“We are attempting to build bridges among churches south of the river to join in on this mission and encourage their men to be a part of this call,” Pehrson said.

HisClay is attempting to bring this “Revival” by inspiring and encouraging men in their faith through monthly breakfast events, biannual retreats, and weekly e-mail devotionals.

Monthly “All In” Breakfast events, held at the Holiday Inn in Lakeville, feature messages from various local pastors and teachers, and a time of fellowship and small group discussion. Men attending the breakfast events are also introduced to “growth opportunities” through local churches and ministries in an effort to help build strong faith communities.

“Churches and ministries alike are truly embracing this vision from God and are very open to partaking in the Revival Mission,” Pehrson said. “HisClay is quickly being recognized as the ‘funnel’ that is gathering together men south of the river and then funneling these men into the various partner ministries and faith communities in an effort to help men grow in their faith and realize God’s call on their life.”

In addition to monthly breakfasts, HisClay also hosts two “All In” Retreats at the HisClay Retreat Center in Faribault, Minn. According to Pehrson, retreat events have the same mission as breakfast gatherings, but allow for a deeper “examining [of] the ‘All In’ qualities of a godly man.”

“The retreat experience allows each man time to reflect on the ways in which God is calling them to change and to help them realize the plan God has for their lives,” he said.

HisClay’s Web site (www.hisclay.org) also serves as an informational tool that promotes Christianity by providing resources for spiritual growth and answers to common faith questions.


The beginning
The vision for HisClay began in 2003 with a sketch on a legal pad. Pehrson, a husband and father of three, was participating in “The Potter’s Wheel Program,” a leadership development program offered through Hosanna! Lutheran Church in Lakeville.

“The Revival Mission is about inspiring and encouraging God’s people, especially men, to be ‘All In’ for Jesus Christ and to make him the focus of everything we do—to move away from the worldly pull of mediocrity and complacency toward a life of Revival (being brought back to life),” Pehrson explained. “When people, especially men, make God the priority in their life, the world will then begin to change one man at a time, one marriage at a time, and one family at a time. When we are intentional in following Jesus Christ, God’s people will experience life as he meant it to be.”

HisClay will continue to invite congregations and church leaders to become ministry partners in the effort. The ministry’s leaders believe that one of the biggest hurdles to Revival is the fact that men are not “gathering together as a larger body in community.”

“Men will gain strength from other men and will see the power of community when they gather on a regular basis and work together in reaching out to other men to join the call for Revival,” Pehrson said. “The Revival Mission is about ‘breaking down the congregational and denominational walls’ that are keeping men from a larger community experience. By simply inviting churches into the mission, men can gather as a larger body in inspiring and encouraging the hearts of men everywhere to be ‘All In’ for Jesus Christ.”

Although the language “south of the river” does currently apply to HisClay’s focus on the south metro area, Pehrson hopes the Revival Mission will expand throughout the entire metro area and beyond. Since the mission does not specify which river, Pehrson said God’s “plan for revival” is going to happen through men everywhere.

“’All In’ is a picture of sliding all the ‘chips of life’ into the middle of the table and giving God full control of our lives,” Pehrson said. “When men are intentional in living their lives out in accordance to God’s plan, life will then begin to reflect a sense of purpose and mission that God meant for us from the very beginning. Men will change, marriages will change and families will change when men honor God by putting him first.”


ACTION POINT
The next “All In” Breakfast event is Feb. 9 from 7 to 8:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn in Lakeville. The cost is $10 per person. To learn more about HisClay Ministries, visit www.hisclay.org.