“Men, we are living in the most exciting time in history,” declared Chris Wells, keynote speaker for the Salt and Light Men’s Ministries Conference held April 17-18. “There are men desperately seeking purpose and meaning in their lives,” he said. “We have the answer.”
Tom Barlet, left, and Peter Villano of Arial Baptist Church, Easley, enjoy some food before the final session.Sitting in lawn chairs overlooking a picturesque pond at White Oak Conference Center, more than 300 men from across South Carolina took part in “The Great Adventure,” the theme for the event. The annual one-day gathering, historically held in a church setting, was revamped this year into a two-day event that included multiple resource conferences and more fellowship opportunities.
“For me, the conference is about learning how to spread the gospel message to more men,” said David Richey, member of Providence Baptist Church, Anderson. Richey said he has attended the conference about every year for the past 15 years and has enjoyed watching the event expand to include more men and more opportunities to learn different ways to reach out with the gospel.
Tom Barlet and Peter Villano, members of Arial Baptist Church, Easley, agreed that the conference had been both invigorating and life-changing for the 12 men who attended from their church.
“It’s taught us how to lead our families, the church, and, as men, to be the ‘God examples’ we’re supposed to be,” Villano said. He said that being around other Christian men was a great encouragement for him.
A common theme in many of the breakout sessions was how to use hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities to reach men for Christ.
“There’s something powerful about the outdoors,” said Patrick Tyndall, executive director of Ironman Outdoors. Tyndall’s organization plans fishing and hunting retreats with the sole purpose of sharing the gospel with the men on the trip. He believes that strategically involving unsaved men in these types of activities will pay off in kingdom dividends and may help answer the question, “How do we get men back into church?”
“An average man can make a difference in the kingdom of God,” Tyndall said to the gathering of men, some dressed in camouflage and fishing shirts. He encouraged the group to take advantage of opportunities they have to reach men with the gospel. “Be intentional about who you ride with in your truck,” he said. That time in the truck is a “great way to talk about Christ,” he said.
Chris Faircloth, a member of Mt. Leon Baptist Church, Longs, and Chris Todd, a member of Sharon Baptist Church, Longs, came to the conference because they are working together to begin a quarterly men’s outreach ministry in their community. “There are so many men into hunting and fishing who aren’t saved,” Faircloth said. They said the best idea they discovered was “not to expect men to just come into the church but to go out to where they are and take the gospel to them.”
The conference concluded with a general session and a barbecue chicken feast by the lake. The general session featured the musical group “Loose Stone”; Barry McGee, musician, comedian, dramatist, and shop chaplain for Motor Racing Outreach; and Wells, evangelist and chaplain for the Bassmasters Fishing Tour.
Wells encouraged the men to focus on their personal relationships with God so they will be the kind of men who share their faith. “There is nothing more important for a Christian man to do than spend time with God,” he said. “Every move of God begins with a word from God, and you’ll never understand God’s plan for your life until you get a word from the Lord.” – SCBC