10,000 Everyday Men Worship God With Christian Sports Celebs

This weekend, a sellout crowd of more than 10,000 men of all ages will pack the Liberty University Vines Center for the 2013 Wildfire Men’s Impact Weekend. Fathers, sons, brothers, hunting buddies and more—coming together to worship God and learn more about the life of true adventure as God intends. 

Men are in for an amazing weekend, with a stellar lineup of Christian sports icons, outdoorsmen and inspirational speakers. Duck Dynasty is coming to town, with A&E Network’s reality television star Willie Robertson, along with legendary Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz, and National Football League icon, Tim Tebow of the New York Jets. 

Tim Tebow will take the stage opening night to give his personal testimony of faith. Tebow won two college football national championships at the University of Florida, was a first-round selection in the 2010 NFL Draft and led the Denver Broncos to the 2011 NFL playoffs for the first time in six years. He lives a life that consistently reflects his values, and founded the Tim Tebow Foundation, which partners with CURE International to build hospitals in the Philippines. Tebow was also named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2012. 

Legendary Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz will share his journey as a Christian professional athlete for more than two decades. Over his career, Smoltz garnered eight All-Star selections and was named World Series champion in 1995. He became the only pitcher in major league history to achieve both 200 wins and 150 saves, with a fastball clocked as high as 98 miles per hour. His organization, the John Smoltz Foundation, has supported charitable efforts in the Atlanta area over the last 15 years. 

Professional hunter and TV star Willie Robertson will capture the audience with stories of his Louisiana backwoods family who star in A&E’s hit reality series, Duck Dynasty. With nearly 4 million Facebook fans, Duck Dynasty is currently the most-watched show on the network. Robertson, who also serves as CEO of Duck Commander and Buck Commander, transformed his family’s backyard business into a multi-million dollar sporting empire, while staying grounded in a strong faith, and family values. A self-described “redneck millionaire,” Robertson is an American entrepreneur and rugged outdoorsman. 

Joining Wildfire founder Tim Clinton, the weekend will also include some of the world’s premier Bible teachers and speakers, including Joe White, president and founder of Kanakuk Kamps; Rick Rigsby, a dynamic motivational and leadership speaker; and Dan Seaborn, an international marriage and family speaker, and founder of Winning At Home. 

This annual gathering will also feature inspirational praise and worship with Michael O’Brien and the Wildfire Worship Band. Attendees can expect a two-day event packed full with more than 50 workshops, interactive outdoor exhibits and fun around the stuff that men love—hunting, fishing, motorcycles, racing, athletics, extreme sports and more—taught by some of the leading experts in the world. 

Wildfire is partnering with Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. and Liberty University; Pastor Jonathan Falwell and Thomas Road Baptist Church; the Southern Baptist Convention of Virginia; the Fellowship of Christian Athletes; and Spirit FM to bring this stellar event to central Virginia. 

Looking ahead to this landmark men’s conference, Clinton shares, “Wildfire is designed to create an inspiring context for men to connect with God, engage their passions and experience community. Our goal is to help the next generation of boys become men, and men become fathers. Through the national Wildfire movement, we seek to raise up real men, godly men. Men with staying power and passion about their convictions. Men with a single quest to become who God has created us to be—honorable husbands, strong fathers and faithful friends.” 

Two more Wildfire weekend events are planned for 2013, at the BI-LO Center in Greenville, S.C., and The Potter’s House in Dallas. Ten national events are currently slated for 2014.