GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado — Nearly 700 men filled every seat at Victory Life Church this weekend for the seventh annual Strong and Courageous Men’s Conference, marking the biggest turnout in the event’s history and forcing organizers to turn people away at the door.
What started seven years ago with fewer than 100 guys in a small room has exploded into a full-capacity regional gathering that church leaders say has outgrown its home.
From 70 Guys to 700: A Quiet Movement Takes Off
Lead Pastor Josh Cook never imagined this kind of growth when the conference launched.
“We just wanted to create a space where men could be real with each other and get challenged to step up at home and in the community,” Cook told reporters after the event. “Seeing almost 700 men show up hungry for that kind of fire in their lives is humbling.”
Attendees came from across Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and even farther. Many drove hours because they heard from friends how the conference changed their marriages, their parenting, or their walk with God.
One father from Montrose said he almost didn’t come. “I thought, ‘Another men’s thing, what’s new?’ But my buddy wouldn’t let me off the hook. Best decision I made all year.”
National Speakers Bring Heavy-Hitting Messages
This year’s lineup featured voices men already knew from podcasts, books, and viral clips.
Speakers pushed hard on topics most churches avoid: porn addiction, anger issues, father wounds, and what real biblical manhood looks like in 2024.
Breakout sessions packed out too. Lines formed early for talks on:
- Raising sons who become strong men
- Fighting loneliness in a disconnected world
- Leading your wife when you barely feel like leading yourself
- Building brotherhood that actually lasts
Men left the sessions quiet at first, then talking in small circles in the parking lot long after dark.
The Moment the Room Broke
Saturday night hit different.
During the final altar call, hundreds of men moved to the front without prompting. Some cried openly. Others stood shoulder to shoulder praying for each other. One veteran who served in Afghanistan said he hadn’t felt safe enough to cry in 20 years until that night.
“That room felt like holy ground,” Pastor Cook said, his voice still thick 24 hours later. “You can’t manufacture that. God just showed up.”
Church Building Can’t Hold It Anymore
Victory Life leaders confirmed this weekend was almost certainly the last time the conference will happen inside their current auditorium.
“We’re already in serious conversations with larger venues in Grand Junction and possibly Colorado Springs,” Cook said. “The need is clearly there. Men are starving for this, and we’re not going to put a cap on what God wants to do.”
Early projections for next year point toward 1,200 to 1,500 attendees if a bigger space opens up.
A Weekend That Keeps Giving
Long after the lights went down and the chairs got stacked, the impact keeps spreading.
Men are texting each other. Accountability groups are forming. Marriages are getting honest conversations they needed years ago.
One attendee summed it up best in the parking lot: “I came as a man who had it together. I leave knowing I don’t, and that’s the best news I’ve heard in years.”
The Strong and Courageous Men’s Conference may have outgrown its building, but it clearly hasn’t outgrown its purpose. If anything, it’s just getting started.
What about you? Have you ever been to an event that wrecked you in the best way? Drop your thoughts below, and if you’re sharing this story, use #StrongAndCourageous2024 so the guys who were there can find each other.
