New this year: air conditioning

The Fourth Annual Iron Works Men of Steel Conference’s main message will be full life, and organizer Chris Jackson hopes that attendees will walk away from the conference with a sense of what it truly takes to live a full life.

“First we came up with the theme of the conference,” Jackson said. “Then we had to put together the pieces of who we thought would speak best on the subject.”

The Iron Works group decided to have Johnny Hunt, the senior pastor of First Baptist Church Woodstock and a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention; Gary Barkalow, author of the book, “It’s Your Call,” and founder of The Noble Heart ministry; Nate Larkin, a pastor and author of “Samson and the Pirate Monks: Calling Men to Authentic Brotherhood;” and Dennis Swanberg, a Christian comedian.

Michael Adler from the Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Birmingham will lead worship. Adler performed for the conference two years ago.

“They will be speaking about spiritual life,” Jackson said. “Spiritual life with community and what that means, and our purpose of life.”

Although the name of the conference may suggest that it is for men only, Jackson said that women are more than welcome.

Jackson expects several hundred people, if not more than one thousand, to attend.

“Anybody can come,” Jackson said. “Our monthly meetings are men only, but this is for anyone. I actually had a woman come up to me and say ‘I wish I could come so I could see the comedian,’ and I said ‘Well, you can.’”

Jackson said that the best part of the conference in his opinion is the fellowship between brothers during the tailgate.

“Getting guys to come together and everybody hanging out is the best part,” Jackson said. “We will have different churches host tents during the tailgate and they will cook all types of foods.”

Jackson said that this year the only difference will be the move from the Arena to the Kiwanis Building.

“We are just trying to get anywhere that there is air-conditioning,” Jackson said.

The tailgate for the conference will begin at 5 p.m., on Fri., Aug., 3. The doors will open for the conference at 5:30 p.m., and will start at 6:30 p.m.

On Saturday there will be a pastor’s breakfast at 9 a.m., with doors opening at 8 a.m.

“This breakfast is more for church leaders,” Jackson said. “We will be talking about how men grow the best in small groups and how to effectively have a small group in your church.”

Jackson said that the best way to buy tickets for the conference would be to buy them at the door. Tickets will cost $25 and entrance for children is free.

Another event on Saturday that will cost $5 extra, will be a lunch and learn, with Sam Black from Covenant Eyes, a small internet filter company that supplies users with software that allows them to block unholy websites such as pornography.

For more information about the conference, call 334-488-1129 or email mark@therealironworks.org.