Becoming Wholehearted:
Men’s Retreat
In light of significant and exciting new projects that we are working towards, we will not be hosting our 18 Inch Journey Retreats this fall. We are looking towards the fall of 2025 as the best window to host our next retreats, as our upcoming discipleship schools will run from January through July. We value your support and understanding and look forward to sharing more with you in the coming months!
Vision
Have you ever heard the voice that says, “It’s all up to you,” “You are alone,” or “You don’t have what it takes?” This retreat is for men who are ready to confront the lies, replace them with the Father’s voice, and embrace the radical truth of being God’s beloved. We are looking for men who have experienced enough tension in life to know they need help and don’t have all the answers.
Our retreat is for men who desire to come away from the noise of the world and step into a powerful company of brotherhood. Together, we will press into vulnerability with God by engaging His voice and practicing transformative tools for emotional health. Led by Jonathan Helser and the men of the Cageless Birds, this retreat is was made to be deeply life-altering for husbands, fathers, and single men who want to gain traction in their lives in wholeness and belonging. By applying for this retreat, you are saying yes to the process of stewarding your own soul, engaging the heart of Jesus, and being surrounded by other men.
We have experienced first-hand how powerfully the Father can meet our hearts in just a few days. This intensive is intentionally designed for us to pursue Jesus' heart together. You will receive deeply from both His presence and from the support of the men around you.
What To Expect
This retreat is set apart for:
Powerful times of worship and encounter in the presence of the Lord
Interactive teaching sessions with Jonathan Helser and the Cageless Birds
Diving deep into our stories to recover hope for the battles of life
Five days to step out of the noise of the world and slow down
Identifying barriers to connection with God
Practicing transformative emotional health tools to grow in your relationships
Replacing the lies of the enemy with the truth of who God says you are
Deep fellowship and connection around the table
Enjoying excellently prepared meals and fresh-roasted Maker Coffee
Times of quiet reflection to cultivate friendship with God
Intentional evenings around the fire sharing stories, connecting with like-hearted men and dreaming together
A Place For the Heart
Facilities, Lodging, and Meals
This Men’s Retreat is hosted on our beautiful 52 acres of land called A Place for the Heart. The cost of this retreat includes all food and lodging. Our campus, located in the foothills of North Carolina, is set-apart for those looking to come away from the noise of the world and encounter the voice of the Father. This is where we—The Cageless Birds—host the 18 Inch Journey and live and work year round.
Our campus features a farmhouse for meals and fellowship, studios for our leather, pottery, and music, a coffee roasterie, pickleball court, garden, Art Barn for worship and sessions, cabins nestled under the trees, dance & fitness studio, and more. Our grounds were made to be a resting place where communion with the Trinity, creative inspiration, and belonging around the table are everyday rhythms.
You will be staying in two variations of cabins tucked in the woods. Three of the cabins each have a ground floor and a loft with a bathroom located inside the cabin, each of these sleeps eight to ten. Two of the other cabins sleep four to six per room and have a short walk to the bathrooms. All linens and towels will be provided in your cabin.
As a community and ministry, we have a high value for relational connection and gathering around the table. With a seasonally curated menu, all meals will be excellently prepared and served by our kitchen and hospitality team. All meals will be provided from Tuesday evening through Saturday morning.
Location: A Place for the Heart, 4228 Beckerdite Rd. Sophia, NC 27350
Transportation
Attendees are responsible for their own transportation to and from the retreat.
Shuttle Service:
We will provide one complimentary shuttle service run for pick-up and drop-off in Greensboro, NC at Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI). If you are accepted to this retreat, we will be in touch about transportation. If you’d like to use our shuttle service, there will be space to indicate this at that time.
Airport Information:
Piedmont Triad International Airport - 40 minute drive
Raleigh Durham International Airport - 1 hour 45 minute drive
Charlotte Douglas International Airport - 1 hour 45 minute drive
FAQ’s & Photos
Application Information:
We are looking at Fall 2024 for Retreats this year. We have not finalized when applications will open, but we will update this webpage as soon as we have. To be notified when this announcement is made, feel free to sign up for our mailing list at the bottom of the home page!
Why an application?
It is our desire to get to know our retreat applicants. The application process empowers us to hear more of your story and understand why you want to come to this retreat. We are looking for applicants who are hungry to step beyond the normal of their everyday life and into an upgrade in their relationship with the Lord. Due to size and space limitations of this retreat, we will only review the first 70 applications. Payment is not required to submit an application.
Can I apply if I’ve attended the Retreat in the past?
If you have attended a Becoming Wholehearted Retreat in the past, you are only eligible to apply for our waitlist. We are prioritizing first time attendees for this retreat.
Cancellation
You may cancel your registration to receive a full refund up to 3 weeks prior to the date of the event. In the event that you cancel your registration less than 3 weeks prior to the date of the event, you will forfeit 50% of the entire registration fee. Regardless of when you cancel your registration, your registration is not transferable to another event, date, or person.
Are there resources for me if I cannot attend?
If you would like to explore more of our resources and learn some of the tools we teach in our schools and retreats, you can explore our Online Workshops, listen to the Jonathan and Melissa Helser Podcast, or purchase one of our Cultivate devotionals on our online shop. Click here to see all of our upcoming events.
Photos from Our Men’s Retreat
