By Christina Lee
“Man Up Adventures is a wild place where men are encouraged, God is exalted, and lives experience true change,” says Pastor Nate Thompson, co-founder with his father, Pastor Galen Thompson. “It’s an adventure that’s conducted by leaders who have one singular passion: to guide men into the fulfillment of authentic biblical manhood through community, experiential learning, and adventure in a wilderness setting.”
The first deep seeds were planted when Bro. Nate Thompson left his small home church and went to Bible college. “I had a certain naivety to me in that I thought that every Apostolic young person came from a solid family unit similar to mine. I was aware that many of my unchurched classmates from public school came from fractured families or had experienced a divorce in their lifetime, but my first year at Bible college I realized how blessed I was. I had a dad involved in my life and a mom that loved me and parents that prayed. From that realization, I felt a burden for people without a dad in the home.
“In 2007, I had a good job, but I was struggling spiritually. I had a bunch of vacation time so I called my dad, and we went snowshoeing for four days. Combined with that earlier burden and this experience, God unlocked a dream and vision in me.”
The mission statement of Man Up Adventures is “to guide men into the fulfillment of authentic Biblical manhood.” This involves “changing our culture one man at a time. We want to equip men to be the men that God requires and created them to be. A man changed equals a family changed. We will never have sustainable revival without men.”
There has been a lot of positive feedback, according to Bro. Nate Thompson. In May 2013, during the Pentecost Sunday campsite service, two men received the Holy Ghost and another was baptized in French Creek. This year, two more were baptized in French Creek.
One man wrote of his Man Up Adventure, “That afternoon during the teaching…God began speaking to my heart. I found a place to pray, repent, and forgive. When God was done, it was like 40 years of shame was taken off and left there.”
Locations are chosen because of the wilderness aspect. “We look for a place where a man is swallowed up, where it’s challenging and adventurous, and conducive to excellent outdoor classrooms,” said Bro. Thompson.
“Man Up Adventures is not just about getting outside. It’s about God moments and anointing. Not only are people getting baptized, filled with the Holy Ghost, and coming to Christ, but pastors and ministers are being encouraged. Once an adventure is engaged, all titles and statuses evaporate; men are just men, and all are equally transparent.”
People can sign up at www.man-up-adventures.com. Cost is based on Adventure location and activities offered. The age limit is 16, “but we’ve had men as old as 72 participate.”
