Men in the area have the opportunity to connect and grow in their faith, as part of the second-annual Finding the Way Men’s Conference.

First United Methodist Church will host the conference March 3-4, and is seeking both the “churched” and “un-churched.” Guests will hear from speaker Steve Chesney, senior regional director with Young Life Tennessee.

The men’s conference was inspired by the Heart to Heart Conference for women, and strives to challenge men to take responsibility for their spiritual lives, according to conference committee member Matt Carr. Carr said Washington resident Will Page played a large role in getting the conference off the ground.

“The reality of it is that men are supposed to be the spiritual leaders in their houses and the workplace. … We have more single women raising children than ever before. It’s because men have fallen down on their responsibility,” Carr said. “We have strayed away from the word of God. There’s a famine in the land, truthfully.”

Carr said men were the ones charged with building the Christian church, and to do so, stood in conflict with the world. However, in more recent decades, he said he thinks men often eschew their calling to be leaders and their calling to serve God.

“It is not weak or feminine to be a Christian. It’s very manly,” Carr said.

He said the conference is a good way to draw men out of their comfort zones and allow them to experience real faith, which is something they may be reluctant to do in a mixed setting.

On March 3, the first session is planned from 7-9 p.m., followed by a breakfast prepared by Brothers in the Field the next morning, and another session from 9-10 a.m. The group will then take a break before the third and last session, which ends at noon on March 4.

As part of a new aspect of the conference, Vidant Health representatives will also be on hand for health screenings and information about diseases that affect men.

“We want men to understand that it is absolutely powerful — I can’t explain it — to see other men openly profess their faith. There is something that is magnificent about that,” Carr said. “We hope that somebody who may not have ever had a relationship with Jesus comes to know who he is and ultimately starts that walk.”

Tickets to attend Finding the Way Men’s Conference are $15. To register, visit www.findingthewayconference.com.