Global Missionary Army Cameroon End 21 days of Prayer Retreat
Theme –Jesus, the Protocol Breaker, Bible text Philippians 2:6-8
Christian retreats have been important to the spiritual experience and growth of many great men who stood the test of time in human history with supernatural breakthrough that have been recorded in great books. Retreats have been times of prayer and knowing God’s love and presence. Yet to others, retreats have not always been part of the experience of many who confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior but find themselves limited to place and time as to many traditional denominational churches, which most often is reserve to priests and pastors for their theological discussions. “Retreats”, to them are more like teaching seminars aimed at theological impartation and refreshment, friendship sharing with colleagues, and free time. These often result to members appearing desperately tired or spiritually depleted who would seek out the retreat speaker or someone to share burdens
To GMAC, “Retreat” gives prayer opportunities a source of spiritual refreshment and mental experiences of a sense of connection with God and the laying down of our burdens upon Christ, while spending quality time to listen and hear from God through spiritual encounters and through His holy word.
Series of key presentations on diversified prayer topics on burning social issues, family concerns and also individual levels. A wider devotional life and a committed life of faith emphasized to members present. “Oh My God! How I longed for a fuller and longer experience guided by people who had walked further on this prayer path”. Exclaimed the writer
“Experience within GMAC mountain retreat, showed me that there were no closed doors to anything that is Christian and helpful, with the yearning to experience the life of prayer” …. A participant shares her story.
“It is clear and should be noted that, Christian retreating has grown greatly in recent times, even within traditions where this phenomenon was previously not practiced. Current retreating has an important place in GMAC and Christian Spirituality through the retreats undertaken by clergy, as well as a significant number of lay people benefiting from retreats”. The General Overseer reiterated!
The forms retreats take remains a fundamental questions. Modern examples of retreats take place in a context of drawing from Christian traditions, whether this is done deliberately or unawares. Therefore, withdrawing to pray and experience God’s presence gleans from historical manifestations of Christian devotion and its roots lie deep in Christian practice
Believers from many traditions currently practice Christian retreats. Retreating for deepening Christian spirituality, whether viewed in such terms or not, has become a widespread and diverse practice. The experience of Christian retreat involves a wide variety of devotional practices as well as spiritual and psychological experiences. This means that the study of retreats takes place within an arena where prayer, mystical encounter and personal transformation are experienced.
CHRISTIAN RETREATS has many applications with respect to withdrawal in some way. Retreat may refer to a time away from the normal or common aspects of life. It can also refer to a place at which to be away from a working or everyday environment. Retreat can, in addition, indicate an attitude or state of mind that is withdrawn from a general mode of operation. Including "Christian" as an adjective before "retreat" implies that Jesus the Christ is the specific reason for retreating, the focus for the retreat, or a foundation for the retreat. The Christian life involves worshiping God and experiencing relationship with God through the risen Christ and the Holy Spirit. The central need in Christian retreat is thus to meet with Jesus Christ. Such meeting requires communication with God through the reality of the risen Christ's intercessory help. “Prayer” is the name for such communication.
According to Griffin (1997:17):
“Spiritual retreat is simply a matter of going into a separate place to seek Christian growth in a disciplined way. Retreat offers us the grace to be ourselves in God's presence without self-consciousness, without masquerade. Retreat provides the chance to be both physically and spiritually refreshed. It is the blessed opportunity to spend time generously in the presence of God. In such a time, God helps us to empty ourselves of cares and anxieties, to be filled up with wisdom and restores us”.
By Dav Mif