What Is The Journey?

The Journey is a unique five-day experience involving:

  • Experiential small groups - a place to authentically connect and to taste genuine community
  • Training in group process and dynamics
  • Solid teaching on the damage of abuse and on emotional and spiritual wholeness
  • Opportunities to engage your heart as you tell your own story and offer life-giving community to others

 

Why attend The Journey?

  • To work through experiences ranging from sexual abuse to emotional neglect.
  • To deepen and enrich your spiritual and emotional life
  • To develop and enhance your leadership skills
  • To experience an intensive Journey Group away from home
  • To be equipped to lead a Journey Group

 

What can I expect at The Journey?

  • To connect in a small group of five to seven participants with two trained leaders
  • To experience a 12 session Journey curriculum
  • To enjoy times of meditation, teaching, personal reflection and insight into the group process
  • To be challenged and transformed as you work through the process

 

What is the training environment like?

The Journey is held in a beautiful resort environment on the sandy dunes and beaches of Lake Michigan. Great food and comfortable lodging, in single or double rooms, is provided in the cost of registration. Participants enjoy rich content intermingled with deep conversations and spontaneous fun. The Journey is a safe place that encourages special times of connection with God and others.

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How has The Journey impacted others?

"The Journey gave me great hope. It was a safe environment to share my experiences and be accepted, loved, pursued and challenged to change."
 
"The Journey has been the most valuable tool I've experienced since becoming a believer."
 
"I'm convinced everyone should attend!"

"As a result of the healing I experienced, my relationships with God, friends and family are becoming more real, deeper and healthier!"
 
"The Journey was a real lesson in how quickly you can care about people when lives are shared honestly."
 
Who endorses The Journey?
Over 25 different church denominations, numerous organizations, missions, pastors and counselors have both experienced and recommended The Journey.
 
Dr. Dan Allender, founder of Mars Hill 
Graduate School, professor of counseling, popular speaker and prolific author says: "Few ministries are as innovative and thoroughly biblical as Open Hearts and their The Journey training. It will be eminently worth your time and effort."
 
ALTS
ALTS stands for Alumni Leader Training Seminar and takes place concurrent to The Journey. This is an opportunity during training week for active leaders who've participated previously in The Journey and desire more in-depth training.

The Journey Continues
This training runs concurrently with The Journey and covers the material in the second 12 week curriculum. It is designed for The Journey alumni who want to go deeper in their healing journey and who are considering the use of this curriculum for their groups at home. The training material covered is the same as the basic The Journey program, but there are separate teaching sessions that correspond with the The Journey Continues guide. Participants should be ready to work on their stories in great detail, willing to face lies believed and self-protective vows made that keep them from a deeper trust in God and others.

Couples Groups
For spouses who have each been through The Journey as individuals and are now ready to look at how their stories are impacting their marriage. This seminar covers a special curriculum with trained facilitators who lead exercises designed to increase honest communication at a heart level.