In general terms, a Christian retreat is a gathering of Christians for the purpose of spiritual growth. Christian retreats can be held on a church campus or off the premises, in a meeting space, a hotel, a camp, a retreat center, or any other type of place to host the group. The Canossian Spiritual Center in Lifesprings, located atop a hill overlooking the Bukit Batok Nature Reserve, hosts many retreats throughout the year. Keep in mind that, at many spiritual retreats, you are not required to accept certain religious or sanctimonious doctrines (even if the teachings related to those traditions are the central theme).
The priests of the Anglo-Catholic Holy Cross Society introduced spiritual retreats to the Church of England in 1856, first for the clergy and then also for the laity. Dr. Tan strongly recommends going to a retreat with a trained spiritual director from a major Christian tradition or school of spirituality, as it's important to be guided by someone whose theological assumptions are based on the Scriptures and Christian doctrine. Retreats differ from conferences, seminars, and meetings in that the main work is inner spiritual development through an extended period of reflection, rather than simply exposing yourself to information, techniques, and inspiration, and then immediately returning to the daily routine.
K Ministries organizes spiritual retreats that allow and encourage participants to pray and contemplate through theater (above), cinema, pop songs and dance. Some people mistakenly think that spiritual retreats are only for “super saints,” said Dr. Tan, who has been leading spiritual retreats for seven years. Regardless of the type or format you choose, it's clear that a spiritual retreat can help you cultivate self-awareness and inner peace, build lifelong connections, and rejuvenate your being and the lives of those around you for the better.
In Singapore, the Community for Spiritual Formation regularly organizes three-day retreats led by a team of spiritual directors, while Trinity Theological College organizes retreat weekends once every quarter for lay leaders. Christian retreat can be more simply defined as a certain amount of time (from a few hours to a month) spent away from normal life for the purpose of reconnecting, usually in prayer, with God. Spiritual retreats can have several topics that reinforce Christian values, principles, and understanding of the Scriptures. Many Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox Christians participate and organize spiritual retreats every year.