Men will be faced with a challenge today as they unite at the Hamilton Princess this morning for the Breakfast with Champions conference hosted by United for Change.Speaking at the event is London-based Anglican minister, the Rev Richard Coekin, senior pastor of Dundonald Church, Wimbledon, chairman of the London Men’s Convention and director of Co-Mission, a church-planting network in the London area. He also leads a unique ministry at Westminster in the House of Commons Chapel, where he leads a weekly, private Bible study, and where he has also been invited on numerous occasions to share the gospel in large, open groups to audiences including ambassadors, peers and MPs.The focus of today’s breakfast conference is on helping men to “Be Men with His Mission”, men who fully rely on God and His word, and who are committed to the mission that God has given each for their life.“We’ll be looking at what the Bible teaches about being a man, responsibility and service,” Mr Coekin said, “encouraging men to accept the forgiveness and love of Christ,” while looking at the warrior images of King David and his men, “standing against the tide for their king”.Society has made it more challenging for men to take up their mantles and live as God would have them.“There is considerable confusion about gender and, specifically, male roles,” Mr Coekin said. “Men are disengaging from marriage and family, there is a lack of understanding of their value, and there is a great weight of expectation and a sense of failure that needs to be met with the forgiveness of Christ and the transformation of His Spirit.”Through the years, Coekin has had his share of criticism for standing up for what he sees as the truth found in God’s word, but he has also seen a great deal of success, particularly through the dynamic growth and encouragement that men, in particular, have found through the London Men’s Convention, an outreach of Co-Mission (www.co-mission.org.uk). Each year, the event sees nearly 4,000 men from across the UK attend for solid Biblical teaching.“Men’s events are most effective when they don’t involve macho, primal screaming; in the end, that’s pagan irresponsibility. Men need to discover sacrificial love for themselves and discover how to give that sacrificial love out.”He has found then men take so much away from these large group events, filled with quality teaching.“Singing and camaraderie are deeply affecting... There is also the realisation that we’re not alone as we gather with men from all walks of life, and that we’re all standing up for Him.”So what tools does a man need to live a successful Christian life?“A man needs a Bible and a church that it will teach it clearly to him. He also needs one or two close friends that will support him in the Christian life, and a wife who needs to make that possible.”Some may say that the Bible offers few positive examples of men and fathers, as many of even the greatest Biblical heroes made some very big mistakes.“The Bible is stunningly realistic,” Coekin shared, “and that is encouraging that we can come to God as we are, however, the supreme example of fatherhood is God in heaven.”There is a dilemma, however, for many who have had poor or weak fathers in that they find it challenging to understand God as Father, however, for those who break through that barrier find an extremely rich and rewarding relationship with a Heavenly Father once they truly experience it.“Father’s Day is not only a time to celebrate our human fathers who, though flawed, make sacrifices for us, but to also celebrate our Heavenly Father who made the ultimate sacrifice.”In addition to the Men’s conference, Richard Coekin will also be preaching Sunday morning at 10am at St. John’s Church.