“The Fall Retreat was a great catalyst for my integration into the body of believers at The Rock. It was there that I went from meeting people to getting to know, and be known by, other Christians at The Rock. I had my first long walk with Ben Heimann at one of my retreats. Ben began to take an active interest in my walk with God, and began discipling me (i.e. intentionally doing me spiritual good). He taught me how to study God’s Word and apply it to my life. He faithfully encouraged me to pursue God and rebuked me when I was in sin. Our relationship remains invaluable to me, as do countless others which either began or were strengthened by the time we spent together in Mexico, Mo. In that way, the Retreat is a great place to begin forming the type of discipling relationships in which we spur one another on toward being fruitful, loving and faithful Christians. It also was a great way to meet people who I might never have spoke to before or after a Saturday evening service. During football games or around the bonfire, I found myself meeting dozens of people who I hadn’t known before. As an introvert, this immensely valuable.” 

“The fellowship was awesome at the fall retreats. My favorite memories of fellowship were around the campfire, cooking in the kitchen, staying up late and playing games, and individual fellowship with the Lord, reading the Bible and praying!” 

-Sitting around the fire, listening to people play guitar and sing, making S’mores.
-People huddled together in the chapel in the morning, praising God, and trying to stay warm.
-Open mic at the coffee shop where people could share whatever they wanted: a song, a poem, a joke, whatever!
-The presence of great joy the morning of the baptisms as people gather by the water, and the nervousness and excitement of those sharing their testimony.
-The difference between the drive to the retreat and the drive back. On the way back, it’s still fun, but there’s, I don’t know, this shared feeling of everyone processing what God has laid on each person’s heart over the weekend.

What makes the fellowship at the fall retreat so special?
“You are forced to talk about the Bible and your walk with God with other people. It is much more difficult to hide from conversations about your life and God’s Word when everything you are hearing that weekend is about Jesus Christ. The natural conversation starter becomes, “So, what did you think about that message? Isn’t God’s mercy for sinner’s like us amazing? How do you think that passage of scripture applies to your life?” - Trevor

“I believe fellowship was always so special at the fall retreats because it was such a short intense weekend in a place faraway from the crazy and busy campus life! It always came at just the right time, too! After a few intense weeks of starting back into the fall semester, it was a much needed getaway!” - Becky

“I think the fellowship so special because the relationships you’ve been building since August have a chance to really take root in your life at the retreat. It’s a chance to be really raw with people about whatever is going on in your life at the time, and it’s a really safe place to do it, because everyone’s in the same spot. Everyone has something that God has put on their heart, something that God is opening their eyes to, and it’s such a beautiful thing to see the community embrace each other and walk with each other through those things. I’ve seen God move mountains at these retreats, but only when people are willing to let Him.” - Beth