2024 CHURCH PLANTERS RETREAT

ROOTED IN CHRIST

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” —John 15:5

As church planters, leaders, and those passionate about the growth of God’s kingdom, we are called to be deeply rooted in Christ. This year’s retreat invites you to explore what it means to be “Rooted”—in the gospel, in community, in place, and in love. We will explore the vital connection we have in Christ which lays a foundation for both assurance and action.

Join us from October 14-17, 2024, at the Green Lake Retreat Center in Green Lake, WI, for a time of refreshment, spiritual renewal, and practical support. Our speakers will guide us through key aspects of being rooted:

• Rooted in the Gospel: Hunter Bailey will anchor us in the foundational truths of the gospel, reminding us that our strength and mission flow from Christ alone.
• Rooted in Community: Elizabeth Gibson and Mike Moses will discuss the importance of building and nurturing community, both within the church and in the broader mission field.
• Rooted in Place: Marc De Jeu and Richard Rieves will explore how to effectively contextualize the gospel in the unique environments we serve.
• Rooted in Love: Tom Ricks will conclude our time together will culminate in a discussion on how to remain deeply rooted in love as we carry out our calling.

This retreat is designed not just for church planters but for network leaders, Presbytery leaders, pastors with a heart for planting churches, and their spouses. It’s a unique opportunity for corporate worship, deep fellowship, and engaging discussions that will equip you for the work ahead.

Don’t miss this chance to be “Rooted” in your calling and to find nourishment for your soul as you continue to grow and serve. We look forward to welcoming you in October!

Keynote speakers will be our own Hunter Bailey, Marc De Jeu, Elizabeth Gibson, Terrell Huntley, Mike Moses, Tom Ricks and Richard Reeves.

Use these quicklinks to navigate to the appropriate section:

Main Session Leaders
Worship Leader
Counseling with Dr. Cron Gibson
Registration

MAIN SESSION LEADERS

Hunter Bailey serves as the EPC Church Planting Regional Director for the Midwest and Texas. He is an entrepreneur to the core. For the past two decades, he has served the church as a missionary, a campus minister, a church planter, a coach, and network leader. He’s deeply passionate about Christians impacting the stories that shape our community and culture with the truth and beauty of Christ’s kingdom. He has been married to his wife Abbie for 27 years and they have 3 children together: Hutch (22), Nola (20), and Bo (13).

Marc De Jeu serves as the EPC Church Planting Regional Director for the Northeast (Alleghenies & East), as well as the Church Health Coordinator in the Presbytery of the Alleghenies. Marc also serves as a parish associate at SOMA, the EPC church he planted in the rust belt city of Beaver Falls PA in 2010 as a neighborhood church committed to reconciliation and Christian community development. He lives in Beaver Falls with his wife of 20 years and their three teenaged children: Joe, Will, & Katie.

Elizabeth Gibson serves as the EPC Regional Director for the Mid-Atlantic which includes Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina and as the Executive Director of Northampton Church Planting Network. She and her husband Cron have planted 3 churches and currently love engaging the next generation of church planters and helping them thrive in marriage and ministry,  She and her husband Cron are empty nesters and are trying to figure out what they want to do when they grow up.

Terrell Huntley has spent the past decade serving in different capacities in non-profit organizations, such as Civil Gatherings in West Charlotte, North Carolina. While attending UNC-Charlotte, he embraced his unique life with a speech impediment. It has allowed him to view life differently and speak from that, hence the opportunity to present a TED Talk about how “Vulnerability Saves.” Terrell loves to walk people through life as a Certified Life Coach, and has also launched multiple organizations. Terrell accepts the challenge to push people past themselves. He passionately uses himself, by being vulnerable, as an instrument to bring hope to all people. Terrell has been married for 8 years to Kemi Huntley, a licensed mental health therapist, and together they have two sons named Roman and Rory.

Mike Moses serves as Lead Pastor of the Lake Forest Family of Churches in Charlotte, North Carolina. Planted in 1998 in partnership with Forest Hill Church in Charlotte, the original group of 42 met in a skating rink where Mike preached under a disco ball. Lake Forest now is a family of churches that serves 3-4,000 people in four congregations that are known for their mission activity in the community and around the world while maintaining a singular focus on following Jesus. The Lake Forest Family of Churches is committed to planting a new daughter church every 1-2 years, as well as partnering with several denominational church plants annually. Mike also is an adjunct professor of church planting at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary’s Charlotte campus.

Tom Ricks serves as the National Director of Church Planting for the EPC. He planted Greentree Community Church in Kirkwood, Mo., in 1999. He served as the congregation’s Senior Pastor until retiring from the role in early 2022. Under his leadership, Greentree planted five daughter churches: The Crossing in Columbia, Mo.; Riverside Church in Webster Groves, Mo.; City Church in St. Louis, Mo.; River City Church in St. Charles, Mo.; and The Bridge Community Church in Ferguson, Mo. He and his wife, Cindy, have been married for 40 years and have three children and seven grandchildren. He is a spirited St. Louis Blues fan, and in his spare time enjoys golf and reading historical biographies.

Richard Rieves serves as the for the EPC Church Planting Regional Director for the South/SE. He is married to Rachel, and they have three married daughters, and nine grandchildren in whom he takes great pride! Richard planted three churches: Olive Branch, MS, Fort Collins, CO, Downtown Memphis, TN. He has coached numerous church planters, and provided leadership in church planting for every presbytery in which he has worked. Hobbies include fly fishing, running, grilling, and about anything water related.

Laura Strunk is a spiritual director who lives in Maryville, TN, with her husband David, and their three spirited kiddos. She has worn various ministry hats over the last 18 years (Young Life, Missions, church planting, etc), and to each role she has brought a deep desire for people to grow in intimacy with God. He is always singing His love over us, but distinguishing His Voice amidst the cacophony of others is difficult in our modern times. Spiritual Direction creates sacred space for increasing familiarity with that Voice as it’s found in the ordinary circumstances of the daily grind. 

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WORSHIP LEADER

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CARE AND CONNECTION

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REGISTRATION

The cost for active church planters and their spouses is FREE. Presbyteries are encouraged to scholarship the travel costs for the planters in their presbyteries.

Lodging and meal cost for network leaders, Presbytery leaders, Senior Pastor Peer Cohort participants, and all others interested in attending is $750 per person.

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