This retreat is an opportunity to slow down and spend intentional time with God and one another. We will receive biblical teaching, worship with an incredible guest band, share meals with each other, and rest and have fun together!

Hope in Hard Places
Suffering is one of the most universal human experiences—and one of the hardest to understand. When life breaks down, when expectations collapse, when the future feels uncertain, many people wonder: Where is God in the hard places of life?

This retreat will explore how the Bible speaks honestly about suffering while offering a deeper and more durable hope than the world can give. Through four powerful passages of Scripture, we will see how God teaches us to interpret hardship, trust His sovereign purposes, live faithfully in dark seasons, and look forward to the day when sorrow and death will finally be overcome.

Whether you are walking through a difficult season right now, supporting someone who is, or simply seeking a deeper understanding of how faith speaks to the realities of life, this retreat will offer encouragement, clarity, and hope grounded in the story of Jesus.

Russ Whitfield is the Director of Cross-Cultural Advancement for Reformed University Fellowship and a Guest Lecturer in Practical Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary’s Washington, DC campus. He has made written contributions to Heal Us, Emmanuel: A Call for Racial Reconciliation, Representation and Unity in the Church (White Blackbird Books, 2016), All Are Welcome: Toward a Multi-Everything Church (White Blackbird Books, 2018), The Pursuit of Gospel Unity: The PCA Papers on Racism and Racial Reconciliation (PCA CDM Publishing, 2019), and 9Marks Journal. Russ and his lovely wife, Vanessa, are raising four fun-loving children in Washington, DC.

Worship and main conference sessions will be held at our church building (1701 Franklin St, Oakland). We will also use the building across the street from the church (1714 Franklin Street) for breakout sessions, ResKids elementary classes, and evening activities on Friday.  Saturday afternoon outings will be held in various locations throughout Oakland. 

• Adults and Youth (ages 12+) = $130 (early bird price of $100 until April 5th)

• Children (ages 3-11) = $100 (early bird price of $75 until April 5th)

• Children under age 3 = $75 (early bird price of $50 until April 5th)

Registration costs help cover the retreat space, meals, our speaker and band, as well as children’s programming and childcare so families can fully participate in the weekend.

Optional afternoon outings may have additional costs depending on the activity (details are listed on the registration page).

We want you to attend the retreat and are eager to help make that possible. If you need financial assistance, please contact Pastor Dave Lee (dave@resoakland.com).  We also offer a $10 refund for volunteering with ResKids for one session.  

We encourage everyone to attend all of the retreat! If this is not possible you are welcome to attend the parts of the retreat that work best for your schedule.  Note, we are not able to offer reduced pricing due to partial attendance, as registration costs help cover shared retreat expenses.

Registration will close on Sunday, April 26th (or earlier if we reach capacity).  If we reach capacity, you can always add yourself or a family member to the waitlist for free and we will be in touch if there is extra space available. 

• Registration is refundable up to the end of the registration period which closes on Sunday April 26th.  Please email jasmine@resoakland.com if you need to request a cancellation and refund.  

• After April 26th, registration is non-refundable, but you can transfer your registration to another person through Sunday, May 3rd.  That person will inherit your selections for the breakout session and any outings.  Please email jasmine@resoakland.com no later than May 3rd if you need to request a transfer of your registration to a specific individual.  

• After May 3rd, no refunds or transfers can be made. 

ResKids programming is available Friday 5:30–7:45pm and Saturday 8:30am–12:30pm and 6:00–7:45pm for kids infant through 5th grade. Kids will step through the mist into Rainforest Falls, a vibrant world of rushing waterfalls, towering trees, and colorful creatures. They’ll explore what it means to be rooted in relationship with God—their Creator and a safe place in life’s storms—through Bible stories, games, activities, and crafts.

All staff and volunteers working with kids are background-checked. Space is limited, so we encourage families to register early to secure a spot.

Live audio of the main sessions will be available in the rotunda for parents of infants who prefer to keep their child with them but may need to step out of the session.

We encourage middle and high school students to attend the main sessions throughout the weekend. ResYouth will have a dedicated hangout on Saturday afternoon.

Yes! Everyone who attends needs to register online.

Yes, we welcome volunteers! There are lots of opportunities to get involved, including room set-up, check-in, ResKids, setting up coffee or food, AV, slides and more! There is a $10 refund available for volunteering for one session with ResKids over the weekend, which you can sign up for when you register. All of the main sessions will be recorded so you can listen to any session that you miss. If you are interested in getting involved as a volunteer, please email info@resoakland.com.