Summit Strengthens Men With Forge

By Terry McLeod, Youth Leader

Summit Northwest Ministries Adventist Church

Summit Northwest Ministries in Post Falls, Idaho advertised their Forged men’s gathering at Camp MiVoden as, “A retreat for men who don’t go to retreats.” That tagline was effective in bringing together close to 60 guys from all across the northwest. No one was quite sure what to expect over the weekend of Sept. 26, 2020, but by the end there was a strong consensus that the variety of activities and relaxed schedule resulted in an event that they would be happy to return to.



While there was no stated theme for the weekend, the messages focused on how the grace of Christ serves to establish our identity as true men of God. The Friday evening session at a remote bonfire revolved around an illustration of how large sticks and small rocks can represent seen and unseen challenges that we have in our lives. Typically, men are tempted work hard to “solve” the seen problems and hide the smaller less visible ones. As men gain more confidence in accepting the grace that God offers, men feel less of a need to show a persona that they think is “expected” and are more able to have honest, quality, relationships. 

Plenty of time was provided for guys to go mountain biking, zip lining, target shooting, canoeing, etc. or to just hang out and talk with new and old friends. As people were leaving, local schoolteacher Geoff Heald commented, “This is the first time that I came to one of these and left refreshed.”

The Forged event was developed to really connect with men in a way that is not often achieved. The Christian life was not meant to be dull or boring. Instead, it is an adventure requiring bravery, courage, and grit. It is filled with battles to be fought and challenges to be overcome. Most guys try and push ahead on their own. And quite frankly, most guys aren’t very good at it. However, the thought of sitting in meetings all day may not be what most guys are looking for. Forged is about connecting with a group of guys, participating in some weekend shenanigans, and supporting and challenging each other to reach full potential. 

The hope is that the weekend serves as a catalyst for men to begin or continue to forge intentional relationships in their lives with other men. Organizers had several conversations with guys looking for input on building a sustainable and meaningful men’s network when they returned to their home churches.