A 2022 Barna survey found that 42% of pastors have given serious thought to quitting the ministry in the last year (Barna.com). That number had climbed 13-points from the previous year. Stress and loneliness were cited as the top two reasons for wanting to quit. FEC understands the pressures that ministry leaders face and provides opportunities to support them. One of those opportunities is SHIFT, retreats held twice yearly at Miracle Camp in Lawton, Michigan. SHIFT retreats are bridging the gap for pastors like Scott Wildenberg.
Scott Wildenberg planted True North Church in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, in 2006, and has led the church through conflict and covid in the last five years. Seeking rest and refreshment, Scott and his wife, Wendy, attended a FEC Soul Care Retreat in 2021 for lead pastors and their wives. At Soul Care, they heard about SHIFT retreats. He and Wendy agreed that he needed to go.
During the first retreat, the pastors were encouraged to take more time to reflect. Scott said, “At that time I needed to reflect on what had happened to us in the church and covid. I was challenged to ask myself, ‘What does it mean to be successful in serving the Lord?’” Ultimately, Scott was able to affirm that “success isn’t in all the external things that we look at but in being faithful to the Lord’s calling the best that we can.”
SHIFT stands for Soul Health Immersive Formation Training, and the retreats focus on pastoral health in six key areas. The pastors stay connected between retreats through small groups called Band of Brothers.
In September, Scott will travel to Miracle Camp in Lawton, Michigan, for another SHIFT retreat and to reunite with his Band of Brothers in person.
