Mighty Men Of Valor Prepped for Battle
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By HOWARD MANN
UPPER MARLBORO, Md – More than 2,000 men were seated in the arena (aka sanctuary) at First Baptist Church of Glenarden and more were pouring in as Pastor Clifford Ashe opened the 15th annual Mighty Men of Valor National Conference, “Battle Tested.”
“All of us are in a fight of some kind,” said Ashe. “And we have to do battle against whatever it is. You might be a champion in the featherweight class, but you might have a middleweight fight coming up. And we have the trainers, cornermen and cut men – our conference speakers – to help you win.”
The “Battle Tested” theme was prevalent throughout the night, from the boxing ring and punching bags near the front entrance, to the videos of Roy Johnson on overhead monitors, to the pro boxers sparring and working out before the arena opened.
Once inside, attendees saw another boxing ring on the pulpit, banners of fighters in different poses and the overhead lighting found at bouts in Las Vegas. An announcer came forward and a microphone was lowered from the rafters.
“In this corner,” said the announcer, as the lights dimmed and a spotlight beamed on a boxer entering the sanctuary from the rear, “fighting for fear, frustration, anger, adultery, jealousy, hatred, envy and pornography is the master of disaster, the enemy of us all!”
“And in this corner,” said the announcer, as another boxer fighting for every man, every family and every future, is the undisputed, undefeated champion and representative of us all!”
The devil won the first round, knocking down the man. But the man got up and went into his corner. He got instructions and encouragement from his trainers, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. And then he went out and put the devil on the ropes, pummeling him until scoring a knockout.
He raised his hands in victory, which Pastor Ashe said is the goal for every man in attendance this weekend.
