Men’s Retreat = Junior High weekend, only bigger bodies

I spoke for a friend’s Men’s Retreat over the weekend. It’s the first time that I’ve had the pleasure of being the speaker, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Jonathan said that we ought to plan and treat it like it was a event for students, which makes sense to us, since the three of us planning are/were in student ministry for most of our lives.

Turns out, Jonathan was right.

There was a great spirit of play during the whole weekend. We experienced lots of good “guy-time,” which included a whole lot of carpetball, a bonfire (why do we guys love fire?), and other similarities to a good junior high guys’ weekend. Good spiritual emphasis. Much wrestling, with stuff getting broken. Paintball (thanks Jarrod) during the afternoon. Plenty of competition and testosterone. Lots of junk food. And of course, the obligatory olfactory offenses (dude, you reek! Nice one!)

I thought that we’d be better off if I facilitated discussion, rather than preach a few sermons at the men. The church is hoping to see this men’s ministry develop men who will lead their families well, so we talked about a few key pieces of the puzzle.

1. Two key questions, based on Luke 18 and Philippians 3:12
1. What do you want Jesus to do for you?
2. Why did Jesus take hold of you?
2. Honest and open discussion about sexual purity, dealing with temptation, and healing.
3. What kind of man does God use? Based on 1 Samuel 13 and 14.

On the whole, I think the weekend was a blast. We had a great time, spent a lot of time being open and honest about our walk with the Lord, and the ministry has a clear direction for the future. I got refreshed running around in the woods with other guys, spending time in prayer, and talking with other men who are desiring a life aimed at loving God and loving other people.

I am grateful for the opportunity, and I was blessed to be part of the experience.

And I think I won more than I lost at carpetball!