Silver Bay 2024 Highlight
“A few weeks ago I had the privilege to attend the YMCA Christian Mission Conference at Silver Bay with about 70 other YMCA leaders, pastors and chaplains. At this point in my life, I’ve attended lots of practical conferences and spiritual retreats but I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this one. Would it be heavy on how to effectively minister to members and staff inside the YMCA? Or would this be more of a spiritual experience with worship, prayer, and intentional fellowship?
From the first session to the last session, there was a clear emphasis on connecting with God. We didn’t fly in from all over the world to simply swap best practices—we came to hear from the Holy Spirit. We spent real, quality time in prayer—being led by a diverse group of individuals from different cultures and different experiences from places like the Czech Republic, Hong-Kong and Zambia. Our faith was strengthened as we recounted testimonies of God’s faithfulness, yes throughout the YMCA’s history but also in our churches and local YMCAs here and now. We also took time to calm and quiet our souls by way of a silent retreat. And even when there was nothing on the agenda instructing us, there were meaningful and generous conversations happening between fellow believers in the cabins, cafeterias, and pickleball courts. I’m not sure if it was the collection of people or just the unifying work of the holy spirit, but there was such a natural camaraderie and care within this group for the three days we spent together. Multiple times I found myself first to a lunch table only to be swarmed by people eager to introduce themselves and take an interest in me. On other occasions, people asked me deeper questions about my life, my family, and my faith—generously giving the gift of their undivided attention. This was clearly a spiritual experience—one that refreshed me and marked me.
But that wasn’t all we did. We also gathered with those that had a similar call as us (pastors, YMCA leaders, CEOs and Directors, etc). In those times, much insight and strategy was shared. As a pastor who is newer to ministering at a YMCA, it was incredibly beneficial to have the ear of others who have been doing this for upwards of 20 years. I left with tangible steps to grow in my ministry at the YMCA. But more than sharing insight and strategy, we shared encouragement. We often stopped to pray for one another, recognizing that each of us was carrying different burdens and navigating unique challenges. Pastoring is difficult and isolating work. And far too often when pastors get together there is a natural pull to share your best statistics and trends instead of being honest about your struggles. This did not happen at Silver Bay. Instead, this group of pastors and leaders took an interest in each of us and offered whatever help they could. It felt like what I think about when Paul speaks of the church “building itself up in love” in Ephesians 4.
After three days at Silver Bay the answer to my question was both. It was absolutely a spiritual retreat. God spoke. The Holy Spirit moved. We passionately worshiped Jesus and proclaimed his gospel. But we also sharpened each other—sharing ideas, strategies and stories about the Y’s mission and how we can live it out more intentionally and effectively. I left with a new appreciation for the Christian mission of the Y, new practices to implement in my ministry, and best of all new friends.
I’m so thankful I was able to be a part of such a special gathering of people!
John Baughman, Executive Pastor at Parkside Church in Fishers, IN.