What happens on a TRES DIAS Weekend?
The Spanish words “TRES DIAS” mean “three days”. TRES DIAS begins on a Thursday evening and ends the following Sunday evening.
The TRES DIAS team leading the weekend is composed of former attendees of a TRES DIAS or a similar weekend like Emmaus or Cursillo and who have volunteered their time for weeks of preparation by working and praying together as a unit. There is presented in Three Days the basics of the Christian life and the meaning of living the Christian ideal and its application in our daily lives.
Tres Dias is an inter-denominational 3-day weekend retreat. The focus of the weekend is “God’s Unmerited Love”. The weekend is designed to show the “agape” love that God pours out on us. This is love that is unconditional, unmerited, and for which the only true response can be love in return. The goal is to empower Christians to become leaders within their families, their small groups, their churches, and their communities. Participants often return to their own church with renewed commitment.
TRES DIAS is centered around lay and clergy talks. Each talk is discussed by table groups. Interchange that develops in these discussions makes Christ’s teachings come alive. The basic atmosphere of TRES DIAS is one of love, joy, Christian fellowship, singing, laughing, and worship. TRES DIAS makes future Christian experiences more fruitful because of the zestful seasoning it brings to all Christian living. TRES DIAS can be made only once in a lifetime, therefore it is not a substitute for a retreat, nor does it have the individual solitude of a retreat.
The weekend runs from Thursday evening through Sunday afternoon. In addition to other participants, the weekend consists of committed Christian volunteers who serve as team members. They will attempt to share the “Christ within them ” with the participants, while expecting nothing in return. (Experience shows that God richly blesses the team members more than any “thank you” from a participant ever could!). During the weekend, you can expect:
– Group discussions of topics that are of vital interest to the Body of Christ.
– Times of prayer, sharing, and fellowship.
– Lots of music and singing.
– Lots of fun and surprises!
– LOTS of food. (This isn’t the weekend to plan a fast or begin a diet!).
– More surprises!!
– Most importantly, you can expect that God will meet you exactly where you are!
Generally, the weekend is designed for men to go first, followed shortly after by a weekend for their wives.
Tres Dias is a “once in a lifetime” experience. Once a person has attended a weekend, they are not permitted to attend again, unless they do so as a future team member. Following the weekend, participants are strongly encouraged to participate in small “share groups” or “reunion groups”.
– It is NOT intended to become an alternative to your home church or practice of worship.
– It is not a denomination, nor is it designed to become a focal point of worship, other than during the particular weekend.
– There is no proselytizing! No particular denomination or group is encouraged or discouraged, as long as that denomination or group follows the basic tenets of the Tres Dias statement of beliefs.
Essentially, Tres Dias is the expression of unmerited Christian love exhibited by the Father through His people! It is the desire of the Tres Dias Community that participants will return to their home churches with the empowerment of a revitalized relationship with Jesus Christ through His Holy Spirit!
Who should attend a TRES DIAS weekend?
Just as Christ meets you at your point of need, so TRES DIAS is designed for those who desire to be strengthened in their faith and to be brought closer to Christ in their discipleship.
Every participant must have a sponsor, who has attended a Tres Dias (or similar) weekend. This sponsor will assist you in preparation for the weekend and, more importantly, assist you after the weekend. If you know someone in your church who has attended a Tres Dias weekend, ask them to tell you more and how to get started. Pray about it, and if you conclude that you should go, submit an application that your sponsor will provide or you can download one on the top of this page. If you don’t know of anyone in your church who has attended a Tres Dias weekend, ask your Minister or look for friends or relatives who have attended similar weekends such as Emmaus or Cursillo. These communities are very similar and have the same basic objectives.
If you feel led to serve or attend then please click on the men’s or women’s picture below to fill out an application. Once we receive your application, we will add you to our weekend list and join you in praying for you and your personal weekend. In the event that the weekend candidate roster has already been filled, you will be notified that you have been added to our waiting list. Men and women attend separate weekends.
Find out more about sponsoring a candidate here.