On March 23 – 25, 2012 the men of the Heartland Region of The Church of God came together for our annual Men’s Retreat. The retreat was held at the Spring Mill State Park Inn at Mitchell, Indiana. There were men in attendance from Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, with one exception. Our Guest Minister was Brother Michael Jernigan from Trumman, Ark., and what a blessing he was to the men of our region.
The theme of our retreat was “A Quest for Truth”. As with any quest, this quest for truth has a series of challenges that, when met, will help us achieve the aim of the quest. The challenges of this quest can be found in 2 Chronicles 7:14, If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
The challenges for this quest are to first, humble ourselves before God, next to pray the prayer of faith, and then to seek God’s face. On Friday evening Brother Jernigan preached a powerful message on humbling ourselves. The message was taken from the 6th chapter of 2 Kings when a man’s axe head fell into the water. The man humbled himself and went to the man of God who was able to cause the axe head to swim, or to float, and the man was able to retrieve the borrowed axe head from the water.
The next challenge is to pray the prayer of faith. On Saturday evening Brother Jernigan ministered to us from the 19th chapter of the 2 Kings where King Hezekiah received threatening letters of an Assyrian attack and of their doubts that God will be able to deliver Judah from their hand. The bible says in verse 14 of 2 Kings 19 that Hezekiah took the letter and spread it out before the Lord, and prayed.
Also on Saturday Brother Jeff Wilcox preached an inspiring message entitled, What is Truth, and Brother Hazel ministered to us on What We do with the Truth once we have it. God truly anointed both of these messages and deeply ministered to the hearts of the men of the Heartland Region.
Brother Jernigan ministered us once more on Sunday morning with a message that stirred our hearts to seek the face of God. Brother Jernigan encouraged the men of our region to be the men God needs them to be for their families and for The Church of God.
We enjoyed some wonderful special singing from Brother Eric Barnard, Brother Bill Flinchum, and Brother Don Bolyard.
God was very present in every session of this retreat, and the heart of every man present was touched mightily. One brother testified of receiving a healing during one of the altar sessions from an affliction that has troubled him for quite a long time. Praise God that He is ever mindful of our every need.
We appreciate so much each one who attended Men’s Retreat this year. It would not have been the same had any one of you been missing. And we especially appreciate Brother Michael Jernigan coming all this way to be with us in retreat. He was a great blessing and it can safely be said that we now have a true friend in Brother Jernigan.
We are looking forward to the 2013 Retreat, and we trust that God will be as much a part of that retreat as He was at this one.
God Bless The Church of God, and God Bless the Men of The Church of God.
Chris Newport
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