LAKE HAVASU CITY – As a form of outreach for the local community, Pastor Herb Hosmer of Lake Havasu’s Calvary Baptist Church, will be bringing back a fifth conference from the Strong Men in Tough Times Ministry. As the organizer of the annual event, Hosmer’s journey as a reverend began 45 years ago when he experienced what he calls a spiritual calling to spread the gospel within the congregation as well as outside. Six years ago, Hosmer began his prison ministry to provide Arizona State Prison Kingman inmates support and guidance through faith.
The visits inspired yearly gatherings tailored for the men of Havasu, seeking answers about their place in the world. The pastor continues to feel joy each time he is able to see how worship provides hope and how it transforms people’s realities. “I’ve seen people’s lives be forever changed with God, and getting to help people with this is such an overwhelming outcome,” Hosmer said.
This year’s meeting will have four keynote speakers; local Minister Ezekiel Kesitilwe, Living Word Church’s Pastor Jesse Cano, Pastor Tim Giles from Inspire the Church, and Pastor of Abundant Grace Church’s Art Navarro. Growing up in a household where both parents were ministers, Cano always felt the presence of the Lord in his life that led to his calling.
Beginning as a youth leader, Cano has been ministering since 2012, this will be his second time as a speaker of the conference. Not only will he be speaking on the influence of personal testimonies, Cano will touch on how the higher power operates in everyone’s life. The pastor hopes to share with male attendees in their daily lives and personal challenges. “Speaking to Christian Men is a great opportunity to help men in their marriage and personal life,” he said.
“To help men be better husbands and fathers through the word of God. Men keep to themselves and don’t speak of their internal problems. This conference shares that men go through the same thing every man goes through,” Cano added. With each speaker coming from various personal backgrounds, Pastor Navarro’s mission toward strong devoutness is very different.
As a child growing up with no religious affiliations, Navarro described his youth as being filled with relationships involving neighborhood gang members and struggles with substance abuse. At age 19, met his future spouse who just so happened to have to be the offspring of pastor parents. However, due to the passing of her father to a terminal illness, he explained that in the beginning stages of their union, his partner was conflicted with her own faith, in the midst of emotional trauma while coping with the loss of a parent. However somewhere in their shared paths of disbelief and darkness, there was still a glimmer of light. Navarro still remembers being 22 years old when he received a sacred calling to become a pastor around the same time his wife felt an overpowering inspiration to rejoin the church, and an unforgotten memory that her parents always told her that someday she would marry a preacher.
This will also be Navarro’s second time speaking at the event. He will be sharing with the audience his road to recovery from drug addiction, and how faith played a big role in getting him to where he is today. This gathering will be free to the public, and welcomes all members of the community to attend.
With breakfast being served at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, this year’s 5th Annual Strong Men in Tough Times conference will follow beginning at 8:15 a.m. to noon at Inspire the Church, 2700 Jamaica Blvd S.
