Thank you for your support of the first-ever What He Must Be Conference last weekend at James Island Christian Church in Charleston, SC.  The event was a tremendous success.  Attendance was beyond what any of us expected, and the material was well-received.  Moreover, our host church went above and beyond the call of duty on this one.  They even provided the music (thanks to a logistical mix-up between me and the band).  They spread the word far and wide.  There were people in attendance from both near and far (even some folks from North Carolina).  There were church leaders from Baptist, Episcopal, Calvary Chapel, and other churches all in attendance due to Russ Miller’s outreach efforts. 

It is always difficult to gage the potential effectiveness of a new conference like this (will people come, will they recognize the relevance, etc.), but the response to the book was indeed a good indicator.  There were attendees from all walks of life which was an answer to prayer.  I wondered if people would see the conference as a “don’t bother coming unless you have teen/young adult children” affair (which would have been disappointing), and they did not.  There were parents, grandparents, young couples, single adults, and families with small children all interested in gaining insight into the application of biblical manhood to family life, marriage and courtship.  Men were challenged to walk as gospel-centered husbands and fathers, raise sons with a view toward the same, and paint a picture for their daughters learn to appreciate and expect.  Women gained insight into the proper roles of their husbands, and set their sights on a long-term vision for helping their sons achieve (and their daughters appreciate) biblical, gospel-centered manhood.  And young men and women gained valuable insight into their need to prepare to serve the Lord in the ministry of marriage.

We also learned a great deal from the experience that will help the next WHMB conference excel all the more.  Keep an eye on the calendar as we are in the process of booking WHMB conferences for next spring and fall.  Also, any church leaders interested in hearing a pastor/church leader’s perspective before booking a conference, feel free to contact pastor Miller (here).

VB