'The Cove' conference center captivates
The main purpose of our trip to North Carolina and Virginia was to attend a seminar at the Billy Graham Conference Center, “The Cove,” near Asheville, N.C.
We decided fall would be perfect to avoid the heat of summer and see the autumn colors along the Blue Ridge Parkway. We avoided the heat and humidity but the colors had not made their appearance in mid-October. It was still a spectacular drive.
The Cove is a few miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway, close to Asheville, on 1,000 acres in a mountain valley or “cove.”
Four decades ago, Billy and Ruth Graham hiked up a Blue Ridge mountainside on the east side of Asheville. Their prayer was that God could use this place as a sanctuary for spiritual refreshment and transformation.
People are invited to come for a seminar led by some of the leading apologists of the Christian faith or having their own personal spiritual retreat. There is a beautiful chapel, two mountain lodges that provide beautiful accommodations with large common areas — but no TVs anywhere.
The conference center itself is a relaxing place for visiting and dining. The auditorium holds about 420 people. The dining offered healthy, delicious food and great fellowship with other believers. There was time between the presentations to walk the 10 miles of trails through the woods along the streams and we were fortunate to have some days of beautiful weather.
When we filled out the survey before leaving the conference, we tried to think of anything negative about our experience. We couldn’t and still can’t. Franklin Graham’s son, Will, is the executive director of The Cove, and he has done a marvelous job. The staff and volunteers create a place that is peaceful and welcoming.
The conference we attended was led by Erwin Lutzer, pastor emeritus of Moody Church in Chicago. His theme throughout the weekend was “The Church in Babylon.” It was a timely message as we see the conflict between Christian beliefs and the culture today. Using scripture from Daniel and Revelation, it was a fascinating and encouraging study in these troubled times.
Other conferences include “Pastor Renewal Conferences” that are designed for pastors and their spouses and are free to those who qualify. There are also Military Marriage Retreats at The Cove during the year and these are also free for active duty military and their spouses. All of these include lodging and meals at no charge.
Samaritan’s Purse also has a lodge in Alaska that they use for free retreats for military veterans and their wives to help strengthen their marriages. Combat veterans come to Samaritan Lodge Alaska with both physical and emotional scars from wartime deployments. The purpose of all of these retreats is to help strengthen the marriages of military couples who have fallout from lengthy periods of separation, which can stress a marriage on the brink.
After we came home and talked about how much we enjoyed our time at The Cove, we signed up for back-to-back conferences next September! Unfortunately we are on the wait list for one of the conferences for lodging on site. That happened to us last year also but there are usually people who cancel during the year and a room opens up.
Don’t be discouraged if you’re put on a wait list. However, don’t wait too long before signing up. These conferences are popular.
We found that flying into Charlotte was the least expensive and had more flights to choose from with only one stop. The Charlotte airport was easy to navigate and getting out of town was simple. The drive from Charlotte to The Cove is less than two hours. One suggestion would be to drive west to Boone and take the Blue Ridge Parkway south to Asheville for a little more scenic route.
If you want more information about The Cove go to its website, thecove.org.
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A correction to our article last week on the Christian Emergency Network: the correct email if you are interested: nick.welbaum@christianemergency network.net
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Bob Shillingstad’s religion columns appear Saturdays in The Press. Email Bob: bjshill@mac.com