Permission to Be Men Made in God’s Image

In 2001, as an introduction to his new book “Wild at Heart,” John Eldredge wrote:

“Dear Lord, do we really need another book for men? Nope. We need something else. We need permission. Permission to be what we are … men made in God’s image.”

John’s Ransomed Heart Ministries then began The Wild at Heart Boot Camps, based on the scriptural foundation of what it means to be a Christian man. The weekend is a quest into the recovery of the masculine soul. It is an honest, no holding back trek into the deep passions and desires of a man’s heart, into the healing of wounds he has taken in life, into the realm of fatherhood, marriage, sex, and a greater understanding of the Lord’s passion for us to live as men.

In 2007, a group of eight men, greatly impacted by the Boot Camp experience started a Wild at Heart Boot Camp here at Mount Hermon with the blessing of Ransomed Heart Ministry. Thirty men showed up, eight of them being the lay leaders teaching the program. In 2010 we decided to co–labor together with the vision to grow this important event here at Mount Hermon. In 2012 we moved to two conferences a year, and now each weekend is sold out with 200+ men in attendance. As part of the Allies Network for Ransomed Heart Ministries, our events are posted on their website. Through the transparent messages of presenters and attendees, epic movie clips, quiet reflection, and optional recreational activities, the men find themselves challenged and reconnecting with the heart of God. The common feedback is, “it was the most transformational weekend of my life.”

Our next challenge is find more room as demand exceeds availability. It’s exciting to see a generation of men seeking hard after God and a privilege to be a part of it.