Member Spotlight: Kevin and Tawn Bueltmann of Shepherd's Canyon Retreat Ministry

Why SMI? The Bueltmanns find comfort knowing Samaritan members are able to help.

Kevin Bueltmann had pastored a large church in Montana for four years and found himself in a place of burnout to the point of considering getting a job in retail.

But God used Shepherd’s Canyon Retreat Ministry in Arizona to serve and heal Kevin and his wife, Tawn. The two had such great experiences that they now serve as executive director and executive coordinator for the ministry.

“I was completely burned out, I was ready to be a Walmart greeter,” Kevin said. “Then my wife and I came here to Shepherd’s Canyon for a week, and that really turned things around for us. A year and a half after that, they asked us to be onsite as site managers and in hospitality and then, a year ago, they asked me to be the executive director and Tawn to be the executive coordinator.”

An ‘oasis of grace’

The ministry was created 15 years ago by Dave and Barb Anderson, who are now enjoying life in their 80s. Dave’s father was a pastor, which prompted Dave to create a ministry that supports pastors and ministry workers going through challenges with their calling.

The guests who attend Shepherd’s Canyon Retreat Ministry typically arrive depleted, stressed, and fatigued. But they often leave rejuvenated, encouraged, and rested.

For Kevin and Tawn, the experience changed their perspective and renewed their passion to care for God’s people.

“It put the power back in our hands as far as not feeling like a victim,” Kevin said. “They compare it to about 20 weeks of counseling in one week.”

Shepherd’s Canyon likes to get a lot done in a week. Maximum attendance for a week is eight people. Those guests arrive on a Monday and leave the following Monday. They share stories, have multiple counseling sessions individually (or with their spouse) and as a group, and have free time.

Located in sunny Wickenburg, Arizona—about 1½ hours northwest of Phoenix—the retreat is designed like a resort, offering a swimming pool, hot tub, hiking trails, pickleball, and other outdoor activities. A prayer garden and walking trail are also onsite. The group has one free day during the week when many go offsite to explore the local area.

“There’s free time each day, too, so while some people are in counseling in the afternoons, other people have their free time,” Tawn said. “We’ve tried to make it as much of a resort as we can afford here in our little oasis of grace. It seems to be very healing for many, many people.”

Not just for pastors

Most of the ministry’s guests are pastors, but the retreat is also available to missionaries, worship leaders, camp directors, Christian educators, and anyone in full-time Christian ministry.

In the one-week timeframe, two professional therapists and a chaplain work with the guests to help them through their struggles. Kevin said there could be many reasons they need this time away from their work.

“Maybe they’re going through stress or burnout or something beyond that,” he said. “Maybe it’s compassion fatigue. Maybe they’re in conflict with a member of the congregation or another staff member. Sometimes it’s because they are in transition. Maybe they’re getting ready to retire, or they lost a loved one in their family, or they are preparing to begin a sabbatical.”

Testimonies of transformation

At a pastors’ conference Kevin attended recently, three people told him how the retreat had helped them. One said it saved their marriage, another said it kept them in church, and one even said it saved their lives.

“These are the stories we hear,” Tawn said. “It’s just so encouraging and so, so good how God transforms and restores people.”

Since each week brings up to eight people together, the community aspect is part of the design for healing.

“It helps them feel like they’re not the only ones going through troubles,” Kevin said. “It helps them feel safe to share and realize that other people have problems too, but also, they can offer ideas to one another because when you help other people, it helps you realize, ‘Oh, I could help this other person in their struggles.’ And also, there’s prayer. They can be in prayer for each other.”

While the therapists are not licensed to practice in other states, the guests are encouraged to continue receiving counseling in their home states if desired. Many times, the cohorts will stay in touch with each other, continuing to pray for and encourage one another.

“All the work we do, all the stress for us on our end, it’s all worth it,” Tawn said. “God is using this to save lives.”

‘We want healthy pastors’

Burnout or mental decline can be caused by several factors. Kevin compared compassion fatigue in pastors to working in an emergency room at a hospital.

“Somebody comes into the ER with a gunshot wound, and somebody else comes in with a broken leg, and another person comes in with a splinter or something like that, and it’s like ‘OK, who do I help first?’, because they are all in pain,” he said. “They all need help, and that’s what it is like with pastors. They can be working on their sermon for Sunday, and then they have a funeral, and then someone else is in the hospital, and someone else calls and starts complaining that their sermon is too long or too short. So, it’s just a lot of pressure.”

In 2021, Barna Group released a study that revealed nearly 4 in 10 pastors had considered quitting full-time ministry over the past year. While the research group’s most recent studies show signs of more satisfaction in pastors, there is still work to be done.

“We want healthy pastors so they can go back and serve with joy,” Kevin said. “We need our pastors to stay in ministry, but also, too, when you have a healthy pastor, not only does he or she do well in ministry, but as far as helping others, people are inspired to follow in their footsteps.”

How to help Shepherd’s Canyon

• Volunteers are needed year-round to help with several tasks. To learn more, visit the ministry’s volunteer page.
• The ministry is praying about opening a second retreat location, likely somewhere in the Midwest, since many who attend the Arizona location come from the eastern half of the country. Pray for their efforts to grow the ministry and to continue supporting ministry workers through their challenges.
• To make an online donation to the ministry, simply visit its website’s Donate page. Checks can also be mailed to Shepherd’s Canyon Retreat, P.O. Box 222, Wickenburg, AZ 85358.