19 May 2009

WACMEN enjoys success at Western Australian camp-meeting

Perth, Western Australia
RECORD staff/Danny Bell

WACMEN (Western Australian Christian Men), a ministry for men based in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Western Australia, is making Adventist history, according to founder Danny Bell. The ministry was present at the regional Easter camp-meeting, with support from the Adventist Church in Western Australia.

WACMEN was formed from an idea proposed by a group of men at the 2008 camp-meeting, and aims to address obvious problems facing men in the church and society in general.

Mr Bell says, "Since its inception, there has been keen interest and dramatic growth in what's now estimated to be a ministry of huge potential, along with 200 subscribers to the newsletter."

Around 120 people went through the WACMEN tent experience at the camp-meeting, watching a promotional video and looking at a book display.

"Not long into the first day, people were saying they'd been ‘whacked' after going through the tent," says Mr Bell. "This became quite a popular calling card as the team would ask people, ‘Have you been whacked yet?' They soon discovered that it wasn't a mob-style execution and were pleasantly surprised to see the work WACMEN has been doing."

One of the "highlights" of camp was the men's breakfast, where around 140 men were fed by the WACMEN team. Mr Bell says, "Bellies full, they then sat back and enjoyed a talk from Julian Krieg, the Wheat Belt Men's Health coordinator for Western Australia. The BBQ breakfast was vegetarian, in order to further highlight increasing data from world health authorities that shows a direct link between eating red meat and prostate cancer in men."

Next year, WACMEN plan to organise guest speakers at the camp program to specifically talk about men's issues. Mr Bell believes many contacts and friendships are made at camp-meetings, which can lead to men attending church more regularly.

"This is an excellent opportunity to invite a mate along to the events who mightn't take a shine to church but will enjoying hanging out with the WACMEN guys," Mr Bell adds.

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