Shepherd's Inn

What Shepherd's Inn does

Shepherd's Inn is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates a single-site physical retreat center in Petersburg, Tennessee, dedicated to providing rest, renewal, and care for Christian vocational leaders experiencing burnout. Founded in 2018 by Steven and Cheryl Barnett and opened full-time in February 2024, the facility comprises four guest rooms (Cathy, Snow, Shalom, Shabbat) with ensuite bathrooms and private porches, shared common spaces, and outdoor prayer and hiking trails on donated farmland roughly one hour from Franklin, TN and Huntsville, AL.

Core offerings include overnight stays ($150/night, two-night minimum, Thursday–Sunday) bundled with full breakfast, three-course dinner, and complimentary snacks and beverages; Personal Retreats for individual disengagement; week-long Soul Care Retreats structured around sustainable rhythms of rest, spiritual disciplines, and personality patterns; and Day Retreats every other Thursday at $50 per person. The underlying operational technology is minimal — hospitality services delivered in a stone farmhouse-style inn with no digital platform; website, email newsletter, and social media serve as marketing and donation channels.

The business model blends fee-for-service stays with non-profit funding mechanisms: one-time and recurring individual donations, a Friends of the Inn tiered program ($30/$60/$90 per month), Church and Business Partnerships ($200–$600 per month) that bundle free stay days for ministry staff, Stay Share sponsorships covering 50–100% of stay costs for guests with financial need, and the Christmas at the Inn annual fundraiser. Prospective guests apply through the website and are vetted for vocational ministry status. The customer base comprises pastors, missionaries, and ministry couples referred primarily through word-of-mouth and partner churches in the Southeastern United States, including the founding Shepherd's Inn membership in the Retreat Alliance peer network.

Name

Shepherd's Inn

Legal name

Shepherd's Inn

Website

https://shepherds-inn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shepherd's Inn is a 501(c)(3) non-profit retreat center in Petersburg, Tennessee that provides overnight and structured Soul Care retreats for Christian pastors, missionaries, and ministry couples experiencing burnout, funded by fees, donations, church partnerships, and recurring giving programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pastoral Retreat Services

NAICS

Accommodation (721), Other Traveler Accommodation (72119), Bed-and-Breakfast Inns (721191)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Hotels & Motels (7011)

akta.pro primary industry

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wellness & Retreat Stays (Yoga, Spa, Detox) (THAMADAJ), Extended-Stay Hotels (THAMAFAD)

Keywords

• Pastoral retreat services
• Ministry leader care
• Christian hospitality
• Non-profit retreat center
• Soul care retreats

Headquarters

HQ city

Petersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Overnight Stay Revenue: Guests pay $150 per night for accommodation including full breakfast, three-course dinner, and complimentary snacks/beverages. Two-night minimum stay required. Open Thursday through Sunday evenings.
2. Day Retreat Fees: Day retreats offered every other Thursday at $50 per person, including lunch, snacks, beverages, and access to common spaces and hiking trails.
3. Donations and Sponsorships: Relies on generosity of individuals through one-time and recurring donations. Sponsorships available to help offset stay costs for those with financial need. 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
4. Church and Business Partnerships: Monthly partnership programs at $200-$600 per month that include free stays per year for ministry staff and 10% discount on subsequent visits.
5. Friends of the Inn (Recurring Donors): Bronze ($30/month), Silver ($60/month), or Gold ($90/month) recurring donor programs for ongoing operational support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Shepherd's Inn operates a single-site physical retreat center in Petersburg, Tennessee that provides overnight accommodations, structured soul care retreats, personal retreats, and day retreats for Christian pastors, missionaries, and ministry couples seeking rest and renewal. Stays include lodging in four guest rooms with private bathrooms, full breakfast, three-course dinner, and access to common spaces, hiking/prayer trails, and on-call spiritual direction. The facility is staffed by full-time innkeepers (Steven and Cheryl Barnett) and supported by a Church/Business Partnership Program and recurring donor programs that subsidize stays.

Product overview

Shepherd's Inn operates as a single-site physical retreat center and hospitality ministry for Christian leaders. The core offering consists of overnight stays and retreat programs across four guest rooms (Cathy Room, Snow Room, Shalom Room, Shabbat Room) featuring private bathrooms and porches. Supporting offerings include Personal Retreats, week-long Soul Care Retreats, and Day Retreats. The organization also offers partnership and sponsorship programs (Church/Business Partnership, Sponsorships, Friends of the Inn, Stay Share) that provide funding mechanisms for ministry leaders to access the retreat at reduced or no cost. All offerings are unified around the mission of providing rest, renewal, and care to vocational ministers and missionaries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Overnight Stays at Shepherd's Inn Overnight accommodation in one of four guest rooms (Cathy Room, Snow Room, Shalom Room, Shabbat Room), each with private en-suite bathroom and porch. Includes full breakfast, three-course dinner, and complimentary snacks and beverages. Available to vetted Christian ministry leaders at $150 per night with a two-night minimum.
• Personal Retreat Individual retreat experience for Christian leaders to disengage from ministry and experience rest, renewal, and care. Includes access to guest rooms, dining, hiking/prayer trail, and spiritual direction upon request.
• Soul Care Retreat Week-long structured retreat covering topics including sustainable rhythms of rest, personality and rest patterns, spiritual growth, cultivating intimacy with Jesus, and authentic spiritual community. Developed by CJ Whiteaker drawing on collective ministry experience.
• Day Retreat Day retreat experience offered every other Thursday. Includes lunch, snacks, beverages, and access to all common spaces and hiking trails. Priced at $50 per person.
• Church/Business Partnership Program Monthly partnership program providing free stays per year for ministry staff at sponsoring churches or Christian businesses. $200/month includes 6 days/year; $400/month includes 12 days/year; $600+/month includes 18 days/year; all tiers include 10% off subsequent visits.
• Stay Share Sponsorship program allowing donors to fund overnight stays for specific ministers or missionaries. Each sponsored stay includes all meals, lodging, and care provided to the guest at no charge to them.
• Friends of the Inn Recurring donation program with Bronze ($30/month), Silver ($60/month), and Gold ($90/month) tiers providing ongoing operational support for the ministry.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,500 pastors leave ministry permanently each month — Shepherd's Inn provides a place for restoration to prevent this trend

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Retreat AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShepherd's Inn is a Founding Member of Retreat Alliance, an organization focused on providing care for those in ministry. This partnership connects Shepherd's Inn to a greater network of care for those in ministry.
• CareGivers ForumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CareGivers Forum as part of building a greater network of care for those in ministry.
• Rivertree ChurchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHuntsville, AL church that has provided volunteers for renovation work and helped purchase refrigerators for the Inn. Part of the community supporting Shepherd's Inn.
• Mission Driven ResearchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization that has provided volunteers for work days at the Inn and has team members (Kristina Whiteaker) involved in leadership.
• FBC Hazel GreenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFirst Baptist Church Hazel Green that has provided volunteers for renovation work days at the Inn.
• Summit Crossing Community ChurchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChurch that has provided volunteers for multiple work days at the Inn including a March 2021 work day with over 30 volunteers.
• Come NearminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization where CJ Whiteaker serves on the HR team. CJ Whiteaker is also Vice President of Shepherd's Inn board.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Canyon Ranch: A long-established wellness resort brand offering multi-day retreat stays with lodging, meals, and structured programs. Comparable as a premium retreat lodging operator with comparable program-driven stays, but at substantially greater scale and commercial pricing.
• Miraval Resorts: A national wellness resort brand offering all-inclusive retreat stays with lodging, dining, and structured programs. Comparable as a high-touch retreat lodging experience, but operates as a commercial luxury incumbent at far greater scale than Shepherd's Inn's boutique clergy-focused model.
• Sandy Cove Ministries: Established Christian conference and retreat center on the Chesapeake Bay serving churches and individuals with lodging and programming. Comparable as a faith-based, multi-program retreat property, but with a much larger footprint and broader audience than Shepherd's Inn.
• Laity Lodge: A long-running H.E. Butt Foundation Christian retreat center in the Texas Hill Country offering hospitality, programming, and spiritual rest. Comparable as a faith-based, donation-supported retreat property for adults, though broader in audience than Shepherd's Inn's clergy-specific focus.
• Ridgecrest Conference Center: A LifeWay Christian conference and retreat center in the Blue Ridge Mountains serving churches and ministry groups with lodging and programming. Comparable as a faith-based retreat/lodging operation, though significantly larger in capacity and more focused on group conferences than clergy renewal.

Direct peers

• Tending the Soul: A ministry specifically dedicated to caring for pastors and ministry leaders through retreats, soul-care resources, and spiritual formation. Most direct comparable to Shepherd's Inn in mission focus on clergy burnout and renewal, though delivery is more program-based than lodging-based.

Emerging players

• Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health: A nonprofit wellness retreat center in the Berkshires focused on rest, renewal, and personal transformation through retreats and programming. Comparable operating model (retreat center with overnight accommodations and curriculum-driven programs), but serves a general wellness audience rather than Christian leaders.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shepherds-inn-org

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shepherd's Inn