Men’s movement comes to Utah — Christian-style

Christian women long have recognized the value in getting together to share stories from the battlefield of faith and buoy up one another. Now, some say, it’s time for men to do likewise.

To that end, scores of Christian men will be meeting Utah this weekend to explore ways to make their families and churches stronger.

The conference, titled, "Heart of a Warrior," will be a kind of "boot camp for wisdom, renewal and success," says Utahn Scott Acton, a local spokesman.

It will include a variety of approaches, including personal stories about success on the football field followed by colossal personal failures, Acton says, to show men how to be better fathers, husbands and churchgoers.

This effort is part of the "Maximized Manhood 2014" campaign, which is sponsored by the Christian Men’s Network.

The network is a global men’s ministry founded by Edwin Louis Cole, author of Maximized Manhood, according to a news release. It was intended "as a passionate call to biblical manhood — a fresh, new wave of ministry to men."

The goal, organizers say, is to build "godly men who will pay the price for success, fight for their families, live for a cause and endure all for the mission of [God’s] kingdom," organizers say, "rare men who are ‘all in.’ "

The "Heart of a Warrior" summit will begin Friday night and continue through Saturday at the Christian Life Center in Layton.

Speakers will include: Pastor Paul Louis Cole, current Christian Men’s Network president and co-founder; Tom Moffett, NFL chaplain; J.D. Hill, NFL-All Pro/NCAA Hall of Fame; Charles Petty, pastor, Second Baptist Church and member of Ogden-Weber Community Action; Art Remington, pastor, Worldwide Men’s Movement liaison and prayer leader; Ed Preston, president of Biscuits Restaurants; Bobby Porter, basketball coach; and Myke Crowder, senior pastor, Christian Life Center.

Ticket prices are discounted for policemen, firemen, EMTs, youths between ages 12 and 19 and military personnel (active, retired, guard and reserve).