Retreat locations are available to CRM Pastors.
En Gedi Retreat Center
Not to be confused with Paul and Janelle Mitton's cabin located in Bailey, CO, which is also called En Gedi, this En Gedi Retreat is a free vacation and retreat home for pastors and missionaries located just west of Steamboat Springs, CO. It is a 501(c)3 organization with the purpose of keeping pastors and missionaries "Rested, Refreshed, and Renewed" in their service to the Kingdom.
(719) 963-3983 | engedi@engediretreat.org
4 Eagle Ranch
4 Eagle Ranch is only 24 miles from Vail Village and 15 miles from Beaver Creek. Our easily accessible location, combined with excellent facilities, great food and service have given countless groups and individuals an unforgettable experience rich in history and tradition. Transformed in 1991 as an entertainment venue for private group functions, 4 Eagle specializes in corporate parties, weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, family reunions and other gatherings.
(970) 926-3372 | info@4eagleranch.com | www.4eagleranch.com
Sonscapes
SonScape Retreats serves Christ by providing spiritual retreat, counsel, and community for pastors, missionaries, and other vocational Christian leaders and their spouses to extend God’s kingdom in the world. They offer 7-day retreats led by experienced ministry leaders who have been where you are. Their retreats offer you a welcoming atmosphere, engaging program, and relaxing schedule. Their Colorado location is nestled in the pine trees high up in the Rocky Mountains. Just a 45-minute drive from the Colorado Springs airport or two hours from the Denver airport.
(888) 766-7227 | info@sonscape.org | sonscaperetreats.org/colorado
Quiet Waters
The QuietWaters Retreat Home is a welcoming, spacious home situated on three acres near Parker, Colorado just southeast of Denver. The panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains is a constant reminder that you are truly in Colorful Colorado. Since 2001, QuietWaters Ministries has successfully helped hundreds of Christian leaders with personal and professional crises. Through their one-on-one Intensive Programs, you get back in touch with God, renew your sense of calling, restore your professional vision and priorities, and strengthen your personal relationships.
Marble Retreat Center
Since 1974, Marble Retreat has provided a safe place for transformation and life giving hope to nearly 4,000 participants from around the world. Marble Retreat’s 8-day program schedule consists of an effective combination of individual and group counseling led by professional counselors in a confidential setting of recreation and rest. As an interdenominational Christian counseling center, Marble Retreat provides a doorway to healing for those who are tired and hurting. It is located 8000 feet above sea level, this peaceful refuge nestled in the picturesque Crystal River Valley of the Colorado Rockies has been set aside for rest, healing, and life transformation. Guests will feel the comfort of home with homemade meals, a cozy fireplace, and welcoming retreat staff.
(970) 963-2499 | ministrycare@marbleretreat.org | marbleretreat.org
Shekinah Ranch
Shekinah Ranch owns 35 acres and the McDavids own adjacent 70 acres at 8,600 feet, in the Colorado Rockies, about 60 miles northwest of Denver. Seventy percent of the land is forest, and the rest beautiful alpine meadows. Their desire is to share the beauty and blessing with those who have grown weary on the battlefield. As much as possible, each cabin will be built out of sight of other cabins. They envision no programs but want Shekinah Ranch to be a place of rest, renewal, restoration and vision; a place where those in the fires of the front lines can withdraw from the battle to be in the presence of God.
(970) 726-4494 | shekinahranch@outlook.com | shekinahranch.org
Praise Mountain, A Bible Based Prayer and Fasting Ministry
Praise Mountain offers God's people a year-round prayer and fasting retreat with privacy and comfort. They are located 40 miles west of Colorado Springs, off Highway 24, in the mountains. There are 110 acres of forest and meadow, bordered on 3 sides by National Forest. They have four ministry cabins: 2 one-bedroom cabins, one with a queen bed and one with a bunk bed; as well as a five-bedroom house that sleeps 10-12; and a three-bedroom house that sleeps 8.Also, there are three prayer "caves" - small structures built around rock formations, for total seclusion. If you are looking for a place to get alone with God to fast and pray, Praise Mountain is there for you.
(719) 748-3719 | praisemountain.org
Easy Yoke Retreat House
Easy Yoke Retreat House is a Christian retreat center in the mountains of Southern Colorado. We are dedicated to providing a place of quiet and solace to both individuals and groups. The eight-bedroom, sixteen-bed facility is very well suited for an individual wanting to meet with God, a pastor wanting to study, or a group looking to plan or grow together. Bring your family for a getaway, or plan your next family reunion here. Easy Yoke works great for creative groups like scrapbookers. We are situated in a lower elevation of the mountains, so access is easy in all seasons. We are conveniently located only 80 minutes from Colorado Springs, and 30 minutes from Pueblo, tucked away a few miles up from the little town of Beulah, bordered on two sides by National Forest.
LEAD Networks
Designated geographic or people group clusters form the basis for LEAD networks. LEAD network meetings are available for leaders of strategic ministries including: Senior Pastors, Worship, Prayer, Children, Youth, Women, Senior Adults, Missions, Technology, Administration and Stewardship. Each LEAD network cluster meets regularly for Learning, Encouragement, Achieving S3 goals, and Dreaming about future ministry opportunities.
Support
Personality and strength tests:
Church Growth Gifts Test
Other Resources
Converge Rocky Mountain wants to assist your church in reaching its full God-given potential. Contact the office to learn more about these helpful resources.
For Your Church
- Church Consultations
- Natural Church Development Inventory
- Church-wide Assessments / SWOT Analysis
- Church Health Diagnosis
- Conflict Consultation
- The Church Life Cycle
- Breaking Growth Barriers
- ReTool Kit
For Your Staff/Volunteers
- StrengthsFinder
- Personality Inventories
- Leadership Inventories
- DISC Inventories
- Leadership Board Consults
Church Conflict Resolution
Converge Rocky Mountain provides trained reconciliation leaders to help resolve church disputes in a God-honoring way. The Bible is clear that our witness to the world will be most powerful when we live in unity with each other.
A Commitment to Biblical Conflict Resolution - Peacemaker's Promise
Leadership Relationship Covenant
Sexual Misconduct and Restoration Policies
Converge Rocky Mountain assists pastors and their families with their spiritual, physical and emotional needs. Marriage intensives and ReVive Us Summits are available for couples in the midst of a particularly difficult season of life. The district also helps with church conflict issues and team-building.
Recommended Converge Rocky Mountain Ministry Partners
Quiet Waters CareLine
The CareLine is a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week professional, confidential and complimentary telephone counseling and referral service for Converge Rocky Mountain pastors and their families. That means day or night, every day of the year, a professional counselor is prepared to listen and provide help for pastoral staff and their families.
By simply calling 1.866.526.2222 (toll free) they will be put in touch with a licensed doctor or master’s level counselor within four hours.
Southwest Counseling Associates
Everyone needs help at times to heal, grow and find direction. To meet this need, Mission Hills Church of Littleton, Colorado, established Southwest Counseling Associates in 1986 as a non-profit extension ministry. SCA maintains its partnership with Mission Hills while pursuing opportunities to work with other churches in the greater Denver area and the Front Range. Phone: 303.730.1717
Placement
As a district, it is our prayerful desire that all our pastors and churches experience vital and growing partnerships. For that reason, we seek to use the best resources available, ever dependent on God's sovereign direction, to connect the "right leader with the right church at the right time"
Licensing for Ministry
Licensing is a function of the local church and is for a specific ministry setting and calling. The person desiring licensing should submit the following to their Church Board (or the congregation if the church so desires):
- 1 page statement highlighting their conversion and call to ministry
- 4-8 page self-written doctrinal statement of major doctrines (check with your CRM Ordination Handbook for key areas to cover).
The approval for licensing must be part of the Church Board’s official minutes. A copy of the minutes should be maintained by the Church and a copy retained by the person being licensed. There are two types of licensing:
- For the ministry while affiliated with the licensing church. The person’s license is no longer valid after leaving the licensing church.
- For the Gospel ministry from the date of licensing forward.
In the event “For the Gospel ministry from the date of licensing forward” is selected, the church would have the right to revoke the license in the event it should become necessary due to such issues as heretical teaching or moral failure. If that step is taken, a letter stating the license has been revoked must be sent to the licensee.
**Within two years of being licensed or ordained, the pastor may file for exemption from Social Security if his beliefs are consistent with the exemption statement. A tax advisor should be consulted and this should be entered into only with great seriousness.
Ordination
The ordination process begins and ends with a leader called by God to the Gospel ministry. It also involves the recognition of this call by the local church where the leader is serving. But the Converge Rocky Mountain family of churches and church leaders are also involved in advising the church and in serving the ordination candidate. Thus the ordination process is detailed below for Converge Rocky Mountain churches and leaders:
From the Perspective of the Candidate and Church:
- The candidate's church leadership informs the CRM Executive Minister of its desire to ordain a candidate.
- The Converge regional staff sends the handbook on ordination to the candidate and the ordaining church.
- The Candidate completes a 12-15 page paper outlining their call to ministry, philosophy of ministry and statement of beliefs and sends a copy to the CRM office.
- A pre-ordination team is selected to review the candidate's paper with them.
- After corrections and clarifications are made, an ordination council date is set by the host church. The church also distributes the candidate's paper to all CRM partner congregations.
- The Council meets and recommends that the church proceed or not proceed with ordination.
From the Perspective Converge Rocky Mountain:
- A church requests help with ordination.
- The Converge region leadership responds with the attached handbook.
- The candidate reserves an interview time with pre-ordination team.
- The candidate prepares and sends doctrinal statement.
- The candidate meets with the pre-ordination team.
- Clarifications and corrections are made and redistributed to pre-ordination team.
- Ordination council date is set.
- Converge Rocky Mountain assists the church in distributing candidate's document to all partner churches.
- The Ordination Council is held and a recommendation made to the church's leadership board.
- The church acts to ordain proposed candidate.
For more information on ordination, please refer to the CRM Ordination Handbook.
Retirement Fund
The Converge Retirement Plan offers two different retirement plans to its pastors, missionaries, district leaders, national staff, and the full-time staff of churches. Many participate in both plans.
Converge Pastors and staff are reaping the benefits of the Retirement Plan’s strong start to 2019. The Plan’s Defined Contribution posted a 8.19% Rate of return through May.
If not already a plan member, joining will assure you of knowing you have a trusted plan that has been serving Converge pastors and staff since 1967 and has a 30-year average investment return of 9%.
Join the plan now by visiting the Converge Retirement Plan website or by calling 877.482.6882.
Housing Allowance
Pastors, are you taking full advantage of the housing allowance benefit?
Watch this video to make sure you’re not missing out.
Ministry Family Benevolence Fund
Ministry families face a number of unique life challenges. At times, these challenges can become overwhelming. The Converge Rocky Mountain Benevolence Fund distributes thousands of dollars every year to help ministry families receive counseling, make house payments, and receive medical treatments. Every partner church is encouraged to designate one offering a year for the Converge Rocky Mountain Benevolence Fund.
Pastoral Tax Guidance
Other Financial Resources
- Wesleyan Investment Fund/Cornerstone Fund
Investment rates are continuing to rise. If your church is looking to earn more interest on its investments, consider a Church Savings Investment earning 1.75%. Funds can be easily added or withdrawn at any time without penalty.
It is important for all churches to have a sabbatical policy in place to provide a time of refreshment and renewal for pastors. Below is a guide to planning and implementing a sabbatical leave that will benefit both the pastor and the church from Pinnacle Ministries.
Converge endorses qualified clergypersons to chaplaincy ministry in:
- the military – Army, Navy Air Force (active duty, Reserves, National Guard)
- the Veterans Administration
- the Bureau of Prisons in the Department of Justice
- and to health care institutions (hospitals and hospices)
For more information and the application process go to https://converge.org/chaplaincy
