DAVIS—More than 900 men gathered at Falls Creek Conference Center for the annual Men’s Retreat, April 28-29. The event had as its theme “Stand Firm” and encouraged all men who attended to grow in their spiritual journeys.
Bubba Burcham serves as the men’s ministry consultant for Oklahoma Baptists and program director of the Men’s Retreat. He gave an encouraging report about many men enjoying the events at Men’s Retreat who left inspired to do more for their families and in their churches.
“I’ve been going to the Men’s Retreat for 15 years or so,” Burcham said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Oklahoma Baptists through men’s ministry. One thing I love about the Men’s Retreat are the activities and demonstrations allow the men to do stuff shoulder to shoulder where bonds are formed.”
Activities and demonstrations were in abundance at the Men’s Retreat. Men could participate in archery competition, axe throwing, dodgeball tournament, skeet shooting, video game tournament, trout fishing, a Saturday morning 5K run and a Faith Riders motorcycle ride.
They could watch demonstrations of horse training, ESPN’s Jimmy Houston’s bass fishing, barbeque pork roast, chainsaw carving, duck dog training and stunt bikes. They also could learn about Army chaplaincy and outdoor camping ministry.
Joe Ligon, Oklahoma Baptists senior associate executive director, preached during the Friday evening service.
“It is an incredible honor for me to be with you tonight,” Ligon said. “What an incredible thing it is because there is no place on earth that even remotely compares to Falls Creek. There’s something special about this many men in this room singing together. There is something powerful about men joining their voices together to praise God.”
Ligon preached from the first few chapters of Genesis, emphasizing the creation of man as well as the fall of man.
“We need to be careful about who we are listening to,” Ligon said. “There’s at least a thousand, if not a million different voices competing for your mind… messages are constantly speaking into your heart and into your head, trying to get you to go in some direction that you are not supposed to go or to do something you are not supposed to do. Men, we need to be particularly careful about who we are listening to because, at the end of the day, Satan is still talking.”
During an invitation time, Ligon asked if anybody needed to make a profession of faith in Christ. It was reported that 12 men responded to Ligon’s request, and many more men made other spiritual decisions.
Brad Clay, who served as emcee of the Men’s Retreat. introduced a man who was a member of Clay’s student ministry when he was a youth minister. Clay said the man was running from God for 11 years and recommitted his life to Christ that Friday evening.
An offering was taking during the Friday evening service that would support Oklahoma Baptists Homes for Children’s Boys Ranch Town.
Michael McDaniel, pastor of Forest Park, Northeast Missionary, preached during the final session on Saturday. McDaniel is a former wide receiver at the University of Oklahoma who played from 1993-96.
Preaching from 1 Cor. 16:13-14, McDaniel emphasized discipleship and the importance of “being spiritually strong.”
“Knowing your weaknesses makes you stronger,” he said. “You become stronger when you recognize what your ‘kryptonite’ is. It could be something you touch with your hands or something you think in your minds… Jesus not only gives us strength, but He is strength.”
Seth Garrett and the worship band from Coweta, Community led times of worship through music.
“The worship draws out the spirit in the men, a war cry to battle darkness,” Burcham said in a summary of Men’s Retreat on Facebook. “Keynote speakers who share their passion for men to lead their families. The down time between it all where ministry happens man to man. Good stories were told, good food was shared, we laughed with each other, we cried (yes men cry) as the Holy Spirit moved.”
For more information about men’s ministry visit oklahomabaptists.org/men.
