About us

Be Still Retreats is a cost-free, adult only retreat facility. We serve Christian clergy and ministry leaders, their spouse and support staff.

Vision

A world without clergy burnout.

Everything we do is focused on serving, encouraging and inspiring our Church leaders.  Pastors and missionaries, including ministry leaders need to put effort into keeping their relationship with God, their spouse and support staff strong.  Our purpose is to make that easier.  We encourage guests to remove themselves from the rush, relax, be still before God and rest in Him.

We see individuals: Going deeper with God, purposefully seeking Him in the stillness of His creation.

We see marriages: Strengthened through undistracted intimacy in the unadulterated beauty of nature.

We see Church leadership teams: Strengthening their foundation by getting off campus and learning about each other, closing gaps in communication and seeking God to help them through growth and change.

We see strong leadership in the Church, rested, with clear vision and a renewed passion for their ministry.

Mission

Serve, encourage, and inspire Church leaders; promoting growth in their relationship with God, their spouse, and support staff.

We follow the instruction given to the Thessalonian church by Paul: “Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work.  They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.  Show them great respect and whole hearted love because of their work.  And live peacefully with each other.”  1 Thessalonians 5:12-13.

We are encouraged by John’s letter to Gaius: “Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you.”  3 John 1:5.

As our name suggests, we promote “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10.  We encourage guests to leave their daily distractions behind and quiet their minds with the stillness of nature, opening the door for God to truly inspire them.

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Our Beliefs

Statement of Faith

Be Still, Inc., acknowledges the Bible as its supreme authority in matters of faith and practice. The Corporation’s Statement of Faith is necessary for the fulfillment of its purposes and is the basis for unity of its membership. The Corporation accomplishes its business and objectives in accordance with the following doctrinal beliefs:

A. We believe there is one God, infinite Spirit, creator, and sustainer of all things, who exists eternally in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three are one in essence but distinct in person and function.

B. We believe that all things were created by God. Angels were created as ministering agents, though some, under leadership of Satan, fell from their sinless state to become agents of evil. The universe and everything in it was created in six days and is continuously sustained by God; thus it both reflects His glory and reveals His truth. Human beings were directly created in the very image of God. As reasoning moral agents, they are responsible under God for understanding and governing themselves and the world.

C. We believe that both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, though written by men, was supernaturally inspired by God so that all its words are the written true revelation of God; it is therefore inerrant in the originals and authoritative in all matters. It is to be understood by all through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, its meaning determined by the historical, grammatical, and literary use of the author’s language, comparing Scripture with Scripture.

D. We believe Adam, the first man, was created in the image of God, formed by God of the dust of the ground, and breathed life into his nostrils from God. Eve, the first woman, was formed by God from Adam’s rib, bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, she was taken out of man. God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh, they are no longer two but one flesh. Marriage, as sanctioned by God, joins one man and one woman, as it has been since the beginning of creation.

E. We believe Adam, the first man, willfully disobeyed God, bringing sin and death into the world. As a result, all persons are sinners from conception, which is evidenced in their willful acts of sin; and they are therefore subject to eternal punishment, under the just condemnation of a Holy God.

F. We believe that Jesus Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice by the appointment of the Father. He fulfilled the demands of God by His obedient life, died on the cross in full substitution and payment for the sins of all, was buried, and on the third day He arose physically and bodily from the dead. He ascended into Heaven where He sits at the right hand of God the Father as High Priest and Mediator of the new covenant, interceding for all believers.

G. We believe that each person can be saved only through the work of Jesus Christ, through repentance of sin and by faith alone in Him as Savior. The believer is declared righteous, born again by the Holy Spirit, turned from sin, and assured of heaven.

H. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells all who are born again, conforming them to the likeness of Jesus Christ, this process completed only in Heaven. Every believer is responsible to live in obedience to the Word of God in separation from sin.

I. We believe that the return of Jesus Christ is imminent. At a time only known to God, He will raise the dead and judge the world. Non-believers will be separated forever from God in Hell. The saved will live forever in Heaven in fellowship with God.

Our team

jesse linds bio

Jesse & Lindsay Urban

Founders
Sitting in a pew in 2014, Jesse and Lindsay Urban observed a pastor deliver a parting message to his congregation before going on sabbatical. The Urbans questioned if this man would return from his sabbatical leave at all. The discussions and research that followed helped the Urbans better understand the toll of ministry demands and the very real risk of clergy burnout, leading them to discover their purpose in life. Be Still, Inc., a Wisconsin 501(c)3, was founded by Jesse and Lindsay Urban in 2015. The vision for Be Still: “A world without clergy burnout.” Leaving behind a successful career in the cranberry industry and selling everything they had, Jesse and Lindsay were able to self-fund the first phase of Be Still Retreats in November of 2016 with 5 overnight cottages. Jesse’s parents donated the use of their beautifully renovated barn for meetings. Be Still Retreats utilizes 170 acres of the Urban Family’s 580-acre hunting sanctuary with 3 miles of nature trails cut throughout the area. Guests are encouraged to leave their distractions behind and get alone with God in nature. Christian clergy who become members of Be Still Retreats can book up to a 7-night stay and use as many of the cottages as they need—all for FREE. Jesse and Lindsay have three kids; Ruby is 14, Breckin is 13, and Archer is 10. All the kids love helping out around Be Still.
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Jill Kurszewski

Director
Jill joined the board of directors in 2019. Her prior work has included fundraising for health care and local nonprofit groups, public relations for telecommunications company and writing for newspapers covering a variety of topics. She has a degree from UW-Eau Claire in journalism. Wisconsin Rapids is her home, which she shares with her husband Wes, three children and a spirited blue heeler. Though Wisconsin has always been considered her home, Jill grew up as an Air Force brat, traveling the country with her family. Her other “homes” are Idaho, Virginia and Oklahoma.
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Todd Cour

Director
Todd Cour is a founding board member for Be Still. He has been with the organization since it went from a God-given vision, into a reality. Todd has volunteered with several organizations, including leadership roles for the local hospital, hospital foundation, rotary, and his church. Todd has 20 years of experience in financial planning and is currently a Partner at Buena Vista Investment Management LLC. Todd is grateful for his Family. Todd is happily married to Susan and prioritizes time with her and their four daughters. They currently reside in Rome, Wisconsin.

J.P. La Chapelle

Director
Since the inception of BeStill, Inc. in 2015, J.P. La Chapelle has been a supporter of Jesse and Lindsay Urban, and their vision to eliminate clergy burnout. He works as attorney with La Chapelle, Kryshak & Nettesheim, LLP, located in Wisconsin Rapids, practicing business law, real estate, estate planning and probate. J.P. is also involved in the Wisconsin Rapids community on a volunteer basis, coaching youth sports and working with other local foundations.

Wade Van Tassel

Director

Cheryl Urban

Director
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