Honorable
Upholding the sacred calling of ministry with integrity and respect.
Honoring those who pour into others
A sacred space for pastors to breathe again.
H4 Ministries creates intentional moments of rest, renewal, and connection for pastors and their spouses—because those who care for the church deserve to be cared for, too.
Our Purpose
Ministry should not require leaders to lose themselves while serving everyone else.
Founded in 2015, H4 Ministries exists to strengthen and encourage clergy through spaces designed for honest conversation, meaningful fellowship, spiritual renewal, and rest.
We recognize the unseen weight carried by pastors and their spouses. Our ministry responds with compassion—not performance—creating room for leaders to be refreshed, restored, and reminded that they are not alone.
Honest
Creating safe spaces for open, authentic conversation without judgment.
Humble
Serving pastors and their families with compassion, grace, and a willing heart.
Healthy
Strengthening well-being in ministry, marriage, family, and spiritual life.
Founder & Visionary
Pastor Carlos Calhoun
With a pastor’s heart and a deep concern for those called to lead, Pastor Carlos Calhoun founded H4 Ministries to care for clergy beyond the pulpit. His vision is simple and necessary: create the kind of space where pastors and their spouses can step away from responsibility, reconnect, and return renewed.
Pastor Carlos Calhoun serves as the senior pastor of Bethesda Baptist Church in Plainville, Georgia. He is married to Gloria Calhoun, a community and faith leader, educator, and advocate. Together, they share a commitment to strengthening leaders, families, and communities.
“Those who continually pour out deserve a place where they can be poured into.”
Annual Pastors & Wives Retreat
A Time of
Refreshing
Wholeness • Healthiness • Holiness
October 9–11, 2026 · Chattanooga, Tennessee
This weekend retreat is designed especially for senior pastors and their spouses to rejuvenate, reconnect, and grow spiritually in the company of couples who understand the journey of ministry.
- Rest without responsibility
- Connection as a couple
- Meaningful workshops and activities
- Spiritual renewal for the road ahead
Renewal in Community
Rest. Reconnect. Refresh.
Pastors and spouses gather in an atmosphere of fellowship, encouragement, and joy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why make time to be refreshed?
You continually pour into others. This retreat creates space for someone to pour back into you.
24%of U.S. senior Protestant pastors said they had seriously considered leaving full-time ministry within the previous year.
Why should we attend “A Time of Refreshing”?
Senior pastors and their spouses spend much of their lives caring for others, often without a safe place to be honest about their own experiences. This retreat gives ministry couples an opportunity to step away from responsibility, rest, reconnect, and receive encouragement from people who understand the unique demands of senior leadership.
- A confidential and supportive environment
- Fellowship with other senior pastors and spouses
- Honest conversations about ministry and marriage
- Team-building activities, games, and shared experiences
- Personal, spiritual, and relational renewal
- Encouragement rooted in the truth that iron sharpens iron
Why is this retreat important?
Pastoral burnout is real. Ministry leaders carry congregational needs while managing conflict, finances, family responsibilities, public expectations, and the emotional weight of caring for others.
Barna reported in January 2026 that 24% of U.S. senior Protestant pastors—nearly one in four—had seriously considered leaving full-time ministry during the previous year. That figure improved from 42% in 2022, but it still represents many pastors serving under intense pressure.
56%cited immense job stress
43%felt lonely and isolated
38%cited political division
The pressure reaches the family, too. Barna found that 55% of pastors worried their parenting was judged because of their ministry role, while 56% worried their children felt pressure to behave a certain way.
Healthy pastors, marriages, and ministry families help build healthy churches. Rest is not weakness—it is essential to sustaining the calling. This retreat provides a safe place to breathe, reconnect, strengthen one another, and return to ministry renewed.
Research: 2026 pastoral ministry data · reasons pastors considered leaving · parenting pressures for pastors
Registration & Hotel
Reserve your place for a refreshing weekend.
Registration is $99 per couple and includes access to all retreat activities and workshops. Hotel accommodations are booked and paid separately by each couple.
Retreat Registration
$99per couple
Choose one of the payment options below to secure your registration.
Pay by check
Make payable to H4 Ministries
P.O. Box 4205
Cartersville, GA 30120
Make payable to H4 Ministries
P.O. Box 4205
Cartersville, GA 30120
Hotel Reservations
Embassy Suites by Hilton Chattanooga Hamilton Place
2321 Lifestyle WayChattanooga, TN 37421
- Stay dates
- October 9–11, 2026
- Group code
- CES91R
- Group cutoff
- September 11, 2026 at midnight
Book by the cutoff date to receive the H4 Ministries group rate. Availability and the group rate are not guaranteed afterward.
Book Your Hotel RoomConnect With H4 Ministries
Questions about registration or the retreat?
We would be glad to help you prepare for A Time of Refreshing.
Ministry Partners
Partner with H4. Strengthen those who serve.
Vendors, sponsors, churches, businesses, and individual donors help H4 Ministries create restorative experiences for pastors and their spouses.
Checks may be made payable to H4 Ministries and mailed to P.O. Box 4205, Cartersville, GA 30120.
Contact H4 Ministries