Few things are more important than men growing in their relationship with Jesus Christ and the knowledge of His will. Men are divinely appointed leaders. They are strategic instruments in the work of the Kingdom of Christ and the mission of reaching the lost with the Gospel of Jesus.

It was a great joy to accept the invitation of Damascus Community Church to preach at their annual men’s Getaway on April 27-29. 65-70 men gathered at Camp Morrow, Wamic, OR. Jim Meiners and the men’s ministry team did an outstanding job of organizing the event. Men had the opportunity for fishing, riding dirt bikes, shooting guns, playing games and great fellowship.

I preached Friday night, Saturday morning and evening, and Sunday morning. Focusing on the theme of Transformation, I preached Friday from Acts 9 on the transformation of Saul of Tarsus to Paul the Apostle by the power of the resurrected Jesus. Saturday morning, I challenged the men from Ezekiel 8 to consider how they, like the seventy elders of Israel, may be engaged in sin in the secret chamber of images. For Israel these were carved images of idols on a wall. For men today, they are digital images of immorality on phones, tablets, and computer screens. Men had the opportunity to sign up to use Accountable2You software on their digital devices through a church initiative for accountability and purity among their men. About 39 men signed up to participate.  

I closed out the retreat preaching from Romans 6, encouraging men to believe in the freedom from sin’s power and authority in Christ Jesus. Praise God that in Christ we are free to “walk in newness of life.” Andy McClellan, associate pastor at Damascus, shared, “Mike’s holy ambition to see a generation of men embrace their God-given responsibility to be the spiritual leaders in their homes and churches was heard loud and clear. As a pastor it has been a great joy to learn how the men of the church have returned from the Getaway and immediately put what they learned into practice!”

April 25-27 I traveled to Spokane, WA for ministry with Moody Bible Institute, preaching to about 130 students at chapel services on the 25th and 27th. Following chapel on Wednesday, I went to Moody Aviation to preach a chapel service to 40-45 students in that program.

On the evening of the 25th, I was invited to preach to the youth at Shiloh Hills Fellowship with 27 students in attendance. One teen girl made a public profession of faith in Christ as Savior and Lord, and I had the opportunity to share further with another student after the service. She has not made a decision to follow Christ; please pray for her salvation.

Daniel Ward, Dean of Student Services, shared this about my ministry in Spokane. “Mike’s communication of the Gospel to the local church youth group and the teaching of timeless Biblical principles to the college students at Moody was convicting and refreshing. He encouraged and appropriately challenged both groups to examine their relationship to Christ and to live biblically.”