• Hope Hostel (map)
  • 23062 Forlori Circle
  • Perris, CA, 92570
  • United States

Retreat Topic: Church as Family

The family is the unavoidable language the Bible uses to describe the church's relationship to God and one another. God is "Father," Christ is "Brother" (Heb 2:11) and the Spirit makes us "sons and daughters" through adoption (Rom 8:15). At its best, this language can provide great clarity and encouragement for Christians. Unfortunately, the imagery of church as family has also been misused by churches to take advantage of people and skew the responsibilities we owe to one another.  

We will spend our weekend taking this language seriously but also with some amount of critical reflection. We will investigate how the Bible is not afraid to critique traditional "family values" and the unrealistic expectations we tend to place on our own families today (both spouses and children). We will trace the story of the family that God builds through his promise to Abraham and the fathers. And finally, we will grapple with "our Father's business" -- the way of our family and what that means for how we do life together. 

  • Friday, August 8th:

    • 5:30pm: Arrive

    • 6:00pm: Dinner

    • 7:30pm: Extended worship set followed by a Q&A with Ken & Kris

    Saturday, August 9th:

    • 7:30am: Breakfast

    • 9:00am: Session 1

    • 11:00am: Free Time

    • 12:30pm: Lunch

    • 1:30pm: Group Activities & Free Time

    • 4:30pm: Session 2

    • 6:30pm: Dinner

    • 8:00pm: Campfire & S’mores

    Sunday, August 10th

    • 8:00am: Breakfast & Packing

    • 10:00am: Church Service & Final Session

    • 11:30am: Clean up

    • 12:00pm: Check Out

  • Option 1: Full Weekend Registration

    This includes a place to sleep on Friday & Saturday night, as well as all meals from Friday Dinner through Sunday Breakfast (5 meals total & snacks):

    $250 per person (children under 18 free)

    Option 2: Just Saturday

    This does not include lodging but includes 3 meals, snacks and access to the grounds and activities:

    $125 per person (children under 18 free)

  • To register, complete this form.

    Last day to register will be May 24th.

    *You can register for your entire family using one form if you are all coming for the same amount of time - include your children in your registration if they are coming even though they are free! Please use multiple forms if some in your party will be staying for a different amount of time.

About Our Speaker: Kris Song

Kris was born in Chicago, where he lived his first 11 years. Apart from a few stints in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, the rest of his life has stuck around the Orange-Anaheim Hills area, where he once went to high school with Pastor Ken (pretty recently, like 11–12 years ago -- or somewhere thereabouts). Kris luckily met his wife Melissa in college at UC Berkeley. Together they have three grown kids (two are currently in college and his youngest is graduating high school this summer (so, yeah, maybe Kris and Ken's high school years date further back than previously estimated)). 

Kris splits his time as a business executive and a writer. His principal area of research is the New Testament church and he wrote his first book on the subject of Paul's understanding of the Holy Spirit. He conferred his PhD at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. When he has time, he continues to teach as an adjunct at Talbot School of Theology and Bethel Seminary (in Minnesota). When he is not writing on the Holy Spirit and the church, he has published studies on the subject of religion and popular culture (most recently writing on shows like Black Mirror, Twin Peaks, and currently LOST). His four favorite films are: Grand Budapest Hotel, Spirited Away, Wall-E, and Arrival. 

Kris serves as an elder in his church at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Orange, where he teaches confirmation for high school age students. Kris is big fan of baseball, and he was supporting the Dodgers long before it was cool and definitely during the many years when it was painful and full of disappointment. He still tries to play basketball when his knees permit him. Music has always been a big part of Kris's life, both playing music and listening to music of many different styles. His four favorite music genres:  90's Alternative (Radiohead, Counting Crows), 60s Girl Groups (the Supremes, The Ronettes), Early 2000 Indie (The National, Phoenix), and the 60s Soul stylings of Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, and Ray Charles.  

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