October 1, 2026
BUFORD, Ga. — Buzzers and beeps. Flashing lights. Bells and whistles. Along with shouted encouragement and peals of laughter, these were the sights and sounds of ministry taking place at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s ReCharge Couples Retreat at Lake Lanier’s Legacy Lodge on Oct. 2–4.
After dinner and a welcome message on Thursday, couples were turned loose at the Game Changer Arcade, where they enjoyed classic games like skee-ball and ax-throwing as well as digital favorites such as Mario Kart.
“The ReCharge Retreat is one of my favorite gatherings each year,” said Chris Reynolds, the lead strategist for Pastor Wellness. “It’s a time for pastors, ministry leaders, and their spouses to slow down, breathe deeply, and let God refresh their hearts and marriages through His Word and through community with others who understand the journey.”
After an evening of fun, couples received encouragement and teaching on Friday morning intended to “strengthen both your walk with Christ and your relationship with your spouse,” said Reynolds.
Dr. Hershael York urged pastors to ground their marriages in the everyday basics of Christian discipleship before jumping straight to Ephesians 5’s famous instructions. “Ephesians 4 comes before Ephesians 5,” he quipped, arguing that the commands about humility, gentleness, patience, and unity must first be practiced at home. If believers extend ordinary Christian kindness to church members, how much more should they do so with their spouses?
He illustrated the level of pursuit that marriage requires with a story about suddenly losing hearing in one ear in 1998. A month on high doses of steroids left him ravenous and miserable, and taught him what it means to hunger and crave. That longing, he said, is how God wants Christians to desire Him.
“Marriage,” York said, “is another way that we are pursuing God.” A distinctly Christian marriage isn’t merely a man and woman in covenant, York explained, it’s a husband and wife pursuing God together so their union brings Him glory.
From Ephesians 4:25-32, York laid out seven “pillars” for marriage:
York closed with a personal scene from a low point in ministry when a church conflict led to the questioning of his character. He came home defeated, and his wife Tanya knelt to wash his feet. “Your character never shines as brightly as when it’s under attack and you refuse to defend yourself,” she told him. Her affirmation, he said, “gave me my ministry back.”
York was joined by his wife Tanya for the second session. The couple opened by saying they’re not “marriage experts” but “marriage experienced.” Married 45 years (39 of them “wonderful,” they joked), they fell hard and fast and were engaged after 13 days. They discovered the real work began after the wedding. Hershael described the difficulties the couple faced in their first six years of marriage. In one low moment, Hershael walked out, only to realize he had nowhere to go and nothing godly to gain. He returned, “And we just said, ‘Okay, we've got to figure this out.’ And really, our whole life has still been figuring it out. Now, it's much, much better and easier than it was then. But it's never easy.”
Obstacles like past wounds, church conflict, wayward children, or sheer exhaustion may make marriage harder, but don’t excuse sin or neglect. God has given us, Hershael said,“everything we need for life and godliness.” He urged pastors to remember the church is Christ’s bride, not theirs. “You can get another church. I guarantee you they can get another pastor. But you only have one wife,” he said.
The Yorks also offered more practical advice. Tanya encouraged couples to “date for development.” Marriage dates won’t look like pre-marriage dates, she explained. Plan them with a purpose: to reconnect, align, and grow.
After separate breakouts for the men and women with the Yorks, Friday evening was left open for couples to enjoy some free time together at the venue. Supper led into worship and fellowship over s’mores.
ReCharge also tended to the whole person. In partnership with the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation, Pastor Wellness offered on-site biometric screenings, and GuideStone representatives were available for benefits and financial consultations. To widen access, the GBMB provided live, real-time translation—text and audio—into Korean and Spanish via Wordly.ai so non-English speakers could fully participate.
Participants said the blend of Bible, rest, and logistics support met them where they live. “With the spiritual and emotional weight of pastoral ministry, every shepherd needs a break,” said one pastor who attended with his wife. “The Recharge weekend was exactly what we needed. We were treated like royalty and had zero responsibility, which let us receive incredible biblical application for marriage and ministry. The Georgia Baptist Mission team is a well-oiled machine that truly wants to support what God is doing in the local church.”
“Ministry can be demanding,” Reynolds concluded, “but the ReCharge Retreat gives pastors, ministry leaders, and their spouses space to reconnect—with the Lord and with each other. It’s a weekend of encouragement, laughter, and spiritual renewal that reminds us why we serve together.”
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