Some 90 men have received salvation at the Old School Men’s Ministry.

Corey Bryan, one of the founders of the ministry designed to help men become better fathers, husbands and men of God, spoke to the Lions Club Wednesday.

Bryan said organizers worked hard to not make it not so much of a church service atmosphere that might turn men away, but to get a speaker that would be attractive.

“We never have local preachers speak,” he said. “We brought in Ted DiBiase, Jeff Struecker from ‘Black Hawk Down,’ Jeremiah Castille, team chaplain for the University of Alabama, and Adam Crabb, who sang.”

In addition, they serve steaks at each meeting at the old Stanley School.

“Winn-Dixie has donated all the steaks twice,” he said. “They are also giving them to us at cost, which is helpful.”

Bryan said the most they’ve had was 460, when Struecker spoke and they have been averaging 200-250 men.

They are reaching men across Covington County and as far away as Enterprise and into Florida, he said.

Bryan said one of the things the ministry wanted to focus on was that a lot of men had been unattracted to Jesus because they thought he was a sissy.

“You see these pictures of Jesus where he had the long, pretty hair – hair prettier than what my wife has – and he’s just sitting there with the long white robe and has the lamb and he looks like anybody could beat him up and take his lunch money,” Bryan said. “That’s kind of the picture we painted. Not the picture the Bible paints. Now, he was compassionate when he had to be, but he was a man when he needed to be a man. He spoke down to the religious leaders of the time and told them they spoke with forked tongues and he went to the temple and threw them all out. He stood up when he needed to. He worked as a carpenter. He wasn’t some handsy pansy man. He was tough.”

Bryan said the 90 men who have received salvation was far more than they ever envisioned.

“It’s amazing when you step out in obedience,” he said.

The next meeting will be next Thursday with Ronnie Smith as speaker. Bryan said Smith has a hunting show and does men’s ministry.