Gateways to God 2025-2026

"Gateways to God is one of the handful of things that actually changed my ministry, and, I think, changed my discipleship. I think everybody—and I'm not exaggerating—I think everybody should do Gateways to God."

– Steve Garnaas-Holmes

What is Gateways to God?

"Gateways to God" is a two-year certificate program that trains individuals in spiritual direction. Spiritual Direction involves walking alongside others and attentively listening to the profound spiritual stirrings within their hearts and souls. The program is led by Heidi A. Miller, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Spirituality and Christian Ministry at Mercer University in Atlanta, alongside a team of experienced spiritual directors and supervisors.

If you’re interested in training as a compassionate listener and guide for the spiritual journeys of others, Gateways to God is for you. Over the course of six retreats, you will…

• Learn ancient and modern spiritual practices with a small cohort of peers
• Develop skills to lead one-on-one and group spiritual direction
• Receive personal spiritual direction during your training and study
• Experience group worship, small- and large-group instruction, and guided times of reflection and solitude

Gateways is a certificate program for clergy, lay leaders, and anyone called to listening work. Our next cohort is built around six immersive weekend retreats from January 2025 - October 2026. The program qualifies as CEU credits for clergy, and some grants are available. Read more below!
 

Resources for churches and other groups

We hope you'll share about Gateways to God with your church or broader community. We've put together an online toolkit, with downloaded materials that you can use. There you'll find printable flyers, brochures, videos, and text that you can use in your church bulletin and weekly announcements.
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Click here to access resources for your church
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The Application Process

Registration is now open for our 2025-2026 cohort, which begins in January. Are you interested in joining us? There are three simple steps to get started:

STEP ONE: Learn more about the program

• You can find a downloadable brochure: Click here.
• Reach out to Gateways Director Deadra Ashton at deadra.ashton@rollingridge.org for more information
• Read an article on Gateways to God Spiritual Direction training on the New England Conference website, and a narrative article about Gateways on our website.

STEP TWO: Submit an online application and reference form.

• To join Gateways to God, you must fill out an online application form. Submit your online application here.
• As well as an application, participants are required to fill out this Personal Reference/Referral form.

STEP THREE: Begin a transformative two-year journey in spiritual direction training with a cohort of peers.

• Once you're accepted, one of our instructors will reach out to you to welcome you to the program and talk with you about next steps.
• Our first in-person retreat begins in November 2024.  

Additional Information

Below you'll find additional information about Gateways to God, including course offerings, what to expect, dates, payment information, and more.

Course Offerings include:

• Introduction to Spiritual Guidance
• Journey of the Soul and Listening as an Act of Justice
• Learning to Listen in Painful and Anxious Places
• Discernment in the Journey: Joining Contemplation and Action
• Discernment with Communities: Incarnational Soul Tending
• Deep Listening of the Spiritual Director in Context

What to Expect:

• Taking time for personal reflection, solitude and the experience of Christian spiritual practices
• Connecting in a learning community of peers, lay and clergy
• Receiving spiritual direction for yourself throughout the entire course.
• Participating in group instruction and small group practice and reflection
• Engaging in reading and home-based experiential learning in preparation for each retreat
• Reflecting your learning through writing or other expressive means
• Receiving guidance in discerning gifts and calling toward a spiritual direction practice
• Offering supervised spiritual guidance to another during the course.

Course Requirements
Although there are no specific educational requirements for this training, those applying should have an active spiritual life, a deep love for all God’s people, strength in purposeful listening, embrace diversity, be in spiritual direction, and have personal time needed for the six retreats and course expectations.

NOTE: Rolling Ridge’s 8 week course, “Way of the Heart” provides an excellent foundation for the “Gateways to God” experience.

Retreat Schedule:

• #1 – January 24-27, 2025
• #2 – May 12-15, 2025
• #3 – November 3-6, 2025
• #4 – January 23-26, 2026
• #5 – May 11-14, 2026
• #6 - October 12-15, 2026

Course Fees and Requirements
Course Fee = $850 per retreat/$5,100 total - includes course tuition and all accommodations (note: books, travel, personal spiritual direction fees, and other incidentals are not included)

Payments:
Once your application has been accepted, you may make a partial or full payment using this secure link.

New: as well as paying as a single lump sum, Gateways payments can now be paid in installments over the duration of the program.

Within ten days of acceptance into the program a 30% deposit ($1530.00) is due.
The credit card on file will be charged:

• 5/1/25 - Payment 2  - $714.00
• 11/1/25 - Payment 3 - $714.00
• 1/1/26 - Payment 4 - $714.00
• 5/1/26 - Payment 5 - $714.00
• 10/1/26 - Payment 6 - $714.00

Due to the nature of this course, there are no refunds after the start of the course.

Continuing Education and Certification Opportunities:

• CEUs available
• UMC clergy are eligible for MEF grants.
• Boston University School of Theology has a process to provide credits from this program toward Certification in Spiritual Formation in the United Methodist Church.