Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee addressed attendees at the annual Salt and Light Men’s Equipping Conference, Jan. 21, at Lexington Baptist Church.
Bobby Jackson, left, with Gov. Huckabee.“I have been evicted from the governor’s office for two weeks,” joked Huckabee, who could not run for office this election cycle due to term limits.
“I drove myself to church last Sunday for the first time in 10 and a half years,” continued Huckabee, who become governor for the first time in 1996 after his predecessor resigned. Huckabee then went on to serve two additional terms.
A former Southern Baptist pastor, Huckabee spoke about the role Men’s Fraternity, a national men’s Bible study, has played in his life. Men’s Fraternity began at Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, Ark.
“I’ve lost a title, but the title was always going to be temporary,” said Huckabee of his time as governor.
“Men’s Fraternity seeks to ground you in what cannot be taken away: my relationship with Jesus Christ. I was a temporary governor, but a forever Christian,” he added.
There are an estimated 30-40 Men’s Fraternity groups currently meeting in churches across South Carolina. Conference participants were asked to consider starting groups in their home churches.
Huckabee also spoke of men’s desire for significance in their life.
“God does want us to be somebody,” he said. “Most of us are in this room today because we want to be a part of something ‘bigger than me.'”
Huckabee, who has announced his candidacy for President in 2008, admits his future is uncertain, but he vowed to remain faithful.
“I don’t know what the future holds, but I know where I will be in 10,000 years.”
Huckabee says he is often asked if his faith affected his policy decisions as an office holder. He is unwavering in his response.
“It doesn’t just affect it, it drives it,” he said.
Conference attendees also participated in breakout sessions ranging from how to hold a wild game dinner to how to share their faith in the workplace. Members of local Men’s Fraternity groups also shared testimonies of how the study has impacted their lives.
For more information on the Salt and Light Men’s Equipping Conference or how to hold a Men’s Fraternity group, contact the SCBC lifestyle evangelism group at (800) 723-7242, ext. 5300, or www.scbaptist.org/men.