Freedom Weekends

If this is your first Freedom Weekend, we recommend following the suggested schedule (below), with primary topics including "Discover Your Dreams," the introduction to "True Freedom," and selections from "Learning to Follow."  This will give your group the best foundation for pursuing their healing journey.  Consider using breakout sessions throughout the weekend to focus on specific topics of healing (anger, addiction, forgiveness, stress management, etc.) or discovering your identity and gifts.  Breakout sessions can also include consultations and Q&A sessions with your staff, as well as prophetic and spontaneous worship seminars for your worship team.

If you've already hosted a Freedom Weekend and want to dive deeper into a specific topic, or if you would like Journey to Freedom to speak during a session of your own conference or event, please feel free to request a specific topic or list of topics and we'll work with you to come up with the best approach.

Ultimately, this weekend is about you and your community.  You know your group the best and know what will benefit them the most, so let us know how we can serve you.  We want to provide the teaching and experience that will most benefit your group and we'll do our best to tailor our materials to meet your needs.

We work with each group individually to prepare the best schedule and materials to meet your specific needs.  This is a sample schedule, recommended for first-time hosts, to help you get started and give you an idea of what to expect.  Once we agree on a date to host your Freedom Weekend, we'll begin customizing your weekend with you to best serve your community.

FRIDAY
1:00 pm - Meeting with staff and volunteers (introductions + what to expect)
4:00 pm - Break + Dinner
5:30 pm - Worship Practice
6:30 pm - Doors Open
7:00 pm - Public Session 1 (Introduction + Discover Your Dreams)
9:00 pm - End

SATURDAY
8:00 am - Worship practice
8:30 am - Doors Open
9:00 am - Public Session 2 (Basics of True Freedom)
11:00 am - Break + Lunch (possible partners lunch for those who want to become more involved in JTF Ministries)
1:00 pm - Session 1 (see "Topics" above for details)
3:00 pm - Session 2 (see "Topics" above for details)
4:30 pm - Break + Dinner
5:30 pm - Worship Practice
6:30 pm - Doors Open
7:00 pm - Public Session 1 (Learning to Follow)
9:00 pm - End

SUNDAY (optional)
We'd be happy to speak at your Sunday morning services, at your request.  Topic to be determined.

Depending on the size of your event and travel budget, our worship team may range from a single worship leader (on piano or guitar) to a small team (3-4 members).  We enjoy working with other worship teams, and would love for your team to join us.  We do request someone from your team to run the sound and presentation equipment, and we will work with your team to provide lyrics ahead of time as well as any multimedia used during teachings and breakout sessions.

We believe worship is more than just songs and singing, but goes beyond the song to come straight from the heart.  We tend to go outside the chord charts and written lyrics from time to time in our expression of love toward God, so team members who join us should be prepared to follow chord charts as well as play by ear.  Those who are comfortable with prophetic/spontaneous singing are invited to share those gifts as well, though this is not necessary and you won't be "put on the spot."  We will have song sets prepared ahead of time, but we hold them loosely and can deviate from them as the Lord leads us.

Our style is contemporary, but we are sensitive to more traditional settings upon request (using contemporary arrangements of old hymns, mixed with some contemporary pieces as well).  Please let us know in advance if you have any questions or concerns.

We believe that God's ministry should be offered free to everyone.  Therefore, we do not charge anything for Freedom Weekends, neither for the hosting church or for guests to the event.  However, we do ask that a free-will donation be collected at each of the public sessions over the course of the weekend, so our ministry can continue to grow and reach the nations with God's message of freedom.  We may also encourage event guests to become monthly partners of our ministry, but we do not pressure or guilt anyone into giving.  We trust the Lord to provide all our needs and rejoice that He has chosen to do that through people just like you.

We do ask, however, that all expenses incurred for travel, housing, meals, and materials be provided by the hosting organization.  Depending on the schedule and location of your event, as well as the number of our team members we bring with us, these expenses may vary.  Airline tickets and hotel reservations should be purchased at least one month in advance by the hosting organization, or mileage reimbursement can be paid on-site (at the current federal rates) by a check made payable to Journey to Freedom Ministries.

Things happen.  We understand that sometimes you'll need to cancel an event, and on very rare occasions, so will we.  If you need to reschedule or cancel an event, please let us know as early as possible.  Any travel, advertising, or hosting expenses you may have incurred prior to cancellation will be your responsibility.  If, for some reason, we are forced to cancel on our end, we will reimburse you for any expenses incurred, within reason.