Covenant Bible Institute
Special Event Schedule
Upcoming Events
The More Conference
Saturday October 3rd, 2026 @ 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Location: Covenant Bible Institute, 10810 Gravelly Lake Dr SW, Lakewood, WA 98499
If you are hungry for MORE, then this conference is for you!
The More Conference is designed to encourage and empower you to pursue more in your personal relationship with God, your personal formation and transformation, and in living out your identity and calling.
What We’ll Discover
Throughout the conference, we’ll focus on four key elements:
Perspectives - Explore the beliefs and expectations that shape our relationship and growth as children of God and followers of Jesus.
Identity - Discover more deeply who we are because of what God has done and who He is as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Vision - Consider the increasing reality of living and growing into the fullness of life in Christ.
Pathway - Explore the pathway of Believing – Receiving – Cultivating – Cooperating as we seek to experience more of what God desires for us.
What to Expect & Event Details
The conference will include teaching, small-group discussion, group processing, personal reflection, prayer, and worship.
Time: 8:30am - 2:30pm
Location: Covenant Bible Institute, 10810 Gravelly Lake Dr SW, Lakewood, WA 98499
Cost: $20 / $10 if registered by September 18th / includes lunch and all conference materials
For more information, call John Golling at 253-732-2306.
Meet the Speaker
Bill Bowers
Bill Bowers has been serving and leading in the greater Puyallup area for over 25 years. His passion is to see people living deeper Christ-centered lives, actively engaged in the great adventure of following God, serving others, and furthering the mission of God.
Bill is the creator of Pursuing More ministry, which specializes in interactive and experiential discipleship training for workshops and retreats, designed for pastors, leaders, and individuals.
Bill has led the way in the following initiatives:
Founder and Director of Friends & Servants ministry, serving troubled teens and juvenile offenders.
Founder and Director of The One Another Foundation, mobilizing people to serve others in the context of their own community.
Creator and leader of Shifting the Focus, a powerful leadership initiative helping churches focus on intentional discipleship.
ReNew Marriage
November 20-22, 2026
Location: Black Lake Bible Camp
Most divorces are not the result of a lack of love, a loss of desire, or a missing strategy. Marriages fail because couples never learned how to be truly safe for each other. ReNew Marriage Retreat was created to change that.
Over one immersive weekend, couples discover the deeper patterns driving conflict, identify and begin healing the childhood wounds they've carried into marriage, and learn to create the kind of intimacy that holds a relationship together when strategies and willpower fall short.
Our time alternates between story-rich teaching sessions and carefully designed couple activities, giving participants the time and space to begin applying what they're learning in real time.
Speakers
Licensed marriage and family therapist Sandra Golling (LMFTA) and her husband, Dr. John Golling, bring more than 30 years of pastoral and marriage ministry experience, along with their own stories of conflict, chaos, and courage. Together, they create a biblically based experience that equips couples to build true resilience, intimacy, and oneness in their marriage.
During the Retreat Couples Will Learn:
Marriage as a Safe Place — Understanding God's design for intimacy and what true safety in marriage actually requires.
Breaking the Cycle — Seeing marriage as a system: how couples co-create conflict patterns and how to interrupt them.
Childhood Wounds & Love Styles — How early attachment experiences and survival strategies surface in adult relationships.
Triggers, Projections & Survival Cycles — Mapping the emotional loop that turns small moments into major ruptures.
The Shame Beneath the Anger — Recognizing secondary emotions and meeting the deeper wound with curiosity and empathy.
Safe Vulnerability — Building a shame-free zone where both partners can share their truest selves without fear.
A Biblical Framework — Grounding all of the above in Scripture and a theology of redemptive covenant love.
Location
Located just 40 minutes from Tacoma, our venue rests on the shores of beautiful Black Lake in Olympia and features a newly remodeled lodge, bonfire lounge spaces, and outdoor activities including canoeing, hiking, and axe throwing. Couples stay in private, hotel-style rooms, each with their own bathroom, just a short walk from the lake, the meeting room, and recreation areas.
Facilitators: Sandra Golling, LMFTA and Dr. John Golling, DMin
Cost
- Early Registration (before Oct. 1) - $500
- After Oct. 1 - $550
For more information, call John Golling at 253-732-2306.
pAST eVENTS
Marriage 911 Couples Retreat: A Life Line for Your Marriage
April 12-14, 2026
Location: Fall Creek Retreat Center | 32 Falls Creek Rd, Raymond, WA 98577
You and your spouse will learn and practice skills that will help you:
- Rebuild emotional safety — becoming a refuge for one another as God is a refuge for each of us.
- Understand the relational “system” we co-create, and how both you and your spouse shape the communication and conflict-“dance” that you are in.
- Learn the power of “attachment” and how God invites us into His secure, steadfast love.
- Identify your trigger–survival strategy cycle and learn how to maintain emotional regulation during conflict.
- Learn how to create emotional safety so that you and your spouse can feel fully known and deeply connected.
Location: Falls Creek Retreat Center
Facilitators: Sandra Golling, LMFTA and Dr. John Golling, DMin
Cost is $650 (financial aid available)
For more information, call John Golling at 253-732-2306.
The Marriage 911 Couples Retreat is a ministry of LovedAlive Christian Counseling and Covenant Bible Institute. For more information see: LovedAlive.com.
Into the AI Storm: A Christian Perspective on the Impact of New Technologies on Culture, Life, and Faith
March 24 & 25, 2026 @ 6:00 - 8:30 PM
Into the AI Storm is a mini-conference designed to equip and encourage believers to think deeply and faithfully about artificial intelligence and its growing influence on culture, work, creativity, and spiritual life. Whether you are curious, concerned, or simply seeking clarity, this event will offer thoughtful insight and meaningful discussion grounded in biblical perspective
Location: Covenant Bible Institute 10810 Gravelly Lake Dr SW, Lakewood, WA, 98499
Facilitators:
- Day 1: Nathan Betts - Public Speaker & Writer
- Day 2: Nathan Sutherland - Speaker, Writer, Founder of Gospel Tech
Cost:
- $45 if registered by March 20th
- $55 after March 20th
For more information, call John Golling at 253-732-2306.
Transformed - Shifting Faith from Doing To Being
Every Sunday from October 5th - November 23rd | 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: Covenant Bible Institute | Lakewood, WA
Covenant Bible Institute is pleased to host an 8-Week Enrichment Course offered in cooperation with Discovery Community Church.Taught by CBI Professor Catherine Carlson on Sunday afternoons starting October 5th.
This class is open to anyone and is offered FREE of charge (textbook not included).
Register using the button below.
For more information, please contact Cathy Carlson:
Phone: (360) 440 - 4261
Email: [email protected]
We will be using the following books for this course:
- Emotionally Healthy Spiritually
- The Workbook that goes with Emotionally Healthy Spiritually
- Emotionally Healthy Spiritually: Day by Day (A Devotional Companion Book)
Participants interested in purchasing these books as a bundle from Amazon, use this link:
https://a.co/d/3XyS3v6
The Art of Receiving & Returning Jesus' Love
Saturday, November 1st | 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Location: Covenant Bible Institute | Lakewood, WA
Cost: $35 if registered by October 15th | $45 after | Lunch included
If you remain in me, and I remain in you, you will bear much fruit." - Jesus
Organic fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control... We all long for that as a lived reality. But spiritual fruit isn’t produced by trying harder. It only grows as we open ourselves to receive Jesus’ love. And the more we know His love—a deep down experience of His love—the more we’ll love him back. Join us as we consider and try out ancient spiritual practices that, over time, will draw us closer to Jesus. And in the process? More joy and peace in our lives. More patience and kindness toward others. Naturally.
Presentation & Practice:
Spiritual directors Marilyn Vancil, Terry Andres, Krisi Sonneland, and David Carlson will lead each session. The rhythm of the day will move from presentation to practice—ideas offered to help you experience and return more of Jesus’ love, followed by time alone to step into that practice. Each session will conclude with small group conversation.
Learn More About Each Speaker
Krisi Sonneland is the President of the Spiritual Formation Society of Washington and a spiritual director, who sees her role as a companion, coming alongside those seeking a deeper awareness of God's loving presence in daily life.
Terry Andres is currently a member of the Board of Directors for SFSWA and a member of the Ministry Team and has been deeply impacted by his sacred romance with the Trinity and believes ‘Never Give a Sword to a Man Who Cannot Dance.’
Marilyn Vancil is an author, speaker, workshop facilitator, spiritual director and coach who believes that bing in the presence of how God draws people to new experiences of freedom and ever-deepening awareness of Divine Love and Grace in their everyday stories is a privilege and a joy!
David Carlson is an Enneagram coach, spiritual director (in-training) and retired healthcare executive. His journey from ‘doing’ to resting in the love of God has led him to completely alter the trajectory of his life and is passionate about sharing the joy of the freedom it brings with others.
Redeeming the Wounds of Spiritual Abuse & Church Hurt
Saturday, February 22nd | 9am-3pm
With Sandra Golling, MA, LMFTA
Location: Covenant Bible Institute | Lakewood, WA
Spiritual abuse and church hurt are more common than many realize, leaving individuals feeling confused, wounded, and isolated. This conference is not only for those seeking healing but also for leaders committed to creating ministries and church environments that foster safety, growth, and restoration. Together, we’ll explore how to build communities where individuals can thrive without fear of abuse or manipulation. With deep insights, extended sharing opportunities, and small group breakout sessions, you’ll gain tools to move toward clarity, connection, and healing.
Topics We Explored:
What is spiritual abuse, and how does it impact individuals and communities?
- How does it affect relationships, mental health, and faith?
- Understanding “church hurt” and identifying steps toward recovery.
- Equipping leaders to create safe, healthy church spaces.
About the Speaker
Sandra Golling, LMFTA, combines 25+ years of pastoral experience with clinical expertise to guide individuals and leaders through the complexities of spiritual abuse. Her compassionate, theologically-informed approach will provide both clarity and hope.
Audience
- Individuals seeking healing and understanding.
- Church leaders committed to fostering safe communities.
- Anyone interested in learning about spiritual abuse and its effects.
Past Event Details
- Date & Time: Saturday, February 22nd | 9am-3pm
- Location: Covenant Bible Institute - Lakewood, WA
- Cost: $35
Includes lunch and conference materials.
A Sweet Invitation to Reconciliation
January 20, 2025 | 5PM - 7PM
With Pastor Bobby Hughes
Bobby Hughes, a native to the Pacific Northwest, serves as the Pastor of Harvest Church, located on the Eastside of Tacoma. He has been working in workforce development for the last 14 years and currently serves as the Westcoast Regional Director of Operations for Career TEAM. Bobby is passionate about impacting communities of need with opportunity, ensuring everyone is invited to the table. When not working or serving in ministry, you can find him building amazing Hot Wheels tracks with his son, having a dance party with his daughter, or traveling with his wife, Janell.
Webinar: Sustainable Apartment Ministry - Creating a Kingdom Ripple Effect
January 16, 2025 | 5 PM (Pacific Time)
With Dr. John Golling, Director | Community Caring Resource Network
God is moving in multifamily ministry, calling His people to be the light of the Gospel. Will we respond with sustainable ministries that shine with enduring brightness, or will our light sparkle briefly and fade?
In this webinar, we will explore a case study of an apartment chaplaincy ministry at Boulder Park in the Pacific Northwest. Together, we'll discuss strategies to develop ministries that stand the test of time.
Redeeming the Wounds of Spiritual Abuse and Church-Hurt
Saturday, May 18 · 9am - 1pm PDT at Covenant Bible Seminary, Lakewood, Washington
Speaker: Sandra Golling
Sandra Golling is a licensed counselor (LMFTA) who has worked with countless individuals, pastors, and Christian leaders who have been impacted by spiritual abuse. She and her husband, John, have served in pastoral roles in churches for over 25 years. She helps participants and Christian leaders from a wide variety of backgrounds to navigate the complex world of spiritual abuse with compassion, understanding, and deep theological reflection.
Justice For All Event
Date: January 15th from 5-7 PM at Covenant Bible Institute, Lakewood Washington.
Speaker: Pastor Lonnie Arnold
Gather with fellow Christians and churches from the Puget Sound region as together we observe the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr holiday with an evening of worship, fellowship and a special message from Pastor Lonnie Arnold, Executive Director of the Racial Reconciliation Network. Worship and a message at 5 PM, followed by a free dinner, concluding at 7 PM.
