We praise God that over two weekends in August, over 1,700 men from 286 churches gathered under God’s word at BASECAMP men’s conference.
Men joined the event from across the state, with the largest groups coming from South-West Evangelical Church (Kingsgrove), St Matthew’s Anglican Church (Manly), Hebron Chinese Alliance Church (Westmead), Helensburgh Anglican Church (Helensburgh), and St Thomas Anglican Church (Moorebank).
The livestream option also enabled men from outside of Sydney metropolitan areas to join the event, with churches tuning in from Orange, Kiama, Broken Hill, Canberra and Tasmania.
Each year at BASECAMP, God’s word is preached around a theme that is relevant to men from all walks of life. In 2023, guest speakers Alasdair Groves and Peter Sondergeld spoke on the topic “Unravelling Emotions”, encouraging men to have a biblical view on emotions such as sadness, anger and shame; how to handle them well, and how to process the emotions with God and one another in community.
- Talk #1: Sometimes it’s Good to Feel Bad – Alasdair Groves (John 11:5-35)
- Talk #2: Shame and Anger – Peter Sondergeld (Genesis 3:1-13)
- Talk #3: Engaging Emotions – Alasdair Groves (Psalm 62:1-8)
- Talk #4: Responding to questions and moving forward – Alasdair Groves (Romans 12:1-21)
For many delegates, BASECAMP 23 highlighted relevant and significant issues that have been overlooked or suppressed:
“The topic of ‘Unravelling Emotions’ was spot on for where I am at right now. I was feeling pretty low and needing to hear a word from God and to feel His love and that is exactly what happened. I cried through almost every song.” Andrew
“The speakers were the best in years. What a fabulous topic to cover. It dealt with a topic that has sat unresolved in my faith for the last few years, in a way that nobody has been able to do thus far.”Grant
“Emotions are something that men generally really struggle with, so for you to tackle this issue was so worthwhile and beneficial.”Brian
For others, BASECAMP gave them an opportunity to bond with men from church, and to deepen existing friendships through honest conversation. At a time where following Jesus can be a lonely pursuit, BASECAMP reminded many men that they are not alone in their faith:
“BASECAMP opened up new conversations about deeper topics, for the mutual benefit of building each other up in Christ.” Gerald
“I really enjoyed the atmosphere of being in the company of so many brothers in Christ. The sound of so many men singing was truly uplifting.”Wayne
“Joining together with so many men as well as the group from our own church is a highlight. This makes it clear that God is moving in men all over the place.”Joly
Did you miss out on BASECAMP 2023? Our Livestream video is available On Demand until Monday, 11 September 2023. Register now to get instant access.
BASECAMP Merch now available online!
If you missed out on grabbing BASECAMP merch, you can now buy it online! All profits will support the BASECAMP ministry. Stock is limited, so make sure you get in quick: basecampmen.com/merch
Save the dates for BASECAMP 2024!
BASECAMP will return in 2024 on the weekends of the 3rd (Sydney) and 9-10th (Mountains & Online) of August.
Pastor, preacher and apologist Sam Allbery will be joining us to speak on the theme “Building Brotherhood (Life Together)”.
Learn more on our website: basecampmen.com or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
