Gridiron Men's Christian Conference Information

Why do you want to go and sit through 4 sermons, 2 talks, and a lot of music? It is like going to church 6 times in 2 days. One of the more compelling reasons is that I am among guys willing to attend church the equivalent of 6 times in 2 days. This does my heart good for two reasons:

Sometimes, Satan whispers to us that we are alone or mostly alone. In the United States, it is known that most women are the spiritual leaders of their homes. Most Christian merchandise is targeted at women. There is more women’s Bible study material than there is for men. You are not alone when you look around the Probst Arena and see somewhere close to 8,000 men from all over the South. You are doing church with men very similar to yourself. Christian men willing to lead their families may not be the majority, but they exist!

Too many churches gravitate to easy Christianity. They are too concerned with the idea that if they start a program that asks more of someone, very few will show up. They are also concerned that if they make Christianity harder, people will leave and go to churches where less is expected of them. I agree that might happen, but Jesus never promised us mega churches and large communities of Christians. In Matthew 7:14, He says that few will choose the narrow gate. In Luke 13:22-30, He explains that many will come to the shut door saying they are Christians, but He will send them away.

Fellowship with other men is amazing for me. I am not shy, and I will talk to just about anyone. My conversations with people were Kingdom-oriented, and it turns out that my favorite subject, God, happens to be their favorite subject, too!

Last but certainly not least, the reasons to go are hearing God’s Word, hearing powerful testimonies, and worshiping your face off with other guys. It is a challenging and uplifting time.

Some Helpful Info about Gridiron Men's Christian Conference

Get your tickets and lodging as soon as you know you can attend. Even though it is scheduled for Friday Night and Saturday morning of Father’s Day weekend, attendance will be in the 8,000 range.

Here is the Gridiron Men website: https://gridironmen.org/

If you register in time, you will receive a conference booklet and a paper wrist bracelet in the mail about two weeks before the event. You will need to wear the wrist bracelet to get through security.

If you can stay at the Hampton Inn, it is an easy walk. It is about three city blocks on a very mild slope. Considering the hotel's age, I feel like the Hampton Inn is expensive, but the event is on a weekend night during a holiday, so they charge peak pricing.

Additional things you may want to pack:

Ear plugs. I have a mild sound sensitivity so music averaging 88 decibels and peaking over 130 is too much for me after the second song.
Seat Cushion. The plastic folding chairs are more comfortable than most, but it is still close to 10 hours of them over 2 days.
Compression socks. The same reason as 2. That much sitting can cause swelling.
Scotch tape. The adhesive on the wristband may need some help on the second day.

The traffic coming into Huntsville can be slow, so if you arrive on the event day, give yourself plenty of time. I prefer to check in first, and while I planned to arrive at 3 p.m., I didn’t make it to my room until 4 p.m. Friday night is kind of late, and Saturday morning comes early, so if you can check in before the event and get your room ready, you might appreciate it later.

On night one, the doors open at 5:30, giving people 90 minutes to get through security and find seating. On day two, the doors open at 7 a.m., giving you an hour to get seated. They quickly move people through the security checkpoint, so I see no reason to arrive early and wait in line for the doors to open. I try to be there about 15 minutes after the doors open.

After entering the arena, there is a booth with Gridiron Gear and another Media Booth for people who want to get a digital copy of the speakers. This is audio only and does not include the music. The charge is about $45 unless you want it on a USB drive. I didn’t have a great experience getting my digital media last year, but this year, I got an email telling me it was ready to download about eight days after the event.

Friendly ushers are stationed at the auditorium's doors to answer questions and assist with accessibility needs. Many people needed help finding the stairs so they could sit in a higher or lower section. They also placed chairs on the arena floor for this event, which appear to be the most popular seats.

If some of your group is coming separately from you, you may want to designate a meeting place. One of the more common sights was people frustrated as they tried to find the rest of their party. I watched at least 30 guys in my area calling, texting, waving, whistling, and finally asking for help.

Prizes are given away at the end of the first evening and at the end of the second. You must be in attendance to claim your prize. The QR code on the wrist bracelet allows you to register for a prize. Make sure you read the instructions.