“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
~The Great Commandment
The Center of Learning to Love (CLL) exists to partner with individuals of all ages and denominations in Denham Springs and beyond who seek to live out The Great Commandment (Luke 10:27) and The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) as we walk with Jesus.
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Luke 10:27
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28_18-22
The Center of Learning to Love strives to fulfill this mission through individual and group retreats, courses and workshops, immersion in missionary efforts, and small groups.
Find out which of the three tracks offered through the Center of Learning to Love in Denham Springs is right for you.
Three Tracks of the Center of Learning to Love
You can take one course or workshop. You can take several. You can go all in for a two-year program. Or you can choose a self-directed retreat. We all have different needs at different times and it’s our goal to be there for you and meet you where you are.
Track 1 is for those who are interested in attending one or more courses and/or retreats without joining our Sojourners (which involves a longer commitment).
Get your feet wet. Come see what we are about.
Track 2 is our Sojourner track. Sojourners enter into a covenant relationship with the facilitators as well as other participants. They attend all courses and group retreats offered over a two-year period and participate in additional small group meetings for prayer, support, accountability, and spiritual direction.
Dive in. We’re here for you. It’s going to be a great journey.
Track 3 is our Servant Leader Retreats, which are self-directed stays in The Apartment located just next door to the Luke 10:27 sanctuary.
You’re never on your own, but sometimes you need to be alone.
Each of the three tracks is separate and independent of the others. A love offering to CLL for your participation is requested.
Course Offerings of CLL
- Roots of Faith, Hope & Love
- Forgiveness & Reconciliation
- Spiritual Disciplines
- The Study of Scripture
- Prayer
- Means of Grace
- Spiritual Gifts
- Streams of Christianity
Retreat Offerings of CLL
- Silence & Solitude
- Men
- Women
- Couples
- Theology of the Body
Sojourners at the Center of Learning to Love
When Jesus commissioned the disciples, He began with a few (12). With those, He spent time with them daily over the course of almost three years training them to go out into the world making disciples. The learning that took place was a process and it looked different for each of them. Jesus did not set out an entire curriculum for them and then follow it. He followed His Father and was present to each need as it arose.
In our Sojourner groups we follow a similar pattern. Over the course of a two-year period, Sojourners attend regular courses, retreats, and meetings. While these courses and retreats are open to anyone who would like to attend, our Sojourners attend all of them (with the exception of men not attending the Women’s Retreat and vice versa). Along with these, small groups of approximately three Sojourners meet together once a week with one of our leaders for additional prayer, support, and accountability. These meetings closely resemble the Bands established by John Wesley and are a place for listening to the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit while also being present to each need as it arises. In essence, the Sojourners do life together just as Jesus did with His disciples.
Bands were voluntary cells of people who professed a clear Christian faith and who desired to grow in love, holiness, and purity of intention. Bands included ruthless honesty and frank openness. Members sought to improve their attitudes, emotions, feelings, intentions, and affections.
A central function of the band was what Wesley termed ‘close conversation.’ By this term he meant soul-searching examination, not so much of behavior and ideas, but of motive and heartfelt impressions.”
While there are no set certainties of where this process will take each Sojourner, we are confident that the process will draw each of them closer to Christ and train them on the way to fulfilling the Great Commission and living out the Great Commandment.
It is our prayer that the process deepens your relationship with God.
Servant Leader Retreats at the Center of Learning to Love
In our Mission House we have a fully furnished one-bedroom apartment that is used to accommodate our Servant Leader Retreats. These retreats are self-directed, individual retreat stays in The Apartment for the purpose of rest, renewal, and any other needs that arise for servant leaders. The Apartment is open to all servant leaders whether they are part of our Luke family or not. Because of the high traffic of children on our campus we may find it necessary to vet individuals whom we do not have a previous relationship with. Materials will be available to guide you through a retreat if so desired. Spiritual Direction is available upon request. Meals can be arranged with prior notice.
Love offerings are greatly appreciated for the time of your stay in The Apartment.
Please contact us to schedule a retreat time.
Spiritual Direction Offered in Denham Springs
CLL offers Spiritual Direction for those interested in deepening their relationship with God, discerning their calling, and/or developing holy patterns of listening and obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Direction can be entered into for 30, 60, or 90 days.
Our Spiritual Directors are Jenn Bull and Dr. Durwin Walker.
A love offering for CLL is requested.
Speak with Jenn Bull at (337) 344-7465 or email us at centeroflearningtolove@gmail.com for more information. We’re happy to help!
