Written by Josh Haight. Everyone loves a good retreat, right? I know I do. But if you’ve never planned one, there are more than a few things we could easily forget to think about. Though our programming or messages may be the primary focus, neglecting these other things may create more headaches than you care to navigate. In this eight-lesson module, we will look at all the things that go into planning a great retreat: vision, identifying your target audience, programming, recruiting a team, communication, logistics, follow-up, and problem-solving.

You've seen them, but can you name them? See how many of these famous paintings you can correctly identify from the choices given.

Do you know in which decade the first McDonald's restaurant opened? See if you can guess the correct decade these fast food chains first opened from the choices given.

Some school mascots are strange! See if your group can tell which ones are real and which ones are made up. Play as a large group, as a face-off or simply as an icebreaker.

Some school mascots are strange! See if your group can tell which ones are real and which ones are made up. Play as a large group, as a face-off or simply as an icebreaker.

Some school mascots are strange! See if your group can tell which ones are real and which ones are made up. Play as a large group, as a face-off or simply as an icebreaker.

How about another round of deciding between the worst of the worst? Get your students talking or moving by either having them walk from one side of the room to the other, or by inviting up a student to represent each side of the argument. You can even do both, having the two students present their cases and then having other students respond by moving or raising their hands to vote!

Ready to get your group moving and squirming over what’s worse? Prompt with these fun questions and have them either walk from one side of the room to the other, or invite a student up to represent each side of the argument. You can even do both, having the two students present their cases and then having other students respond by moving or raising their hands to vote!

When a letter is displayed, be the first to give a word starting with that letter. If you are first you get a point. If you both say the same word, be the first to get another word out for the win.

When a letter is displayed, be the first to give a word starting with that letter. If you are first you get a point. If you both say the same word, be the first to get another word out for the win.

An anagram is a word formed by rearranging the letters of another word. With that, let’s see how well you can figure out what animals these anagrams are formed from.

Be the first to text the following phrase (with no mistakes) to the number your leader gives you.

How fast can your students think on their feet when presented with random topics? Players will be given a category and they have to name as many things associated to that category in 10 seconds. Rotate players in per category, or do it as a back-and-forth face off!

How fast can your students think on their feet when presented with random topics? Players will be given a category and they have to name as many things associated to that category in 10 seconds. Rotate players in per category, or do it as a back-and-forth face off!

How fast can your students think on their feet when presented with random topics? Players will be given a category and they have to name as many things associated to that category in 10 seconds. Rotate players in per category, or do it as a back-and-forth face off!

It’s another round of new concept art of our favorite Disney movies, all through A.I. art! See if your students can identify the original source from the somewhat odd version it’s become. Play in teams or one on one!

What happens when you play around with A.I. to create some new concept art? You get this amazing game! Check out some new variations of classic Disney movies and see if your students can identify the original source from the somewhat odd version it’s become. Play in teams or one on one!

Simply answer "Yay" (True) or "Nay" (False) to each of the statements presents.

How well do you know famous figures from the Bible, history and fiction? Players will be given incremental clues to help them decide who is being described. You can play in teams and award points to whomever gets the answer first, or award higher points for whomever can get it in the least amount of clues (i.e. clue 1 is worth 1500 points, clue 2 is worth 1200 points, clue 3 is worth 1000 points, etc)

How well do you know famous figures from the Bible, history and fiction? Players will be given incremental clues to help them decide who is being described. You can play in teams and award points to whomever gets the answer first, or award higher points for whomever can get it in the least amount of clues (i.e. clue 1 is worth 1500 points, clue 2 is worth 1200 points, clue 3 is worth 1000 points, etc)

Have you ever wondered if you are truly being effective at multiplying disciples? You know you are running programs but you just aren’t sure those programs are creating the disciple-making results you are intending to produce. The Disciple’s Journey training from Dave Rhodes will jumpstart a healthy conversation for you and your team around what effective disciple-making looks like and lead you to evaluate your ministry based on the time tested process of discipleship that we see Jesus use with followers.

See if you can find the hidden pictures in these famous logos.

See if you can find the hidden pictures in these famous logos.

See if you can find the hidden pictures in these famous logos.

You remember that leaf collection you made when you were a kid? Here's where it comes in handy. See if you can identify what kind of tree these leaves come from.

See if you can guess which of these NCAA logos has been flipped (not the original).

The Throw and Tell Game Ball is an inflatable ball with fun prompts that can be used as an ice-breaker, game, message illustration, or lesson starter.

Ever notice those weird mistakes in ads or out-of-place objects in a photo? Face off against others to notice before they do what’s wrong in each of these presentations, whether you have each person duel against someone else or be the fastest in the room to call it out.

Some national parks are more famous than others, but all have something unique about them. Can you guess which fact belongs to the which place? This is a great academic challenge for those who know their geography, but also a great object lesson for the average person who has to make a surface level judgment without knowledge. Try this as an all-play in your group!

Can you name these popular brands just by looking at their slogans? Let's find out.

Can you name these popular brands just by looking at their slogans? Let's find out.

Can you name these popular brands just by looking at their slogans? Let's find out.

It's a simple true or false game about Thanksgiving. Let's Go!

Your group has had their share of holiday desserts, but how well do they know the treats they’ve eaten or heard of? Test their knowledge through this fun trivia game that covers all their favorites (and maybe a weird one or two). Play it as a face-off or as an all-play!

It's a simple true or false gave. Just give a thumbs up if you think the statement is True and a thumbs down if you think it is False.

It's a simple true or false gave. Just give a thumbs up if you think the statement is True and a thumbs down if you think it is False.