"Although we've used all kinds of events to build relationships within our church family (supper clubs, sports, game nights, picnics, etc.), by far the most effective tool for cultivating new friendships has been our use of weekend retreats. Consider this: the amount of time a person spends with other members at a single 48 hour retreat is greater that what they will spend together in Sunday over a year. If you are a church planter and you want to develop relationships quickly in your church, take everybody on a retreat."