Men Following Christ: Reflecting On 2023

We had an encouraging and fantastic year connecting with men of all ages in our community through our monthly gatherings. As 2023 is coming to a close, we wanted to take some time to reflect on the inspirational speakers and moments we enjoyed over the past year.

What Is Men Following Christ?

Men Following Christ is a monthly gathering of men with the goal of inspiring one another with the message that we are all a work in progress, being made perfect through the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The biblically-based content and discussion are open to men of all ages looking to grow in their walk with Jesus Christ, as well as be inspired by our speakers and the testimonies shared by other men.

January: Rod Mayer

Rod is the co-founder of Men Following Christ and during the January session, he inspired those gathered with the message that we are all a work in progress, being made perfect through the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

February: Dr. Don DeYoung

Dr. DeYoung holds the position of Emeritus Science Faculty member at Grace College. He shared lessons from the life of Noah, before, during, and after the Genesis flood. 

Don is also the past president of the Creation Research Society and speaks on a broad range of Bible-science topics. He reminded us that the details of nature are a powerful testimony to the Creator’s care for us all.

March: Jarod Osborne

We heard from Jarod Osborne in March as we gathered for breakfast, fellowship, and worship at Alpha Dining Hall. 

Jarod is the lead pastor of Pathway Church and the Chaplain of the Kosciusko County Sherrif’s Department, as well as being a published author and martial arts fitness instructor.

April: Dr. Tiberius Rata

This month, our guest speaker was Dr. Tiberius Rata who is the Associate Dean of the School of Ministry and Professor of Old Testament Studies at Grace College.

He has been an ordained Baptist minister since 1997 and has published numerous Biblical commentaries on Old Testament books. We enjoyed a time of insight and connection as Dr. Rata shared his unique knowledge of God’s Word with us.

May: Marc Transparenti

During our May gathering, Pastor Marc Transparenti shared his passion for expositing the Word of God since his conversion and baptism in 2012.

He attended Calvary Chapel Bible College before serving as a missionary in the Philippines for over two years before being led to Winona Lake to plant Calvary Chapel Lake City where he currently serves as a teaching pastor.

June: Denny Wilson

We kicked off the summer hearing from Denny Wilson, Senior Pastor of Warsaw Community Church. Denny has been serving in that role since 1993 and shared with us his heart for our community as we enjoyed a time of fellowship, connection, and worship.

July: Don Clemens

As the co-founder of Men Following Christ, Don always has interesting insights to share. Over the years he has served on a variety of boards, including Youth For Christ and Lakeland Christian Academy. 

In addition to co-founding Men Following Christ, Don serves as a leader for Beach Brothers For Christ and partners with the Sunday marketplace ministry Hallelujah Brunch on Anna Maria Island, Florida, where he and his wife Kim now live full time.

August: Dr. Nathan Harris

In August, we got to hear about Dr. Nathan’s Harris passion for Christian philanthropy and how the Gospel of Christ should transform our view of stewardship and generosity.

Dr. Harris is the Vice President of Advancement for Grace College, leading all development, annual giving, and stewardship initiatives for the school.

September: Jay Harris

This month we were privileged to hear Jay Harris’ incredible story of faith and growth as he is a Navy veteran, has served in a variety of pastoral roles, and facilitated missionary efforts of Encompass World Partners in Asia.

One of Jay’s favorite claims to fame is that he has eaten a Big Mac in Argentina, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, China, England, France, Germany, Guatemala, Holland, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey.

October: Ronnie Patrick

Pastor Ronnie Patrick was our speaker during October’s time of inspiration, connection, and worship. He is a Warsaw native and returned to Kosciusko County after serving five years in the United States Army.

Pastor Patrick founded New Beginnings Church and World Outreach, serving as the lead pastor since 2008, and is the author of Who We Are In Christ.

November: Rod Mayer

Men Following Christ co-founder, Rod Mayer, ended our 2023 season with a message that we are all a work in progress, encouraging the men gathered to continue to show up for one another and our community as we look toward 2024.

Men Following Christ In 2024

We will not be meeting in December, but don’t miss our Men Following Christ gatherings in 2024! Be sure you follow us on social media and are signed up to receive our emails.

If you’re interested in speaking at a Men Following Christ event in 2024, contact us using the button below.