About Refuge

We Exist to Keep World Changers in the Game.

Refuge Foundation has been serving world changers since 2007. We exist for one reason: to keep ministry and marketplace leaders healthy, connected, and in the game. Too many pastors and leaders are overworked, isolated, and quietly burning out, and the people they lead pay the price when they quit.

We're here to make sure that doesn't happen.

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The Problem We're Solving

The leaders shaping churches, nonprofits, and communities are struggling in ways most people never see.

81% of guests who come to Refuge are dealing with an issue that could take them out of leadership entirely.
42% of pastors seriously considered quitting ministry in the last year alone.
One out of two leaders told us they have no one else to share their struggles with.

When a leader burns out, quits, or blows up their life, the ripple effect is enormous. The congregations they serve, the organizations they lead, their employees, the families they guide — everyone loses.

Refuge exists to interrupt that pattern before it reaches a breaking point.

What We Do

Refuge invites ministry and marketplace leaders to 3–4 night trips at our hand-crafted properties in Montana and Wyoming. Refuge operates through a host model, meaning trips are not open registration. Guests attend by invitation from a trip host who knows them personally and genuinely cares about their well-being. This creates an experience rooted in trust and connection from the very beginning.

Once here, there's no pressure to perform and no agenda to push through. Our staff lavishly serves every guest, creating a sacred space with a slow pace and room for God to work in the hearts of people who rarely stop moving.

Fly-fishing, fireside conversations, shared meals, riverside reflection, and epic landscapes form the backdrop. But what actually happens is deeper: leaders finally exhale, lower their guard, and discover where they need to do some honest work in their lives. Every night, guests gather around the table and find clarity, connection, and the courage to act.

Refuge currently offers three distinct experiences in two different locations. All three are fully Refuge in heart and purpose.

Refuge Montana — The Bluffs Lodge sits on a bluff overlooking the winding Bighorn River, with rooms for 22 guests, world-class fly fishing, clay shooting, hiking, and indoor and outdoor spaces built for reflection and honest conversation.

Refuge Canvas — Located adjacent to The Bluffs Lodge, it offers the same heart of the Refuge experience in a unique glamping setting. Five canvas tents accommodate up to 20 guests, with a spacious outdoor pavilion, sauna, and golf simulator. Guests enjoy many of the same experiences as The Bluffs, including world-class fly fishing, time outdoors, shared meals, and intentional conversation, with the distinct experience of staying under canvas along the Bighorn River.

Refuge Wyoming — Paint Rock Canyon Ranch is a 7,177-acre legacy ranch, with cabins for 26 guests, private access to Paint Rock Canyon Creek, fly fishing excursions, horseback riding, sweeping views of the Bighorn Mountain Range, and porches built for the kinds of conversations leaders rarely get to have.

Refuge staff and guests together at the lodge

A guest fly fishing at sunset at a Refuge property

The Results Aren't Anecdotal.

Independent research firm Excellence in Giving analyzed survey data from 556 Refuge guests and confirmed what we've always believed: this works.

4 out of 5 leaders are healthier now because of Refuge. 1 in 5 pastors who visited Refuge say they would have quit ministry if not for their time here. Since 2007, Refuge has served over 5,000 leaders whose ministries and organizations collectively influence 16.4 million people.

In 2025 alone, we served 2,432 leaders whose combined reach touched 13.6 million lives.

Guests don't just leave feeling rested — they leave with clarity about what needs to change, close friendships they carry home, and the courage to take concrete action. 82% took specific steps after their trip to become healthier. 85% identified a key struggle and the next steps they needed to take. 76% stay in regular year-round communication with friends they met at Refuge.

The impact compounds with every return trip. Leaders who come back form deeper friendships, gain more clarity, and report greater health improvements across every area of their lives — spiritually, mentally, physically, in their marriages, and in their organizations.

Our Leadership

Meet the team guiding Refuge's mission and culture.

Brian Carpenter

Founder

Brian founded Refuge alongside his wife, DeAnn, with a vision to create a place where leaders could step away from the demands of life and leadership and find space to rest, reconnect with God, and do honest work in their lives.

DeAnn Carpenter

Founder

DeAnn founded Refuge alongside her husband, Brian, and has played an integral role in shaping the heart and culture of Refuge. Her leadership has been especially influential in creating space for women to experience the same rest, connection, and renewal that have been central to Refuge from the beginning.

Fred Gray

Chief Executive Officer

Fred serves as CEO of Refuge Foundation, providing leadership and direction as the organization continues to grow. After previously serving as COO, Fred stepped into the CEO role to lead Refuge's staff, strategy, financial stewardship, and organizational health while keeping the mission at the center of its growth.

Jacen Hamilton

Chief Operating Officer

Jacen's journey with Refuge began as a guide and has grown alongside the organization. After serving as Director of Operations, he stepped into the role of Chief Operating Officer, where he now oversees Refuge's day-to-day operations and helps ensure that the heart of the Refuge experience remains consistent as the organization grows.