HEMET, Calif. – Colon cancer crippled Kirk Beard’s walk with the Lord earlier this year. Two surgeries. Much pain. Bedridden for two months and dependent on his wife April’s 24/7 care. It was hard to keep his – and her! – focus on Jesus as they had during a nearly 30-year stint in the gospel ministry.
But then Beard received “a random email,” to use his words, telling him about Refresh Retreats: a three-day, two-night getaway arranged by the North American Mission Board (NAMB).
“You will return to your fields recharged and ready to glorify the Lord with hearts aligned toward His purposes,” was the promise he read.
Beard told his wife, “You know what? We’re going to do this!”
Once they arrived, the event turned out to be even better than they had hoped.
“They were just so kind to us, caring to us, really made us feel special and loved. There was just a really good atmosphere, really encouraging,” Beard said.
One speaker spoke about Moses and Pharoah and the need to have faith over fear. “Exactly what I’ve been dealing with,” Beard said. “It was speaking exactly to me.”
Mealtime conversations with other pastors and their wives were another blessing the Beard couple received from Refresh.
“We sat at a table with pastors from northern California, southern California and Texas,” Beard said. “I was able to encourage them, to say [to someone dealing with a situation he had walked through], ‘I did that, and here are some ideas.’ I got to encourage him, and of course, I was encouraged also.”
There also was downtime for the couple to talk and walk together on a balmy Southern California beach without any pastoral pressures, and when the pastor was in sessions with his peers, his wife was meeting in sessions with other pastors’ wives.
Tim Dowdy, NAMB’s vice president of evangelism, oversees the Refresh Retreats, which in 2026 are set to take place six times across America, for about 100 couples per location in San Diego, Calif.; Oconee, Ga.; Branson, Mo.; and at The Cove near Asheville, N.C.
“Ministry couples need an opportunity to take an intentional break to meet with the Lord, get some rest, and refresh their hearts,” Dowdy said. “Most of these leaders live at a frenetic pace, so Refresh Retreats provide spiritual encouragement through the worship gatherings but also time together with zero ministry responsibilities. This is truly a time to refresh their souls and refuel for the ministry ahead.”
NAMB’s evangelism department leads and hosts Refresh Retreats because, “Most pastors and staff members are incredibly busy,” Dowdy said. “In fact, when they are asked how they are doing, many respond with: ‘I’m just trying to keep my head above water.’ That answer creates the image of a person about to drown.
“Here’s what I know to be true, a drowning person is very rarely interested in saving anyone else,” Dowdy continued. “If a pastor is just doing all he can to survive, he probably doesn’t have the time or ability to focus on evangelism. Our hope is to help provide a refreshing few days to help restore focus and energy on living and leading the Great Commission.”
Josh and Jacqueline Elliff started River Church in Loveland, Colo., four years ago, and the pace has increased as the church has grown into a congregation of about 80, the pastor said.
“Very few breaks the whole time, just bits here and there. We were just kind of going non-stop. Refresh was definitely timely,” Elliff said. “We had a great room in one of the lodges at The Cove [in North Carolina.] The meals were incredible, the speakers were great.
“On Saturday they told us just go take a nap. And we did! Then we went and got some coffee and just talked. It opened up some really great conversations that we’re still having. Refresh gave us a place to have those conversations, and we’re still having them, so it’s great. It led to some action in our marriage that we needed to address so we could stay healthy.”
Until the couple spent downtime in the Blue Ridge Mountains, they didn’t realize their church plant was under spiritual attack in the Colorado Rockies, Elliff said.
“When we got back, I immediately felt the spiritual weight,” the planter said. “It’s like we retreated and got resupplied and then went back into battle. Overall, what we got out of Refresh was the reminder of why we do what we do. We have got to stay connected to the Lord––how critical it is in the midst of ministry to stay connected to the Lord and draw on Him for wisdom and energy.”
NAMB started hosting retreats in 2019 before naming them Refresh Retreats to honor the legacy of Michael Catt, longtime pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga. Catt created and led similar retreats for pastors called ReFRESH throughout his lifetime.
This year’s theme was “Restore my Soul,” a topic broad enough to allow speakers to address it as they were led from God’s perspective, said Robert Smith Jr., Distinguished Professor at Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School. He was one of the speakers this year, first at The Cove in North Carolina, and later in San Diego.
“Everyone comes there with stress,” Smith said about attendees. “It’s a unique kind of stress pastors have. Those who come to Refresh have an instant camaraderie with the other couples, because they have an instant identification with them. They come to not only survive the ministry but to thrive in the ministry.
“Wives get a chance to share with other wives,” Smith continued. “It’s safe because the women they talk with know the type of things they’re going through or have gone through, so they’re able to speak freely. They form great friendships. Some are newly married, some are having babies, some are having grandbabies. It’s a wonderful thing to see people who move so quickly from being strangers to being hooked at the heart. It’s pretty neat.”
Matt Alexander said he had been to Refresh in previous years, but this was his first time as a lead pastor.
“They talked a lot about soul care,” Alexander said. “Probably the most impactful thing for me was that all the speakers were pastors and retired pastors. They were very transparent and gave practical help from the word of God.
“The thing about Refresh, whether you’re in a pit or on a mountain top, Refresh meets you at your point of need,” Alexander continued. “It helps you reflect and figure out where you are, and you leave encouraged. I told my wife we’re in a good place in our ministry, and on the last day told her we’re never going to miss because it’s so impactful.”
To learn more about and register for NAMB’s Refresh Retreats, visit www.namb.net/refresh.