Rest and Refocus at Our February Retreat

As you probably know from reading this blog, we invite our church planting network to gather quarterly. This February, in place of the first quarterly of 2026, members of the network took some time away from normal daily routines for a retreat.

We spent about 24 hours together at The Ayres Center for Spiritual Development in Sewanee, TN. Attendees included church planters, their wives, and friends in the Nashville Presbytery. This offered extra time to fellowship around our shared vision and mission for both the Tennessee Valley Presbytery and the Nashville Presbytery.

We rejoiced in the good work God is doing and refocused on His kingdom and our mission to make disciples through church planting in Northwest Georgia, Tennessee, and Western Kentucky.

Dr. Robert Kim, Associate Professor of Applied Theology and Church Planting at Covenant Theological Seminary, joined us to share about the state of church planting and trends he's seeing amongst seminary students.

“It was good to hear Dr. Kim provide solid data on how church planting is making a comeback in the PCA,” said Rob Herron, Mercy Pres planting pastor. “I'm glad to hear about, and to be part of, the renewed desire for churches to be planted in our denomination across the country.”

“The retreat was an encouraging experience for both my wife Ashley and I,” said Cody Kennamer, church planting apprentice at Grace Community Trenton. “Being able to participate in these types of retreats and gatherings are vital for refreshing us through fellowship and prayer and renewing in us a vision of church planting. Events like this which seek to care for and keep church planters cared for and on mission is one of the reasons we chose to be a part of this movement.”

Rob added, “I think it's easy to get myopic and so focused on the needs and challenges of your particular ministry, that I at least forget that we're all striving toward the same end and facing the same sorts of challenges. Church planting is distinct in terms of context and dynamics, but the Church is the Church, the gospel is the gospel, and we all are dependent on the same Lord. So, I was encouraged to be with my brothers and sister who are laboring in other contexts and in other ways to see the gospel advanced.”

One reason for hosting a retreat instead of a normal quarterly gathering was to create space and time for conversations. Rob explained, “Some of the best ‘equipping moments’ at retreats like this, for me, are conversations with other pastors, especially those who have planted churches that are now in a different stage (past particularization). I always come away with fresh ideas and good counsel.”

We’re thankful for our supporters who make it possible to support our planting pastors, wives, and network partners through retreats like this. You play a vital role not only in funding church plants but also caring for the long-term health and development of our planters.