Biblical Families
Retreats Are Where It's At!
Biblical Families is all about providing in-person fellowship - we wouldn't exist without this. Though the COVID years slowed us down, after one summer retreat in 2021 in Missouri, we are ramping up our schedule in 2022. Our goal is to give an opportunity to fellowship and build relationships a few times a year. Local meetups will happen in various locations, and we'll announce them in the newsletter when we can.
Our 2022 Summer Conference and Family Retreat is on! We will be in the Tennessee mountains, Aug 18th-21th. We have a great facility, with numerous room types (including for large families). and tent camping available. Meals are offered for a reasonable price. Plenty of things to do for the kids and teens—including some planned sessions. We are looking forward to a great time of worship, teaching, growing together, and encouraging each other. If you want to know more details when they are available, drop an email now to retreats@biblicalfamilies.org.
Further regional retreats may happen any time—watch the newsletter for details.
The internet is a great tool for finding like-minded, plural friendly, Christian believers, and sharing thoughts and information. But when it comes to building real relationships, and receiving encouragement, and learning what those people are like, the internet is severely limited. There is no substitute for looking into someone's eyes while you talk to them, and greeting one another with a hug. We believe that face-to-face get-togethers are vital to building the bonds that will enable the Christian plural marriage movement to grow, and grow strong. Fear has caused too many of us to be 'loners' for too long. It's time to set aside fear and reach out!
These retreats are a great way to meet like-minded Christians, and receive support for yourself or your family. Don't miss the chance to attend at least one retreat this year! Our retreats are very interactive; there won't be classroom-style 'teaching', just sharing from those who have lived in plural families or spent time studying the Word and the biblical foundations for such families. Everyone who comes will have something to offer, and certainly something to gain.
There is NO cost for attending a retreat; an offering will be taken to help cover any meeting-room or other expenses. If it's a financial stretch to travel to a retreat, you are not expected to participate any further than your travel expenses. We want you to come and be blessed!
Send us your input on these events: staff@biblicalfamilies.org
YOU are why we have these retreats, so let us know what works for you. We can't accommodate everybody of course, but if we hear the same thing from multiple people, that's important. We wish we could come to your house, but that won't happen yet. So if meeting other "normal" plural-minded families and Christians is important to you, you'll have to make an effort, too. Just ask any of the over 600 individuals who have attended retreats since 2008 if it was worth it. And guys, the retreats are even more important for the ladies than the men—do it for them.
Past Biblical Families Retreats
2022
Coming up: Knoxville Area, TN - Aug 18th-21th. A great location for our summer family gathering, write us now for details! See what others are saying here.
Orange Beach, AL - Feb 18-20th, we had a great time at the beach. Read about it here.
2021
June - Branson, MO - retreats returned for a much needed in-person summer get-together.
Oct - ladies retreat in Indianapolis, IN
2020
February - Large crowd in Carlisle, PA
Ladies retreat and summer retreat cancelled due to COVID lockdowns
2019
March - ladies met Houston, TX - with attendees from as far as New Zealand!
April - Enjoyed some fellowship in Palatka, FL
August - Our big summer retreat was near Nashville this year, in a great location, with a big crowd.
2018
August 3-5 - Our big summer retreat, was near Nasheville, TN
March - the ladies met near St Louis, MO
Feb - Great time at a state park in central Georgia
2017
November - Austin, TX, meet many new folks here
June 30-July 4 - Annual Summer Retreat and Family Conference
Returned to a location we've used before in the Tennessee Mountains
March 10-12 - Women's Retreat, Atlanta, GA
Some of our ladies enjoyed the 6th annual ladies retreat, some of them wouldn't miss it for anything, they always come home blessed. Guys, we've got to do this too.
2016
October 21-23 - Dallas, TX
We returned to Texas after 2.5 years, and a good time with some old friends in the area, and some new families from farther away. We enjoyed some very moving worship (as always), and got to pray for individual families, and encourage everyone.
July 28-31 - North Carolina mountains
After a year off, our big summer "camp-style" retreat and conference returned in a familiar locale - we met a number of new families, and had 9 practicing plural families represented, and over 75 attendees. We enjoyed some great teaching and sharing times, meals together, and late-night fellowship - we had to turn the lights out on folks!
April 1-3 – Washington, DC
Forty-four persons joined us in the Capital City as we enjoyed some great fellowship and sharing and got back on a regular retreat schedule for 2016.
March 11-13 - Women’s Retreat in Houston, TX
A great way to start our year, sharing our individual stories of how God has moved in each of our lives in the past and how we can encourage each other in the present. It was a wonderful time of sharing, worship, prayer and laughter.
2015
Jan 16-18 – Texarkana, AR
Our first time in Arkansas, we saw families from many directions attend, including a number of newly-grown families we were able to support.
2014
Oct 31-Nov 2 – Huntsville, AL – Women's Retreat
The ladies again had a great time of teaching, encouragement, and fellowship.
Oct 10-12 – Reno, NV – West Coast Retreat
Small group of seventeen, which turned out to be a good thing, since we had such a tiny meeting room! We all enjoyed the family fellowship.
July 24-27 – Knoxville, TN
Our longest, largest (136, including children) retreat and conference yet, saw some incredible times of sharing, fellowship, and worship. Really, if you have to attend to understand exactly what a blessing this was. Ready more about it here.
Jan 24-26 – Dallas, TX
Wow, what a way to start the year! Forty-nine adults participated as we met many new Texas families, and had great times of worship and fellowship. Texas families are now organizing their own get-togethers, and it's awesome to see the support they are providing for each other. Read more about the retreat here.
2013
Dec 27-29 – Orlando, FL
We had a relaxing year-end time of fellowship for those from Florida and beyond.
October 11-13 – Atlanta, GA
Our ladies got together for their third annual Womens Retreat.
June 27-30 – Idaho
Another first: Our first Pacific Northwest retreat saw thirty-eight adults and at least as many children gather in our biggest West Coast retreat ever. We enjoyed a great outdoor location and lots of fun activities. Some stayed over to raft some local rivers. You can read more from folks who attended here.
May 24-26 – Scranton, PA
It was too cold for May, but it was warm inside as twenty-three adults (including a number of first time folks) came for our first real retreat in the Northeast. Many stuck around and enjoyed a great game night with the children on Sunday night.
2012
Our year-end retreat happened Dec 28th-30th in a campground (with hotel rooms) setting in rural North Florida. It was colder then last New Years, but we still had a great time in a beautiful setting.
Our second Ladies Retreat, was held October 12-14 in Louisville, KY. The ladies had a great time encouraging each other. Write femina@biblicalfamilies.org to stay informed on future ladies events.
Our West Coast retreat in Las Vegas, November 9-11th, was chilly outside, but warm in our meeting room. We had a wonderful time of praying for each other, and meeting some new folks.
August 10-12th, Tennessee Wow, what an incredible time this was - 5 speakers, 58 adults, and 30+ children, and a wedding! You really don't know what you are missing until you attend a summer retreat. Check out what others are saying.
Jan 1st-3rd, North Florida 34 adults had a great time in fantastic weather - we even rode go-karts! Read about it here.
2011
North Carolina, July 1st-4th We had an amazing extended time in the mountains, listening to our speakers and fellowshipping and growing together, at our first National Biblical Families Teaching Conference and Fellowship Retreat. We have posted some powerpoints here, and some video of Dr Luck speaking here.
Sacramento, CA, March 11-13th We enjoyed a small West-coast retreat (16 adults) with great teaching: someday the West coast may rival the East coast Biblical Families contingent – but not this year! You may listen to 3 messages from this retreat here (scroll down to “Retreat Session Audio”)
Southern GA, Dec 31st, 2010 - Jan 2nd, 2011: We had a wonderful time of fellowship over New Years, with some great teaching. 33 adults were present (plus children of course!), and we were blessed to hear from theologian William Luck, pretty much all day Saturday. And we are pleased to be able to share videos of much of those sessions with you here.
2010
Phoenix, AZ, Nov 5th-7th, 2010: 20 adults made this our largest West Coast retreat so far - the West coast may be a few years behind the East coast in growth, but with all the Arizona adults in attendance, we're confident this can be changed in the future. It was great to meet so many new folks that we'd been talking to.
North Carolina mountains: July 2nd-4th, 2010: We had an awesome time, in a great location, with great weather, and many of us got to stay an extra day to fellowship. Doing meals together was a great treat, and we had 55 people from all over the East Coast.
March 26th-28th, 2010: Mid-west Primary retreat, Springfield, MO We had many Mid-west members attend, and had a good time of fellowship.
GA/SC border: Jan 1-3rd, 2010: 37 adults and 38 children gathered over the holiday weekend to set yet another record for our retreats. It was cold outside, but the fellowship could not have been warmer. It was a great time of fellowshipping, including sharing meals together, in a beautiful location. We prayed for many individuals and families, and shared a common experience many have had of being given the 'left foot of fellowship' by local church bodies, many just for their belief in plural marriage. See just a few pictures here.
2009
NC mountains: March 27th-29th, 2009
We had a great time in the NC mountains! Author Tom Shipley of Man and Woman in Biblical Law joined us, and we challenged each other, and friendships were formed that will continue on. It rained half the time, but we met and ate together in the same room (a great thing for continuing the fellowship), and our spirits were not dampened. Enjoy a few pictures from the retreat here.
Orlando, FL: May 22nd-25th, 2009 (Memorial Day)
28 adults and almost as many children participated in the largest yet Biblical Families retreat. We had awesome time of fellowship, learning, sharing, building each other up, praying, and playing. The retreat officially ended Sunday afternoon, but Monday came and very few people had gone home!, and we kept on eating together and sharing until late Monday. At least 8 different states were represented. See a few retreat pictures here.
West Coast Retreat, Las Vegas, NV, October 9-11th, 2009
16 adults survived crisis, and sickness, and "The Strip" to grow together and share, and encourage each other.
2008
2008 saw Biblical Families get off the ground with 4 retreats: 2 in Orlando, one each in Oregon and Dallas. Over 100 persons attended a retreat (including children) in 2008.
East Coast, Orlando, FL area retreat, May 23rd-25th
The first "official" Biblical Families retreat is in the history books! We had 44 in attendance, representing 9 different households, and 6 states. Everyone was blessed and made new friends. Pastor Randy brought some timely and on-target messages on family unity and vision. Kids had a blast, and some people threatened to never go home! See some Orlando retreat pictures here. .
West Coast, Salem, OR area retreat, June 20th-22nd
This retreat was smaller, about 19 in attendance, total, but it was an important time of meeting new friends and forming relationships.
Central US, Dallas, TX area retreat, October 10th-12th
A great time of fellowship and meeting new friends, and encouraging each other. Pastor Randy shared on "Polygyny is not for babies" and "What is the Biblical Way".
Here are some pictures from the October 2007 Charlotte "foundational" retreat: 2007 Retreat Pictures
Sign up for the Biblical Families newsletter below, or for the discussion forums, to be sure you get all future retreat updates.
Please send request for info on retreat, and any questions or suggestions to: retreats@BiblicalFamilies.org.