Every January there is a buzz in the air among the men of Summit Woods Baptist Church concerning the Ironmen Summit. This annual conference has proven consequential in shaping the culture of biblical masculinity at our church. Each year we load up many of our men early on a Saturday morning to make our way over to Emporia, Kansas where Flint Hill Bible Church hosts a one-day conference on biblical manhood. This event serves as the first of our four quarterly ironmen gatherings at Summit Woods throughout the year. However, this one is special.
At the Ironmen Summit there will be over 700 men from a score of area churches that will make the trek to join in Christian fellowship with open Bibles, full stomachs, and rich comradery. As culture continues to propagate a flimsy and ungodly definition of manliness, the Ironmen Summit serves not so much as a retreat, but an advance. Men gather shoulder to shoulder raising their shields of faith and swords of the Spirit to discipline themselves toward godliness together.
Throughout the event there are no celebrity speakers or worldly attractions. There is no fluff. Men do not come to be entertained, but to savor the Word of God as it is faithfully proclaimed. This is not to say that the breakfast burritos, barbeque, and coffee are not anticipated for their excellence. However, the singing, preaching, and fellowship are the meals that leave the soul well-fed upon return. Several faithful local shepherds who are skilled in biblical exposition and experienced in the trenches of ministry proclaim the truth of the Bible in each session. Men are challenged to live as men on God’s terms, not their own. The applications are practical and tailored to the everyday man who will inevitably return home to lead in a family, work a job, and serve in the church. Multiple breakout sessions are also provided allowing men to select topics that best speak to their present interests or needs.
Not only is the conference instructive for spurring men on toward greater holiness, but it is also incredibly encouraging. Hearing the reverberations of 700 men from the surrounding region singing praises to God reminds every attendee that they are not alone in this fight for godliness. The testimonies of faithful churches that are on display through preaching and fellowship expand our view of ministry beyond the Lee’s Summit bubble. God is regularly magnified through conversations at the Ironmen Summit that spark new friendships and partnerships in the gospel across our individual church and state boundaries.
It is truly a blessing to see and hear of the work of God going on in our region through other healthy churches. If you have never made the trek out to Emporia in January, may this serve as an encouragement for you to join next year. Be sure to keep your eye out for an email when tickets go on sale in the fall. We will often put a note in our newsletter as well. Tickets sell out quickly. Whether you are attending or not in 2026, would you consider taking a few moments to pray for the men headed out to the Ironmen Summit? Pray for those preaching, attending, and traveling. Pray for the culture of manhood at Summit Woods to be strengthened in accordance with scripture. And pray the Ironmen Summit would further spark godliness in the lives of many men in our region for the glory of God.