7 Reasons Why You Should Have An Annual Planning Retreat For Your Church
The bulletin needs finishing
Someone’s asking about tables for the potluck
The sink in the church kitchen is leaking again
…And your inbox is full of half-answered emails.
So much of ministry is lived in the swirl of the immediate—reactive, necessary, busy. And sometimes meaningful, yes. But often it leaves little room for the chance to ask: Where are we actually going?
That’s where the idea of a planning retreat comes in - we’re not talking about a long weekend of spreadsheets and strategies. We’re talking about stepping away—literally—from the building and the bulletin and the “Sunday is always coming” cycle. We’re talking about gathering a few thoughtful, trusted leaders from your congregation, and giving yourselves the gift of time and space to ask:
What has God been doing in our church this past year?
Where do we feel nudged, called, or stirred for the year ahead?
What have we stopped doing (intentionally or not), and what’s missing as a result?
What kind of church do we want to become—over the next year, the next five years?
#1 You Create Space to Reflect, Not Just React
A LOT of church leaders spend their weeks putting out fires (or what feel like fires). A retreat gives you a chance to step back and actually look at the landscape. What ministries are thriving? Which ones feel tired or unfocused? Where have you seen signs of growth or new life in your congregation?
Without intentional space to reflect, you’re just surviving day to day - no wonder so many are counting the days to retirement or considering a new career - this is not why you were called ministry.
#2 You Discover What Actually Matters Right Now
Busyness can make everything feel equally important and you continue to just what has always been done becuase you don’t have time to step back and ask “does this really matter anymore?”. A planning retreat helps you and your leaders identify what TRULY needs attention. Maybe it’s rebuilding your pastoral care group up. Maybe it’s intentionally connecting generations that have grown apart. Maybe it’s developing your leaders so ministry isn’t falling to the same few exhausted people. When you step back, priorities become clearer.
#3 You Notice What’s Slowly Fading
Not every decline comes with a crisis. Sometimes it’s a slow drift:
Bible study participation quietly slips.
Your prayer life as leaders in the church thins out.
People stop attending church events beyond Sunday mornings.
Naming these trends in a retreat setting allows space for compassion and honesty—without shame—and helps you course-correct.
#4 You See Where God Might Be Moving
In the middle of our routines, it’s easy to miss the whispers of the Spirit. But when you give yourself time to pray, listen, and dream together, you often begin to see patterns, hear nudges, and find unity around a calling. Perhaps your church is being drawn into deeper neighbourhood engagement, or to start something new with children or seniors, or to revive a commitment to hospitality. Retreats offer space to notice and discern.
#5 You Uncover Gaps You Couldn’t See in the Busyness
Without realizing it, your church may have slowly lost connection with a whole segment of your congregation. Or maybe you’re relying too much on one staff member or volunteer without realizing the strain.
Planning retreats let you ask:
Who’s missing from our conversations?
What areas have we unintentionally neglected?
Where do we need more structure, support, or clarity?
This kind of big-picture thinking is hard to do between meetings. A retreat gives it room.
#6 You Strengthen Relationships Among Your Leaders
When people step away together—away from church walls, meetings, and to-do lists—they remember why they care. Conversations deepen. Trust grows. Vision is shared, not just reported. This doesn’t have to mean renting a fancy lodge - although, we highly recommend Crieff Hills if it’s not to far from your church. Even a simple afternoon in someone’s backyard or even at a neighbouring church can create meaningful connection that builds a stronger, healthier leadership culture.
#7 You Rediscover Purpose and Hope
Perhaps most importantly, a planning retreat can stir up what has been buried under the surface: a sense of calling, of clarity, of renewed energy. You might find yourselves laughing again, dreaming again, daring to hope that something new is possible. This kind of hope can be hard to come by when your days are filled with maintenance. But it is often uncovered when we make space for it.
You don’t need to plan a perfect event or come away with a five-year strategic plan. But carving out intentional space with your team, even just once a year, can breathe fresh life into your shared ministry. And here at Ministry Forum, we’ll be sharing more tools and reflections on planning, purpose, and sustainable ministry in the months to come. This is just the beginning.