The Team

Flight suits and silver wings… sounds like glory, doesn’t it? I once thought it was. It took 40 years, with lots of missteps and misplaced worship, to discover that. It absorbed my heart, fed a self centered core, and let me hide my wounds… inside a shiny fast jet. It was just a place to hide and run fast. Now I am on a journey back to the real glory, the glory of God that is man fully alive. That is what we are about. We invite you to join us on an adventure to recover the heart God intended for you: a heart alive, full, and free.

“When the student is ready the messenger will appear” Perhaps a famous cliché, but truth in my case. The messenger was John Eldredge. The timing was perfect (like, that would be God). The message was restoration. Isaiah 61 Restoration. Jesus spoke of this in Luke 4: ‘ He came to heal the brokenhearted, give sight to the blind, and set the captives free.’ Nearly blind, full of fear, and carrying a crushing burden, I heard this message that went straight to my heart.

There it began: a challenging, sometimes frightening, and often difficult adventure. The journey of my life, not via my own navigation but with His. Years down the road, it is now a fulfilling, exciting, mysterious and still, sometimes, difficult adventure. Transformation, restoration, freedom, vision, healing – I testify to these. Now I live in a story far more exciting than flying fighters, far more glorious than silver wings. Oh yes I still fly, now in ways I have never flown before. You see, the wings I wear on my clothing define me no more.

When I returned from Ransomed Heart Boot Camp in October 2006, the passion to live from a restored and renewed heart burned within me. I found other men who carry the same burn; we are walking together on this journey. We are a band of brothers that call ourselves Return To Glory, and we carry this message for every man that thirsts for more, for Isaiah 61 restoration, to live from a heart that is truly alive.

We invite you to join us for a transforming experience into your heart, toward the heart of Jesus. You may never be the same again.

Bill Harper
Bill@return-to-glory.com
850.591.3227

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Prov 4:23

Keeper of the Light
Imagine a lighthouse, an old one, battered by the salt and storms of life at the edge of the safety of land. The gears are creaky, the rails are rusty and the doors leak in a heavy rain. The lens of the lamp needs cleaning – it always does – given the nature of the combatively corrosive environment in which it stands. The lighthouse is a bit battered, and needs constant maintenance and care. But it stands solid in structure and foundation. And it shines. Passers by have been known to chidingly remark how the worn picket fence and grounds surrounding the house are in need of remodeling. Others who have visited the living quarters have been known to find it uninviting, with some jagged edges on the furniture and occasional untidiness. Then there are others who visit the lighthouse and notice the lamp is bright even in the daytime sun. As they walk by looking up, the rusty rails and cracked window frames go unnoticed. And the light continues to shine, day and night. From a distance many wayward men on theirs journeys have found their way through dangerous waters to safety from this light. Those travelers afar know nothing but gratitude for the light. In fact, the light is all they know. I am not the light. And I am but the keeper of the lighthouse. Sometimes weary, always human, but passionate about fighting the darkness as best I can. To keep the message going out: a reference of fixed truth in a bearingless sea where it is so easy to lose our way. And me, I am just doing the best I can. To keep the light shining all the time.

Bill Harper

Bill Harper retired from the Air Force in 2008, as a Lieutenant Colonel with 28 years of service. With a varied aviation track, he has flown fighters, helicopters, and taught students to fly jets in the training command. He served in staff and leadership roles including developing the Space Shuttle Rescue Program following the Challenger accident, teaching student pilots Aerodynamics and Aircraft Systems in the classroom, and developing Airspace and Flight Safety programs for the fighter and helicopter squadrons he served with. He continues his aviation career today as a Captain of a commercial business jet with NetJets.

Bill and his wife Debbie have been married for 21 years, and have two daughters aged 20 and 17, who are athletes and scholars. They are members of Bradfordville First Baptist Church, but have deep connections throughout the body of Christ in Tallahassee. In his spare time, Bill loves to hunt, to play in the water, to work in his shop, and especially to do anything with his three favorite women. Or with his Band of Brothers.

Men's retreats have been life- changing for me. And the graces have overflowed into my family in incredible ways.

My first experience on a men’s retreat took place while I was in high school. I was 16 years old, and I hadn’t seen my dad for two years. I was lost without knowing it. A young professional football Player befriended me and invited me to go on a Fellowship of Christian Athletes retreat in North Carolina. It was a new start and ignited my love for God’s word. I received so much from my experience that summer I couldn’t wait to give back. I served as a counselor at a summer FCA camp while in college.

About 12 years later, I was married, had two school-aged daughters, and had few years under my belt as a young professional. My life was going well on the outside, but inside I had a hunger I couldn’t quite identify. I was invited to another men’s retreat, and once again my life was transformed. I discovered Christian community- a true band of brothers. I developed deep friendships with other men for the first time in my life. Before that I had sports buddies, school and work friends, and relationships with family, but nothing like the bond I felt with these other men of all ages. Some of those men are my closest friends to this day.

Now I was hooked. Not long after that experience, I went on another weekend retreat. It got better- way better. Late into the night, I had an encounter with the Holy Spirit. Overwhelmed with the Father’s love, my heart was set on fire. I’ve been in love with Jesus ever since. He is still working on me of course; the Ransomed Heart message of restoration (Isa. 61) is a deep well from which I am drinking. I still thirst for the water of life and to share it with others: To be free. To see. To love deeply. To allow Jesus to purify and heal my heart.

He didn’t stop with me. It was through men’s gatherings such as this that the men in my family began our reunion, each in his time, and with each reconnection came healing and restoration. The Father transformed our personal and relational brokenness into a deep grace that has blessed us, blessing many other men in the process. I now find my joy in sharing these gifts with men of all ages and backgrounds. I have discovered healing, the miraculous work of God through His Spirit, restored relationships and all kinds of fruit in men’s retreats – anywhere I can bond with a band of brothers - and I have no doubt God Will Show Up at the Return To Glory Weekend for healing of all who thirst for more. My story is one of renewal and restoration and this is another exciting chapter of that work in progress.

Bob@return-to-glory.com

(Dr.) Bob Schuchts is a Marriage and Family Therapist in Tallahassee Florida. He is a co-founder of the Theology of the Body Healing Center, as well as a faculty member of the Theology of the Body Institute and The Center for Biblical Studies. In that capacity, Bob conducts training for men and women in all walks of life areas of healing, sexuality, and marriage. He was also a co-founder of FRATERNUS, a ministry targeted at raising boys into spiritually and emotionally mature men through mentoring, coaching, and interaction with godly adult men. Bob has a gift and a passion for his work, and it is about the healing of hearts through the redemption of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Bob and his wife Margie have been married for 33 years. They have two grown daughters, Kristen and Carrie, a son-in-law Duane, and five grandchildren. They are all members of Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Tallahassee, Florida. Bob's favorite hobby is spending time with family and playing with his grandchildren.

I read “Wild at Heart” and “Waking the Dead” several years before I attended the Return To Glory “Boot Camp” in September 2008. While I found a message in the books that resonated, it didn’t penetrate deeply into my heart. However, the experience of the 4 day "Boot Camp" was transformational – the environment, the presentation, the quiet time with God- the things I heard from Him there were life changing. I discovered a new passion for living from the heart, in the context of a larger story – and my passion to spread this message is a fruit born of that transformation.

In John 10:10, Jesus says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy." Yet the message I was hearing went far deeper, inviting me into an epic adventure, an adventure much larger than the size of my own dreams – indeed the vastness of God’s dreams for me. And the revelations! – the heart of the warrior (that Jesus has), and why God planted that heart in me (in His image). And I came face to face with places in my life where the thief had been stealing, killing and destroying my heart…my heart for God, my heart for my wife, and my heart for my children.

You won’t find any skits, nametags, or typical “retreat” fare on this camp. This weekend adventure is not “churchy” and intentionally so. You will find fresh air, both outside and in the air your soul will breathe. There will be quiet time for reflection with God. Expect Him to show up. And hopefully, you’ll embark on your own great adventure with God, living as God intended you to live, as a man fully alive.

Ken@return-to-glory.com

Ken Kniepmann graduated from St. Louis University in the early 80’s with an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Masters in Counseling. He has spent the last 20 years of his professional career as an entrepreneur, providing management and staffing solutions in the fields of technology, healthcare and insurance. Since 2004, his company has focused exclusively in providing consulting and staffing to companies in the Florida property and casualty insurance market.

Ken has been active in ministry and retreat programs for many years, and teaches in his church’s adult education program. Ken also teaches a class on mens spirituality at the Center for Biblical Studies in Tallahassee. He married his wife, Sharon, in 1989, and they have two beautiful children, Caleb 12, and Hannah, 8. They currently reside in Tallahassee, Florida, where the family attends Good Shepherd Catholic Church.

From the Head to the Heart

I am hardly a man of worldly accomplishments. My resume could be put on a postage stamp, but I could write all day about the things that God has done for me. I have spent my entire Christian walk fighting against sin...and yet there is little fruit to show for it. Though a follower of Christ for many years it wasn't until recently that I came to know God as He really is: a Father, my Father, who cares deeply for me. In this time of healing I came to know God's true identity as well as my own as His son. This theological truth made its way from my head to my heart. This was a major paradigm shift. Through it I was healed of a life-long sexual addiction. It was unmerited and unexpected.

You can go now, you're free!

It's an incredible thing to be a prisoner your whole life...and then suddenly someone walks up to your cell, hands you a key and says, "you can go now, you're free." If you're like me, you just stand in awe, asking, "is this even possible?" "You mean I don't have to throw myself against the same old sin? I don't have to carry shame all the time? I don't have to feel worthless in the presence of my wife? I can have a real relationship with her? I don't have to feel like a hypocrite at Church anymore? I don't have to live as a defeated Christian, with Satan's foot on my neck? Is this possible?" I found out...it is possible.

A Work in Progress

I am proud to say that I am a work in progress simply because I am His work. I am still coming to know God as Father and myself as He has created me each day in a new and powerful way. The process doesn't end. It continues until the day we die and anyone who tells me otherwise is selling a cheap plastic salvation! I'm O.K. with a life-long process because the heart of the Father is all good...and my heart is important to Him.

Factoids

Though I feel I am totally unworthy, I am blessed with the best wife and three children ever. (Maybe I should say, second only to Saint Joseph!) My loves are: my family, God's Church, archaeology and discovering God's work in history, telling stories of God in the lives of people through video, as well as making people laugh. I also have a passion for sharing my own story of God's work on my heart, particularly with other men. (Even our woundedness serves His purpose!) The Lord has named me Χριστόφορος: I am His "Christ-bearer"!

Ransomed Heart

I believe that God has called John Eldredge and Ransomed Heart to be a prophetic voice in our day. His message truly speaks to me as it does to so many men, transcending denominational boundaries, restoring marriages, strengthening families, as well as unifying the severed Body of Christ. Must be a work of God!

Men United, Living from the Heart: An Invitation

I invite you to join us on this journey of the heart. It's a journey for the weak, the wounded, the faint-of-heart, the sinner, the addict, and even for the man who says he is none of those. (John Eldredge calls him "the Poser"). Whether you're looking for a way out, don't know you're in prison, or if you don't even believe real freedom is possible, you'll find good company among us. The abundant life that Christ offers is attainable when men unite and live from the heart: light fills the dark places, strongholds are demolished, the Enemy is defeated and prisoners go free.

"Here is your key. You can go now, you're free!"

Chris@return-to-glory.com

A Call to Conversion

“When everything else is lost and stripped away, we discover that there is only one thing that we own, it is our story.” (from the movie Australia) God is the Divine Author, the Creative One, who lays out a script for our lives. Setting this script before us, He gives us the freedom to choose it or one of the many other scripts that are presented to us. Do I choose life from his script or death from the others (Dt 30:19)? Do I become the hero or the villain of this story? For me, these choices became salient when I was a freshman in college. After instantly falling into the traps of college life, I soon realized that my life was heading in the wrong direction. I was on the verge of losing all the morals my parents had bestowed upon me. I had a vision of standing on the precipice of a mountain and looking out over the edge. Darkness and mist awaited me if I fell. I heard the voice of the Lord speak to me for the first time in my life and he said, “The choice is yours, you can either jump off into the abyss or get back on the mountain and keep ascending the rock.” I chose the latter and God was quick to act; he is so rich in his mercy (Eph 2:4)! That weekend I attended my first retreat with the local Catholic campus ministry, and I knew that my life had changed forever. I never looked back. I kept going, and, though I am nowhere near the top of the mountain, the journey has been good. I guess in many ways I am an anomaly, because most people go to college and lose their faith, while I was the opposite and found it.

The Boy Grows Up

Soon after graduating college, I married my wife, Kristin, and started two years of missionary service. It was during that time when I first came across Wild at Heart. Once again, the Lord was impeccable in his timing. As a recent college grad and newlywed, I was in the middle of purging the boy and becoming the man. Eldredge’s words were like kerosene on the fires of manhood burning within my soul. I, like many, resonated with his assessment of the core desires within a man’s heart and the question that haunts each of us, “Do I have what it takes?” My journey to manhood accelerated with the birth of my first son, Gabriel. It seemed very crazy to me at the time, and still now, but I had just become the face of God the Father to another human person. It was then that I truly knew that my life was no longer my own. I was now the head of a family and responsible for their physical and spiritual well-being.

“Playing the Man”

Fast forward to the present… As a counselor, I have the great grace to listen to the stories of the many people who sit on the couches in my office. I see the ache of men (both young and old); how they yearn to break free and become the man God created them to be! I resonate with their ache, and this is why I am part of this band of brothers who are working together to make this retreat weekend a reality. I look forward to hearing your story during the RTG Boot Camp. I’ll be praying for you.

Mario Sacasa, MS/EdS, is co-founder of the Theology of the Body Healing Center and serves as one of its principle counselors and educators. He graduated with a combined Master’s of Science and Educational Specialist Degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in December 2006. As a marriage and family life minister at both the parish and diocesan levels, he has taught courses and seminars on sexuality, inner healing, and spiritual gifts. Mario has facilitated workshops that teach parents how to discuss sexual issues with their children. He has years of experience with marriage preparation programs and is a trained administrator of the FOCCUS inventory. In addition, he serves on the psychological evaluation team for candidates entering formation for the permanent diaconate and the priesthood for the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. He is bilingual, fluent in both Spanish and English. Mario and his wife Kristin have been married for over 6 years and have two boys, Gabriel and Isaac, and are active members at Good Shepherd Parish in Tallahassee, FL.

For the First 20+ years of life I believed that being a rugged football player defined one as a man. Through much hardship and shattered facades I have been on a journey of learning more - boy does it look different than I once believed; so much better!

It was while on a men’s retreat, with my brother Bob and 50 other men, that this learning curve was accelerated -near the waning years of my football career. If someone would have told me I was going to be with 50 men who were going to hug each other I would have never gone. I am so glad no one told me! It was on this weekend, while in my brother’s embrace that a presence filled the room and I heard a still small voice within say, “I am a Father to the Fatherless and I love you!” It was more than I could handle. I fell apart in tears as my outer football facade crumbled about me. For the first time ever, I knew what true love felt like. I didn’t know what I was missing.

Having grown up without a father, who left my mom and seven children when I was 5yrs old, I had little idea what it really meant to be fathered. Here in my mid 20’s, I learned deeply what it was to encounter the Father’s amazing and powerful love. I was forever changed!

My brother Bob and I have been privileged to share similar encounters and retreats with our two other brothers and our Dad (not to mention our brother-in-laws, friends and spiritual brothers). God has truly done amazing things within our family to restore us back to the Father’s love.

I have been on a journey ever since in pursuit of more of the adventure God has placed within my heart. My greatest passion is for the Father and coming into all that He has for me to become. I enjoy introducing others to the Father and the amazing adventure He has placed before us as men.

Due to such experiences, I am a strong advocate of men’s retreats and I am particularly inspired by the Ransomed Heart/Return To Glory format. There is something powerful about men gathering to explore the heart adventure God has set out for us to encounter.

Fasten your seatbelt and get ready for the ride of your life!

Enjoy The Journey!
Bart Schuchts

"He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers…" Mal 4:6

"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling." Psalm 68:4-6