
Corporate worship through music, prayer, and scripture reading features prominently in most Christian retreats. These sessions often feel more intimate and immersive than typical Sunday services, with participants experiencing fewer distractions and more emotional openness.
The natural acoustics of Camp Tekoa's Chapel in the Woods enhance worship experiences, while the campfire circle creates a particularly meaningful evening worship setting. Many retreat participants report that worship feels more authentic and impactful in these settings than in their everyday church environments.
2. Teaching and Scripture Engagement
Most retreats include focused teaching sessions addressing the retreat theme. Unlike weekly sermons, retreat teaching can develop concepts over multiple sessions, incorporate interactive elements, and allow for extended reflection and application discussions.
Bible study approaches vary widely, from traditional expository teaching to creative engagement methods. The retreat setting allows for more experimental approaches that might not fit within typical church programming.
3. Prayer Experiences
Retreats often incorporate various prayer practices beyond what participants might experience in their home churches. These might include:
- Extended personal prayer time in nature
- Prayer walks on the meditation trail
- Guided group prayers focusing on specific themes
- Prayer partnerships for mutual support
- Prayer stations offering multisensory engagement
- Contemplative prayer practices
Many retreat participants discover new ways of connecting with God through these varied prayer experiences, taking home practices that enrich their daily spiritual lives.
4. Small Group Discussions
Smaller breakout groups allow for deeper processing of retreat content and more personal sharing than larger sessions permit. These groups build trust through repeated meetings throughout the retreat, often becoming safe spaces for vulnerability and authentic questions.
Camp Tekoa's multiple indoor and outdoor gathering spaces facilitate these intimate group conversations, from rocking chairs on the Laurel Back Porch to quiet corners of the meditation trail. Many retreat participants cite these small group connections as the most valuable aspect of their retreat experience.
Accommodations and Facilities
The practical aspects of accommodations significantly impact retreat experiences. Camp Tekoa offers a range of options to suit different group needs and budgets:
1. Lodging Options
Camp Tekoa in Hendersonville features a 285-bed facility with 28 rooms across 12 buildings. During colder months (mid-October to mid-April), the heated buildings provide 199 beds across 6 buildings. Lodging options include:
- Cedar Cabin with 64 beds across 4 rooms
- William's Cabin with 24 beds across 2 rooms and handicap accessibility
- Laurel Lodge with 16 beds across 2 rooms and WiFi access
- Several 20-bed cabins with varying amenities
For groups seeking a more rustic experience, the 64-bed Adventure Base offers a "glamping" option with 16 beds in each of 4 adventure shelters.
2. Dining Experiences
Meals serve as important community-building times during retreats. Camp Tekoa's dining hall seats 185 people and features:
- Industrial coffee and tea makers for groups' caffeine needs
- Portable tables allowing flexible seating arrangements
- Proximity to the open-air pavilion for expanded seating
Groups will be able to arrange catered meal service through Camp Tekoa's food service.
3. Meeting Spaces
Various meeting spaces accommodate different group sizes and activities:
- The dining hall for large group gatherings
- Laurel Main for mid-sized meetings (seats 75)
- The Chapel in the Woods for outdoor worship (seats 50)
- The Open-Air Pavilion for flexible programming
- The campfire circle for evening gatherings (seats 250)
These diverse spaces allow retreat planners to create different atmospheres for various sessions, from intimate discussions to high-energy large group activities.
How to Prepare for Your Retreat
Proper preparation enhances the retreat experience for leaders and participants alike. Consider these aspects when preparing for a Christian retreat at Camp Tekoa:
1. What to Pack
Beyond basic clothing and toiletries, helpful items include:
- Bible and journal for personal reflection
- Appropriate footwear for various activities (hiking boots, water shoes, athletic shoes)
- Weather-appropriate outerwear (rain jacket, warm layers for cool mountain evenings)
- Flashlight or headlamp for nighttime navigation
- Water bottle for staying hydrated during activities
- Twin sheets or sleeping bag for cabin accommodations
- Any personal items that support your spiritual and recreational practices
Camp Tekoa provides detailed packing lists for specific retreat types.
2. Mental and Spiritual Preparation
The retreat experience begins before arrival with intentional preparation:
- Set personal goals or questions to explore during the retreat
- Practice media fasting before the retreat to ease the transition
- Read Scripture passages related to the retreat theme
- Journal about current spiritual challenges or questions
- Pray for openness to what God might reveal during the retreat
This preparation creates fertile soil for the seeds that will be planted during the retreat experience.
3. Group Preparation
For retreat organizers and church leaders, advance planning ensures a smoother experience:
- Communicate clear expectations about schedules and participation
- Prepare participants for potentially challenging activities
- Address practical questions about accommodations and food
- Create intentional room assignments that foster new connections
- Recruit and prepare small group facilitators
Groups that arrive with shared expectations and prepared leadership tend to experience more cohesive and impactful retreats.
The Impact of Christian Retreats
The true value of Christian retreats emerges in their lasting impact on individuals and communities. Participants and leaders consistently report several key outcomes:
1. Spiritual Renewal
Many describe retreats as spiritually refreshing "mountaintop experiences" that reignite faith commitments. As one Camp Tekoa testimonial states: "Camp Tekoa is a very calming and spiritual place for families to share a quiet and meaningful and fun time together in retreat."
These intensive spiritual experiences often sustain believers through subsequent spiritual dry spells or challenging seasons. The concentrated nature of retreat experiences creates memories and touchpoints that participants can revisit during ordinary times.
2. Community Building
Retreats forge deeper connections among church members who might otherwise maintain surface-level relationships. The combination of shared experiences, vulnerable conversations, and unstructured fellowship time creates bonds that strengthen entire faith communities.
Will Busch, from Winston-Salem, NC, observes: "The reason as a youth pastor that I visit Tekoa is because it is a beautiful picture of what we should strive our groups to be." This vision of authentic Christian community often transfers back to home churches after the retreat ends.
3. Personal Transformation
Individual breakthroughs commonly occur during retreats—whether decisions for baptism, vocational clarity, resolution of long-standing questions, or healing from past wounds. The retreat setting creates space for the Holy Spirit to work in powerful ways that busy daily schedules might hinder.
These transformative moments become reference points in personal faith narratives, with many believers marking their spiritual journeys by significant retreat experiences.
Planning Your Own Retreat at Camp Tekoa
If you're considering organizing a retreat at Camp Tekoa, several factors will shape your planning process:
1. Seasonal Considerations
While Camp Tekoa operates year-round, different seasons offer distinct advantages:
- Spring and fall feature comfortable temperatures and beautiful mountain scenery
- Winter retreats in heated buildings (175 -bed capacity) offer cozy gathering spaces
- Early booking is essential for popular weekends in any season
The surrounding Hendersonville area also offers seasonal attractions, from nearby ski facilities in winter to hiking in DuPont State Forest during warmer months.
2. Programming Options
Camp Tekoa offers flexible programming options:
- Self-led retreats where groups bring their own speakers and content
- Activity packages that include facilitated adventure elements
- Custom programming tailored to specific group needs
- Specialized retreats like the annual Confirmation Retreat or Youth Pastor Retreat
When booking, discuss your group's specific goals with Camp Tekoa staff to create an optimal experience.
3. Location Benefits
Camp Tekoa's location offers numerous advantages:
- Proximity to Asheville, Hendersonville, and Brevard
- Access to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Pisgah National Forest
- Nearby attractions like the Biltmore Estate
- The beauty and serenity of the "Land of Four Seasons"
These geographic benefits enhance the retreat experience and provide options for group outings during free time.
Conclusion
A Christian retreat represents far more than a simple getaway—it's an intentional journey into deeper faith, stronger community, and renewed purpose. At Camp Tekoa, where mountains cradle sacred spaces and adventure activities build trust among participants, retreats become transformative experiences that echo long after departure.
Whether you're seeking renewal for your youth group, deeper connections among your small group, or spiritual refreshment for yourself, a Christian retreat offers a powerful opportunity to step away from daily distractions and into God's presence. The combination of natural beauty, intentional programming, and community support creates an environment where God often speaks most clearly.
As you consider your next step in faith, perhaps a retreat at Camp Tekoa should be part of your journey. Contact Camp Tekoa today at (828) 692-6516 to learn more about retreat options and available dates, or email the Bill Porter, Retreats and Hospitality Director, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
If you already know this is where you’d like to come, you can book online here. Your mountain-top experience awaits in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina!