Fifty-one men, ranging in age from 16 to 91, from seven midwestern states, enthusiastically assembled June 11–13 for the Upper Midwest Men’s Training Camp on the shore of picturesque Delavan Lake, in southeastern Wisconsin. Presentations, workshops, interactive breakout sessions, and split sermons that I gave along with Messrs. Gene Hilgenberg, Richard Franz, Mark Sandor, and Brian Pomicter addressed a variety of topics. They included the societal challenges facing men, fulfilling our Creator’s intent, making a contribution to the Body, defending the truth, organization and time management, building a strong marriage, understanding the challenges our children are facing, and mentoring the next generation. The topics were deliberately need- and issues-driven, based on a pre-camp questionnaire that allowed the men to bring up challenges they face in fulfilling their roles.
Delicious, relaxed meals and free time provided plenty of opportunities for the men to mix, share their stories, build bonds, and support and encourage each other, which they did heartily. After the event, feedback was requested from the attendees. One wrote, “The presentations at the Camp are a ‘goldmine,’ providing me with encouragement, information, perspective and direction.” Another commented, “I was able to make some great connections throughout the weekend that would not have been possible if I did not attend a weekend like this.” One man summed it up this way: “The event invigorated me to keep pushing myself to be a Christ-like man in all aspects of life. To me, the event theme was ‘aligning to God’s creative intent for men’…. When we align ourselves with God’s intent, that really becomes the solution to the challenges men face in this age.” The men left reinforced in their roles, armed and ready to apply what they learned and to be the kind of men, husbands, fathers, and Christians God wants them to be.