Live the experience and become a witness to the Truth that sets captives free

Pulling Down Strongholds (Renversons les Forteresses) is a weekend event beginning Friday night and ending Sunday afternoon in which people steal away to meet with God and put their lives back together, past and present. 

Our site exists in order to present the ministry of Pulling Down Strongholds. We hope, in the near future, to be able to offer this experience in English.

Our MISSION

Help believers develop their faith through a healthy and transparent relationship with God, a true love for others in the family of God, as well as their neighbour.

We have developed three strategies to accomplish our mission:

  • Offer good quality retreats based on Biblical principles and the application of these principles within small groups which provide personal and confidential support.

  • Train lay counselors for our retreats who can also serve yearlong in their local churches.

  • Equip local churches, helping them develop more loving relationships.

Testimonies :

‘I grew in important ways through the retreat. I understand what it means to truly forgive. Thank you, Lord for this wonderful gift. What a blessing!’, - Yves, from the Laurentians

 ‘Wow! Thank you, Lord, for victories over issues going back 20 years. Thank you for forgiving me and helping me forgive others. God is great, good, and awesome.’ - Julie, from the Bois-Francs region

'I am going to invite my sister to attend (...) so she might experience the same blessing I received from the Lord.' – Marie-B, from the Eastern Townships

LOCAL Retreats

Our local retreats are organized by a local church, for the benefit of their members or others in their area. This is done in collaboration with the ministry’s executive committee. These retreats are offered when our small group counselors are available to help lead them. The same series of Biblical messages are offered, but are presented on video.

REGIONAL Retreats

During our regional retreats, if the number of registrants permits, we will offer the Level I and Level II retreats simultaneously. In principle, regional retreats are scheduled once a year, either in the Spring or in the Fall. Since 2020 and all its disturbances, we have not been able to schedule our regional retreats. The facilities where we held them in the past are no longer available. Therefore

 

level I 

There are obstacles which impede our relationships with God and others. Through the series of Biblical messages offered during Level I, participants are encouraged to identify these obstacles and then eliminate them with the help of two lay counselors in a small group context. Many participants have testified to amazing and lasting changes produced by dealing with these obstacles and neglected issues from the past.

 

level II 

Level II content focuses on helping participants experience in a personal way the deep love of God and the victorious Christian life which flows from that love. Believers learn to walk in victory over their three main enemies: the flesh, the world, and the Devil. They are also taught how to walk in the fullness of the Spirit, thereby becoming a blessing to others.

 

 

Team :

From the humble beginnings of Pulling Down Strongholds, our team of lay counselors has continued to grow. Due to a well supervised training program, there are now twenty to thirty trained counselors who work as volunteers for the retreats as small group leaders, teachers, musicians, or as supervisors for the weekends. Of that number, about ten are fluent in English as well.

Leadership: Our executive committee

About 8 to 10 people form the executive committee which meets once or twice yearly in order to plan the retreats and oversee the ministry.

  • President: Sylvain Belval

  • Vice-president: Éric Leblanc

  • Secretary: Janice Houle

  • Treasurer: Jay Pinney

Members:

  • Michel Houle

  • Richard Houle

  • Janice Houle

  • Céline Robert

  • Jane Wheeler

What we seek to accomplish :

Our goal is be a support ministry to pastors and local churches, facilitating inner healing and a victorious faith, resulting in relationships which glorify God.

Contact :

Richard et Janice Houle (438) 793-0315 rjhoule@videotron.ca

Michel et Lise Houle (514) 624-8431