Mighty Men of God

My older son, John (in blue shirt) and friends prepare to go to MMC09 last Thursday night

The Mighty Men’s Conference which takes place on a private farm in Kwa Zulu Natal has grown to such enormous proportions it seems almost unbelievable. A little over five years ago, Angus Buchan, well-known South African evangelist, heard from God that he should host an all-men’s conference on his farm.

The first year he had 584 men attending. The next year, the numbers grew to 1,100. The third year Angus realised that the men were obviously bringing men with them the next year. They expected 5,000 and more than 7,000 arrived. In 2008, they prepared the land (grass for campsites was planted on three farms) for 30,000 men and in excess of 60,000 arrived. This year the registration bookings for campsites were at 175,000 before the start of MMC09 on Friday 24th April. The final count has not been made public but my sons, who both went with several friends, said they believed that more than 200,000 men were present on the farm this weekend.

This group of men were well organised with their own portable toilet!
A group of Christian bikers heading off to MMC09

This man's not ashamed to say Who is number one in his life

Nor is this biker...
Vehicles filled with men rearing to go

The reason for this conference is for men to get together and for them to attend Christian sessions led by Angus Buchan. In this way they get to know God. Many Christian men bring friends with them to meet God. This weekend was no different. After the first session on Friday night, when Angus Buchan made the altar call, two thirds of the men in that open air service committed their lives to God.

A sign at a well-known roadside rest station urging the Mighty Men to go"onward, upward, forward"

Busses, double cabs, station wagons filled with men only

On Saturday morning Angus ministered in his charismatic way from the huge stage in the middle of these masses of men. Once again, men were convicted and came to know the Lord as their personal Saviour. After the morning session the men all went back to their campsites to relax until the evening session.

Then disaster struck. While returning to his home a short distance from the stage, Angus Buchan collapsed. The doctor on site was summonsed and his diagnosis was that Angus’ blood sugar was very low; he was suffering from fatigue and he was very dehydrated. They feared that he'd had a heart attack.

Meanwhile the MMC radio station summonsed all the men back to the stage area to come and pray for Angus’ healing. The men swarmed up in their droves and fell on their faces in the grass, humbling themselves before God and beseeching Him to spare Angus’ life. They continued to worship and praise God as the helicopter airlifted Angus to a Medi Clinic in the nearby city of Pietermaritzburg.

When Angus arrived at the Emergency Unit of the clinic, the cardiologist examined him and found nothing wrong with him! A farm vehicle had been driven to the hospital and he was driven back to the farm, arriving there three hours after collapsing. The men, who had no idea what was happening, rejoiced when the MMC organisers announced that “we serve a living God. Angus Buchan is alive and well!”

Angus told the crowd on Sunday morning, that when he flew out in the helicopter and saw all the men praying and worshipping God, he immediately felt better and he knew he was healed.

Quite a number of men were very disappointed when they realised that Angus would not be delivering the message on Saturday evening.(It had been announced that Angus would rest until the next morning) They decided to leave the conference. There were a couple of thousand men who left, yet it made not a dent in the crowd that remained on the farm. That evening the MMC team announced that there would be a special worship service and the men flocked to it. My sons tell me that this session was even more hallowed than the ones Angus had led.

Heading home after MMC09

For Angus to be afflicted in this way, can only mean that God in His wisdom was showing the men that they should worship and follow only God, not man. Often the danger lies in many men making an idol of a man who is so outspoken and preaches the Gospel like Angus Buchan does, with no holds barred. Angus definitely didn’t want this. Whatever he does, is for the glory of God and God alone.

Every vehicle on the National highway was filled with men going home after receiving new Life and Hope at the MMC09
Vehicles...

...as far as the eye could see

I believe that South Africa is going to be a better place with so many thousands of men standing up as Mighty Men of God. They’ve gone home to repair relationships, to right any wrongs they’ve done and to be the fathers, husband, employers, employees, brothers, sons, and friends God purposed them to be. Amen!