If you’ve ever attended a men’s conference, you’ll understand why I decided to make the five-hour drive from northwest Montana over to Camp MiVoden in Northern Idaho for the Upper Columbia Conference Men’s Retreat on March 16–18. This was my first visit to the camp, and I was pleasantly surprised at the outstanding camp facility and the idyllic location Hayden Lake provides.
But the beauty of Camp MiVoden took a back seat to the warm fellowship, good food, great music, and stirring messages presented during the annual event. Neil Nedley, M.D., from Ardmore, Okla., was the keynote speaker for the weekend. He has a gift for bringing together information from the Bible, Spirit of Prophecy, and relevant clinical data in an inspiring and light-hearted way. Paul Opp, of Caldwell, Idaho, also made a powerful presentation about how the Lord took him from being a logger to running a full-time ministry in Peru.
Personally, I especially appreciated the small group discussions that happened after each meeting. More than 170 men attended the retreat, and we broke up into groups of 12 to 15 after each presentation. There were opportunities to share personal testimonies, seek guidance, and pray together as we got to know each other.
Another special aspect of the weekend was the prayer wall—a spot where men could post their prayer requests. The whole group would pray for several requests at the start of each meeting.
Musicians for the men's conference included, from left: Paul Opp on harmonica, Bruce Christensen and Greg Reseck on guitar, Charlie Coleman on mandolin, and Mark Bond (seated) on keyboards.
Neil Nedley shared principles for living lives as godly men. He drew from scripture and Spirit of Prophecy as well as his extensive medical background.
Neil Nedley, M.D., shared principles for living lives as godly men. He drew from scripture and Spirit of Prophecy as well as his medical background.
Greg Reseck of Port Townsend, Wash., was in charge of the "Prayer Wall" and brought forward several prayer requests at the start of each meeting.
