At Camp Lebanon, men retreat in the fall and have a blast doing it! Tournaments. Chapels. Hobby Shows. And lots of food. In the spring, however, it’s time for men to advance in their faith! The one-night, three-meal, three-session Men’s Advance! is designed for just that.
The 2023 edition was rescheduled after a late March blizzard for April 14-15 and attracted a record 155 men. The session featured an intensive study looking at Jesus’ utilization of the Scriptures in fighting off temptation, as well as a visual and comprehensive depiction of Old Testament history.
The weekend teacher was Jim Hinson, who is a retired pastor of 42-years, avid sportsman, expert storyteller, and veteran “Bible Walk Through” presenter. His teaching challenged men to “check their spiritual pulse” and evaluate if the “living and active” Word of God was alive and impacting their lives.
The special focus on the first eleven chapters of Genesis came with a reminder that the God of the Old Testament’s incredible history is the same God who promises, provides, and empowers today!
In between study sessions and small groups, men were able to enjoy a variety of activities. Some spent the drizzly day playing disc golf, while others worked up a sweat playing Pickleball or connecting with friends new and old around the glowing fire on the Hub.
Worship through music was led by Jon Henderson and his worship team. Saturday’s afternoon session spotlighted a group of seventeen from Minnesota Teen Challenge – Brainerd. Their voices rang out a boisterous rendition of Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) that moved and inspired the men.
Men’s Advance! may be a brief and intense experience of “A Meeting Place With God” that is Camp Lebanon, but the hope is to begin a conversation at Camp that continues long after the men return home.
P.S. A huge thank you to Men’s Advance! 2023 for the generous offering of $3255 towards an auto belay system for the new gym. Another $2000 for the gym was given on line or by mail. What a big boost as Camp races to raise the final $95,000 of the $2.5M goal by the start of summer. If you’d like to help, click on the link below!
