Distinctives of Iron Sharpens Iron Men’s Conferences
Distinctive #1 Iron Sharpens Iron Men’s Conferences are a resource for local churches offered by an on the ground grassroots local ministry that is already serving local churches by equipping them to reach, disciple and mobilize men. This conference is not targeted to individual men but rather to local churches. Each local ministry believes it is the responsibility of the local church to reach and disciple men and the local ministry hosting the conference is available all year long to serve and to help local churches.
Distinctive #2 Iron Sharpens Iron Men’s Conferences give regional visibility to the local ministry as we are a ‘network of ministries’ and not a national organization. The on the ground local ministry led by local leaders in full time vocational ministry is the key to everything. These local leaders raise their families in the area, know the local turf and are passionate for their region. All the revenue from the conference stays local and is part of sustaining the local ministry for service to local churches year round. The conference is a one-day resource but the local ministry leadership is serving local churches fifty-two weeks each year.
Distinctive #3 Iron Sharpens Iron Men’s Conferences are equipping conferences with sixteen different equipping seminars designed specifically for men. The focus is on equipping and resourcing men to live for Christ in all areas of life. The seminar topics are specific to men and are rarely offered in the context of local church ministry. We do open and close the day with all the men together for a time of masculine worship and exhortative keynote messages from gifted national speakers – but the meat of the conference are the sixteen different equipping seminars.
Distinctive #4 Iron Sharpens Iron Men’s Conferences are for men of all ages (13 and up). We intentionally offer a resource that promotes and encourages intergenerational ministry. We passionately believe that believe manhood starts early and that men of all ages need encouragement to finish strong for Christ. We design many of the seminars to be specific to different men in different seasons of life. Seminars are targeted for Emerging Men (age 13-19); Pioneering Men (age 20-29); Full Throttle Men (age 30-55) and Seasoned Men (age 55+).
Distinctive #5 Iron Sharpens Iron Men’s Conferences are trustworthy. They occur once a year – every year – in the same location and in the same spot in the calendar. The conference is designed to become a local resource that local churches can trust and depend on. The Iron Sharpens Iron Men’s Conference is a reliable resource that can be added to the calendar of the local church. An example is our conference in Hartford where an ISI Conference has been serving churches each March for eleven years.
Distinctive #6 Iron Sharpens Iron Men’s Conferences are one-day conferences. We begin at 8:30 AM and end at 4:55 PM. Men can begin their day at home and have dinner at the end of the day at home. The registration cost of $39 and $29 for students without extensive travel costs and zero lodging costs allows this conference model to serve the majority of men. We encourage church groups to travel together and stay together at the conference.
Distinctive #7 Iron Sharpens Iron Men’s Conferences are Christ Centered and are a resource to different churches across different denominations. We adhere to the statement of faith of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). The men’s conference is intentionally a ‘safe place’ where denominational differences are not emphasized but rather an emphasis on the unity we have because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Distinctive #8 Iron Sharpens Iron Men’s Conferences are “national” men’s conferences. One reason is that the conference network reaches out to churches all over the nation. Another reason is that each conference features national ministries and resources that are specific to men and the church based ministry to men. The other and more compelling reason is that the keynote speakers have a national platform with men and churches and that the seminar presenter line-up offers national leaders who travel across the nation because of their real expertise in ministry to men.