"Nijay Gupta is at the forefront of New Testament scholarship, publishing new research on Paul every year, and he also has one foot planted in the life and mission of the local church. He is a trustworthy and creative guide for all things Paul, especially the letter to the Galatians." -Tim Mackie, Co-Founder of the Bible Project

What it is: The Portland Preaching Retreat is a four-day retreat for teaching pastors in the Portland Metro Area at Mt. Angel Abbey. Designed to bless and serve local pastors, the Preaching Retreat hosts a scholar who will teach on one book of the Bible over four days, going in depth on ways this content can be preached in a sermon series. Pastors will leave inspired and refreshed, with new friends and a whole series’ worth of sermon outlines. This year, the guest scholar is Dr. Nijay Gupta of Northern Seminary teaching on the book of Galatians. Pastor John Rosensteel of New Hope Church will be the local host, and Pastor Chris Dolson of Blackhawk Church in Middleton, WI will be joining as a guest facilitator.

Retreat Information

Scholar Info: Dr. Nijay Gupta teaches New Testament at Northern Seminary. He has published over twenty books including A Beginner's Guide to New Testament Studies, Paul and the Language of Faith, Tell Her Story, and Galatians in the Story of God commentary series. Nijay is also co-editor of the Dictionary of Paul and His Letters and Senior Translator for Pauline Letters for the New Living Translation. He co-hosts the Slow Theology Podcast with AJ Swoboda. Nijay lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife Amy and three kids, and he enjoys preaching in the area and connecting with local pastors. He will be teaching on Galatians for this Preaching Retreat.

“Gupta does a wonderful job of mixing scholarly expertise with practical explanation.”
-Dr. Esau McCaulley on Dr. Gupta’s latest commentary on Galatians

What’s included: Registration for the retreat includes food, lodging, and two commentaries by Dr. Gupta. Overnight guests will receive all meals beginning at lunch Tuesday and concluding with breakfast Friday. Drive-in guests will receive lunch Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. All guests are invited to an optional lunch out Friday after the retreat which is not included in the cost.

Schedule: Programming begins on Tuesday at 11:00 AM and concludes by Friday at 12 PM. Please plan to arrive on time and participate the entire time. Daily sessions with Dr. Gupta will roughly start daily at 9 AM and end before dinner, with short breaks throughout the day. Evenings will remain unprogrammed for relaxation and connecting with each other. Learn more about the teaching format with this helpful video.

Accommodations: Overnight guests will have a private room and bathroom. Linens and towels are provided. A buffet-style breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served daily. Coffee will be available during meals and break times. For drive-in participants, lunch will be included daily. Upon arrival Tuesday, overnight guests will have a place to store all bags while we eat lunch and begin the retreat, before official check in is available that afternoon. Participants are welcome to explore all the Abbey has to offer between or after sessions.

Packing: Wifi and outlets will be available for participants who prefer to take notes on a laptop or tablet. Please bring your longest charger or a power strip/extension cord to make sure you can reach an outlet. You may prefer to bring a notebook or journal. If you drink coffee or tea, a thermos or reusable coffee cup is highly encouraged. Snacks will be provided, but some people may choose to bring their own. A refrigerator is available for overnight guests if needed. Overnight guests should also bring their own toiletries. Sturdy shoes and a jacket are encouraged for exploring the Abbey grounds.

Background: The Preaching Retreat Framework was started more than 20 years ago by graduates of the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Doctorate of Ministry program, under Dr. Haddon Robinson. Since then, teaching pastors from around North America have gathered annually to learn from scholars from around the world, now known as Didasko Seminars. This will be the second city-focused Preaching Retreat, following last year’s time at Mt. Angel with Tim Mackie.

Questions? Contact Elise at elise@togetherpdx.org