Despite the snow and ice created by Winter Storm Fern, more than 300 attendees recently attended the annual Bivocational Ministers and Wives Retreat in Pigeon Forge.
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The retreat, held Jan. 29-31, featured numerous keynote speakers, a wide variety of breakout sessions and plenty of intentional “down time” for pastors and their wives. The speakers and the breakout sessions focused on the theme of “battling burnout.”
Roger Britton, bivocational ministry specialist for the TBMB, said he believed each of the attendees came away from the retreat feeling renewed, relaxed and revived.
This year’s event included a new feature — attendees were treated to medical checkups at no cost. The checkups were done by a medical-ministry team from First Baptist Church Smithville.
Intentional focus
Both Britton and Joe Sorah, TBMB team leader for Strengthening Gospel Leaders, said that the central theme at this year’s retreat was especially timely and meaningful, noting that burnout among pastors is at an all-time high.
“The theme of this retreat was not something we rushed through or created from ourselves,” said Britton. “God placed it on the hearts of the Bivocational Council as we met in person, prayed, and talked through the many ideas.
“Ultimately we sensed, together, that burnout was the one God wanted us to focus on. From there, we broke the theme down into specific needs and intentionally prayed for God to lead us to the right speakers, musicians, and breakout leaders for both men and women.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by David Dawson and originally published by the Baptist and Reflector.
