Deep within our hearts is a desire to experience a growing intimacy with God. He invites us to a deeper relationship with Him, yet many challenges are present in realizing the fulfillment of our desire. This retreat will explore and unpack how our view of God, our core longings and responses, the false values we hold, and our emotions can be barriers to growing our intimacy with Him. We will further explore how we can overcome those barriers with truth, thereby creating gateways to intimacy with God. There will be opportunity to discuss and practice various methods of connecting with Him in meaningful ways.
Growing Intimacy with God Session Topics
RETREAT FORMAT (6 sessions)
Curriculum: Growing Intimacy with God for retreats (available from Thrive Ministries)
Each session has a teaching component (done in large group) and experiential component and a time of prayer (done in small groups). Personal reflection time is provided within or between sessions.
Session 1: Introduction and My View of God – Introduction to Spirit led process, group safety, sharing symbols & 3R’s centering prayer exercise. My view of God and how that has been impacted by my family relationships during my formative years.
Session 2: God Given Core Longings & Needs – What are core longings, recognizing our dysfunctional responses to unmet longings and going to God in repentance
Session 3: The Lies we Believe – Introduction to the steps to healing including, life situations, dysfunctional behavioral responses, dealing with emotional upheaval, lies and distortions and wounding in life; assessment of 4 core false beliefs (lies) and focus on scriptural truth
Session 4: Focusing on Truth – Experiential session related to truth(s) God has revealed to participants during their personal reflection time
Session 5: Grieving our Losses (lamenting) – Emotions – ours and Jesus’; unhealthy and healthy emotional responses; reflection on Jesus’ Garden of Gethsemane experience of lamenting; personal lamenting before God
Session 6: Spiritual Temperaments & Intimacy with Jesus and Farewell – What are spiritual temperaments and opportunity to engage in activities related to specific temperaments. Experiential communion and reflection on how God met participants during the retreat. Next steps & group evaluation.
SMALL GROUP FORMAT (8-weeks)
Curriculum: Growing Intimacy with God for small groups (available from Thrive Ministries)
Each week has a teaching component (done in large group) and experiential component and a time of prayer (done in small groups)
Week 1: Introduction to GIWG – introduction to the Holy Spirit, group safety, sharing symbols, 3R’s exercise
Week 2: My View of God– and how that has been impacted by my family relationships during my formative years. Introduction to Lectio Divina
Week 3: God Given Core Longings & Needs – Core longings and our dysfunctional responses to unmet longings in 4 categories: medicating the pain, self-protection, self-provision and punishment of self and others. prayer of repentance
Week 4: The Lies We Believe – introduction to the steps toward healing including life situations, dysfunctional behavioral responses, dealing with emotional upheaval, lies and distortions and wounding in life; assessment of 4 core false beliefs (lies) and scriptural truth
Week 5: Focusing on Truth – Experiential session related to truth(s) God has revealed to participants during the week; Who I am in Christ scriptures
Week 6: Grieving our Losses – Emotions ours and Jesus’; unhealthy and healthy emotional responses; reflection on Jesus’ Garden of Gethsemane experience of lamenting; personal lamenting before God (homework)
Week 7: Spiritual Temperaments – what are they and experientials related to specific temperaments
Week 8: Intimacy with Jesus & Farewell – Experiential communion and reflection on how God has met them during the group; next steps & group evaluation
Contact us for further information.
Growing Intimacy with God
Deep within our hearts is a desire to experience a growing intimacy with God. He invites us to a deeper relationship with Him, yet many challenges are present in realizing the fulfillment of our desire. This retreat will explore and unpack how our view of God, our core longings and responses, the false values we hold, and our emotions can be barriers to growing our intimacy with Him. We will further explore how we can overcome those barriers with truth, thereby creating gateways to intimacy with God. There will be opportunity to discuss and practice various methods of connecting with Him in meaningful ways.
Growing Intimacy with God Session Topics
RETREAT FORMAT (6 sessions)
Curriculum: Growing Intimacy with God for retreats (available from Thrive Ministries)
Each session has a teaching component (done in large group) and experiential component and a time of prayer (done in small groups). Personal reflection time is provided within or between sessions.
Session 1: Introduction and My View of God – Introduction to Spirit led process, group safety, sharing symbols & 3R’s centering prayer exercise. My view of God and how that has been impacted by my family relationships during my formative years.
Session 2: God Given Core Longings & Needs – What are core longings, recognizing our dysfunctional responses to unmet longings and going to God in repentance
Session 3: The Lies we Believe – Introduction to the steps to healing including, life situations, dysfunctional behavioral responses, dealing with emotional upheaval, lies and distortions and wounding in life; assessment of 4 core false beliefs (lies) and focus on scriptural truth
Session 4: Focusing on Truth – Experiential session related to truth(s) God has revealed to participants during their personal reflection time
Session 5: Grieving our Losses (lamenting) – Emotions – ours and Jesus’; unhealthy and healthy emotional responses; reflection on Jesus’ Garden of Gethsemane experience of lamenting; personal lamenting before God
Session 6: Spiritual Temperaments & Intimacy with Jesus and Farewell – What are spiritual temperaments and opportunity to engage in activities related to specific temperaments. Experiential communion and reflection on how God met participants during the retreat. Next steps & group evaluation.
SMALL GROUP FORMAT (8-weeks)
Curriculum: Growing Intimacy with God for small groups (available from Thrive Ministries)
Each week has a teaching component (done in large group) and experiential component and a time of prayer (done in small groups)
Week 1: Introduction to GIWG – introduction to the Holy Spirit, group safety, sharing symbols, 3R’s exercise
Week 2: My View of God– and how that has been impacted by my family relationships during my formative years. Introduction to Lectio Divina
Week 3: God Given Core Longings & Needs – Core longings and our dysfunctional responses to unmet longings in 4 categories: medicating the pain, self-protection, self-provision and punishment of self and others. prayer of repentance
Week 4: The Lies We Believe – introduction to the steps toward healing including life situations, dysfunctional behavioral responses, dealing with emotional upheaval, lies and distortions and wounding in life; assessment of 4 core false beliefs (lies) and scriptural truth
Week 5: Focusing on Truth – Experiential session related to truth(s) God has revealed to participants during the week; Who I am in Christ scriptures
Week 6: Grieving our Losses – Emotions ours and Jesus’; unhealthy and healthy emotional responses; reflection on Jesus’ Garden of Gethsemane experience of lamenting; personal lamenting before God (homework)
Week 7: Spiritual Temperaments – what are they and experientials related to specific temperaments
Week 8: Intimacy with Jesus & Farewell – Experiential communion and reflection on how God has met them during the group; next steps & group evaluation
Contact us for further information.
Category: Blog