791 Valley Crest Drive, Vista, California 92084, United States
3-Day Intensive Prayer Ministry Retreat
3-Day Intensive Prayer Ministry Retreat
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.” (James 5:14-15)
Since 2003, the Christian Healing Center has offered non-denominational Jesus-centered Intensive Prayer Ministry Retreats to people who seek God’s healing in body, mind, and spirit. This ministry has been temporarily suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we look forward to resuming it as soon as safety and county health regulations permit. When it resumes, retreats will be conducted monthly and will begin on the second Monday of each month.
Retreats are conducted onsite at the Branches of the Cross campus, an inspiring and calming 1.85 acre environment, off the beaten path in the beautiful rolling hills of rural Vista, California. Small wildlife abound, and coyotes howl in the nearby hills. There are wonderful patios and gardens for meals, fellowship, and individual prayer times. The campus has an intimate chapel, Disciple House with comfortable prayer rooms and group meals, and Shekinah House guest lodge. The environment is peaceful and the ministry team is loving and non-judgmental.
Three days immersed in Healing Prayer
The Intensive Healing Prayer Retreat immerses participants in God's healing touch through teachings, reflection, and individual prayer ministry. It is Biblically sound, Spirit led, and Christ-centered.
Each of the three days begins at 8:30 a.m. with breakfast. Each morning, and each afternoon, opens with a passage of Scripture, a brief message, and uplifting praise songs, which are followed by a teaching, time for reflection and journaling, and 60 to 90 minutes of individual prayer ministry. The teachings are designed to lead retreatants in self-discovery to uncover issues that need healing, and their causes. The retreat ends with a Generational Healing Service with Holy Communion, sharing, and a blessing.
During the retreat, we raise up for healing those things done by retreatants, or to them, or reflected upon them, in the past that have kept and are keeping them from living the healthy life that God intends for them. This includes such things as inherited traits, old vows made, curses, soul ties, false beliefs, and unholy judgments called bitter roots. We have seen that certain things in family lines and in events or exposures in the formative years can have an impact throughout life. The Holy Spirit would like to deliver us from the bondage of all these things.
Marriage Preparation
Many people enter marriage with spiritual or emotional needs that haven't been met in childhood. They hope and often expect that those needs will be met by the person they are marrying. Unfortunately, the person they are marrying also has spiritual and emotional needs that haven't been met in childhood. All too often the result is disappointment and frustration.
Similarly, many people enter marriage with emotional wounds from childhood experiences and/or previous romantic relationships. Traumas, the transition from college to a job, career challenges, and other life-changing events add to the emotional and spiritual baggage that a person carries into marriage.
When such baggage is taken into a marriage, it hurts the spouse and children. Experiencing a 3-day intensive prayer ministry retreat during marriage preparation enables the Holy Spirit to deal with those unmet needs, to heal those wounds, and to adjust unrealistic expectations. It is such a blessing to enter marriage without such baggage!
Men
Men make up more than half of the population, and yet only a quarter of the people who have come to the 3-Day are men. Why is that? Certainly men experience as many wounds and life-changing events as women do. Certainly men face the same blocks to healing as women do; perhaps those blocks run deeper and are more compelling in men than in women. Whatever the reason, God is able to help men overcome those blocks and to heal just as he does for women. In fact, the most dramatic and profound healings we have experienced here have been in men. We encourage men to break through whatever is holding them back, and assure them that this ministry is safe and absolutely confidential, and that it will set them free.
Who should not come
Because our prayer ministers are not trained to deal with psychological or psychiatric issues, it is our concern that they could, despite the best intentions in the world, inadvertently aggravate existing problems, or even cause new ones. But can’t God heal psychological or psychiatric problems? Yes, He certainly can. We recommend that people with such problems consult a trained and licensed Christian psychologist or psychiatrist who can provide both prayer and professional medical treatment.
Come; receive the healing God has waiting for you
Be restored in body, mind, and spirit as trained and experienced prayer ministers led by the Holy Spirit listen, love, and pray for you! Each retreatant is paired with two prayer ministers who are with them for the duration of the retreat. The prayer ministers are all well-trained, experienced, Spirit-filled, and gifted in prayer. In addition, each retreat is undergirded with prayers from about three dozen intercessors. Everything discussed in prayer sessions is held in strict confidence.
Over ninety-five percent of retreatants experience a significant level of healing. Life-changing healing often occurs when people give their issues to the Holy Spirit. God sometimes surprises retreatants with healings they didn’t even know they needed. Now is the time to make the choice to help yourself. Attend a 3-Day Intensive Healing Prayer Retreat and drop your burdens.
Click the button below for a detailed brochure about this ministry.
Click the button below for a retreat flyer written by a past attendee.
Overnight Accommodations
We urge you to stay overnight in our Shekinah House guest lodge during your retreat rather than returning home, but that is not required. Breakfast and lunch are provided each day. Retreatants staying overnight are responsible for their own dinner arrangements. There are facilities onsite for food preparation, and there are a number of eateries within fifteen minutes or so. Click the button below for our Shekinah House flier.
All Christians are welcome
This ministry is provided to all Christians regardless of denomination. While this is a ministry of a church in the Anglican denomination, our retreat ministry itself is focused only on the healing mission of Jesus Christ our Lord among us. There is no teaching or preaching that comes from a particular theological perspective and the prayer ministers come from various churches and denominations. All Christians should be comfortable receiving this ministry, and experience proves that God wants to heal His children and does so here for those who come with open hearts. Since the ministry is Jesus-centered, it is not usually suitable for non-Christians, but a non-Christian may attend if recommended by a Christian friend who has attended.
No Charge
“Freely you have received; freely give.” ( Matthew 10:8)
We don’t want anyone to be denied ministry because they can’t afford our fees. Therefore, the retreat and associated meals and lodging are offered without charge. Donations are our only source of funding; those who are able to donate generously enable us to minister to those who can’t. We pray that retreatants will be led by the Holy Spirit to support the ministry as they are able. Since we have no expense for a fundraising organization, 100% of your donation goes to support our operation and ministry.
Apply Now
Before attending a retreat, retreatants fill out an application to help us prepare for their participation in the retreat. Your healing begins when you start filling it out, as you open up to the Holy Spirit. The application is quite detailed and personal. Rest assured that no one other than your assigned prayer ministers will ever see your application; we handle it with the strictest confidentiality. By completing the application, you help the prayer ministers to pray for and assist you, most especially as they listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit in how to pray for you.
If you have attended a 3-Day Intensive Prayer Ministry Retreat within the last 18 months, you may apply for another using this abbreviated Returnee Application form rather than the long form used for your initial retreat.