Marked Men For Christ marks 25 years serving men through healing retreats

Marked Men For Christ says it has spent 25 years helping men confront buried wounds through its 44-hour Phase 1 Experience, with 19,800 men taking part worldwide. The ministry says the work is designed to reach men who may not have money, perfect theology or the words to ask for help.

Why it matters: - Marked Men For Christ says its model gives men a place to address shame, anger, fear and other wounds that can affect marriages, parenting and work. - The ministry says 19,800 men worldwide have gone through its flagship 44-hour Phase 1 Experience over 25 years. - The approach is built for men who may have spent years hiding pain and have not found a safe place to deal with it.

What happened: - Marked Men For Christ marked 25 years since its founding in Colorado in 2001. - Steve “Spice” Spicer and John Lager started the ministry in December 2001 after years of watching men hear Christian messages and leave unchanged. - The ministry's Phase 1 Experience is organized around five wounds: Deceit, Fear, Anger, Sadness and Shame. - Men move through those wounds during the 44-hour experience at a series of stations. - Don Carey, director of development for Marked Men For Christ, said strong men can carry heavy things for a long time, but not forever.

The details: - Lager said the ministry wanted to reach men “below the chin, below the neck” because many were operating in their heads rather than their hearts. - Men often describe the experience as more like surgery than a conference. - Spice said one elementary school teacher was told by 8- and 9-year-old students that he looked taller after Phase 1 because he had set down decades of shame. - Men who arrived unable to speak their father's name because of past pain have left ready to forgive. - Quiet marriages have restarted after the experience, and families are often the first to notice the change. - In the United States, about 40% of participants pay nothing. - Worldwide, about 90% of participants pay nothing. - The ministry says it has never been in debt. - Men who complete Phase 1 largely fund the work by giving back to support the NEXTMAN. - The ministry says it is ecumenical and includes Catholics, Baptists, Pentecostals, Reformed Christians and men from churches without labels. - The ministry stands on the Apostles' Creed, and men only need to be able to say, “I believe in Jesus,” to participate. - In the USA and Europe, Phase 1 staff serve without pay. - Nearly 1,800 volunteers donate time and personal resources to serve men they have never met. - Every staff member is a Phase 1 graduate who returned to serve. - Marked Men For Christ says its mission is to build stronger men for Jesus Christ through transformative experiences and authentic relationships.

Between the lines: - The ministry's message is aimed at men who may not respond to traditional church settings but may engage through a highly structured, emotionally intensive retreat. - By emphasizing no-cost access for many participants, the ministry lowers a common barrier to entry and leans on alumni generosity to sustain the work. - The ecumenical structure broadens the potential audience and keeps doctrinal differences from becoming the main hurdle. - The focus on volunteers who are former participants suggests the ministry is designed as a self-reinforcing pipeline of healing and service.

What's next: - The ministry says men can find a Phase 1 Experience near them this year. - Marked Men For Christ plans to continue its follow-up brotherhood after the initial 44-hour experience. - The organization is continuing to recruit men who are ready to participate and, later, serve others.

The bottom line: - Marked Men For Christ is betting that a short, intense retreat can help men confront pain they have carried for decades and return home changed.