Southwest Christian Fellowship Men's Retreat '08

This past weekend was the annual Men's Retreat at Southwest Christian Fellowship. The theme for this year's conference was "Act Like Men" - taken from 1Cor. 16:13-14: Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

We spent 2 days and 2 nights at Woodlands Camp and Conference Center in Helen GA. It was time well spent. Not only were we refreshed by the relaxation and recreation of the camp, but we were encouaged and challenged from the Word of God by the teaching and fellowship of our guest preacher, Roger Skepple, pastor of Berean Bible Baptist Church in Atlanta GA. Joining Skepple in the primary teaching was Robert Benson and Ed Pugh. You can listen to and download all four of the messages by going here.

The scope and impact of the Men's Retreat is more than I can cover in this brief blog post. However, let me say that just as God says in his word, "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity...For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore" (Psalm 133), our time at the retreat was a blessed witness to the glories of this truth. Men prayed. Men played. Men confessed. Men embraced. Men fell down. Men got up. Men cried. Men laughed. Men shared. Men listened. Men ate. Men relaxed. Men loved. Men learned. Men taught. Men caught. Men grew. Men rested. Men worked. Men sang. Men read. Men prayed. All of this was because Men worshipped.

One of the many highlights of that worship was the Men's Retreat Trio (Ed Pugh, Kelvin White, and Allan Bynoe) singing The Gospel Song by Drew Jones and Bob Kauflin. The words are simple yet profound:

Holy God, in love, became

Perfect Man to bear my blame

On the cross He took my sin

By His death I live again

It was a glorious reminder that the only way we can really act like men is to believe and live upon the gospel of Jesus Christ. Men are never more manly than when they are praying and worshipping.