When and Where

Dates: 07-09 August 2026
Venue: Luther Heights Camp 1592-1606 David Low Way, Coolum Beach, QLD 4573

MAX26 Oceans – Program and Timetable

The event would run from Friday evening to Sunday early afternoon. The program will include a mix of talks, panel discussions and small group sessions. There will also be opportunities for personal quiet time and reflection, as well as fellowship and recreational activity.

Workshops

A. Your Journey at Sea: Sharing Your Faith Story with Courage and Authenticity

Facilitated by Mark Lysaght + team

Every man has a story…  moments of calm waters, storms, wrong turns, rescue, and grace. Yet many men struggle to speak naturally about their faith or explain how God has been at work in their lives.

This practical and encouraging workshop will help you prepare and share a simple, authentic 1–5 minute personal testimony that feels real, relatable, and genuinely you. Learn how to speak about your journey with confidence rather than pressure and discover how God can use your story to encourage, inspire, and invite others into deeper faith.

Whether you feel confident or completely unsure where to begin, this workshop will equip you to “put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch” - stepping out with honesty, courage, and the quiet power of your own lived experience.

B. Stout-hearted: Called Out of the Undertow

Facilitated by Ged Trolove from RealTalk

We swim in an ocean of digital and sexual stimulation, and it is easy to get dragged into the undertow. It has never been harder to live as a man of sexual integrity! And yet the support and training most men get is lacking or non-existent. This workshop will look at the eyes, the mind, and the heart as three essential areas for everyman to live out the freedom Jesus offers us. Let’s get practical and let’s be renewed by God’s word. Be prepared to be challenged, empowered, and released in the truth and freedom of Christ so that we can embrace a life lived to the full.

C. Beyond the Horizon: I am going Fishing

Facilitated by Michael Forbes + team

Jesus never called men to stay safely on the shore. He called ordinary men into deeper waters… beyond comfort, beyond routine, and into a life of mission, purpose, and adventure.

This workshop explores what happens when we respond to Christ’s invitation to “go fishing” in the world around us. Whether in our parish, local community, workplace, family, the Diocese, overseas outreach, or through ministries like menALIVE, every man is called to play a part in building the Kingdom of God. 

Together we will reflect on where God may be calling us to cast our nets today, discover practical pathways for involvement in ministry and service, and be challenged to move beyond spectatorship into active mission. The horizon is wider than we think and the call of Jesus is always deeper.

D. Navigating Rough Seas: Finding Hope in Life’s Storms

Facilitated by Peter Gabauer + team

Every man encounters seasons when the waters become rough - disappointment, grief, burnout, failure, uncertainty, loneliness, or the quiet exhaustion that comes from carrying too much for too long. At times we can feel lost, overwhelmed, or unsure how to keep moving forward.

This workshop creates space to honestly explore the storms men face in both work and personal life, while discovering where God meets us in the midst of them. Together we will reflect on resilience, faith, vulnerability, and practical ways to navigate difficult seasons without losing hope or drifting into isolation. Through real conversation and spiritual encouragement, men will be reminded that rough seas do not mean we have been abandoned. Even in the storm, Christ remains present - strengthening us, steadying us, and leading us toward deeper hope and renewed purpose.

E. Into the Deep: The Ocean Within

Facilitated by Mark Doyle + team

Many men spend much of life staying near the surface. They are busy, capable, distracted, or simply surviving, while avoiding the deeper questions of the heart and soul. Yet Jesus continually calls us beyond shallow living into greater depth, surrender, freedom, and purpose.

This workshop invites men to explore “the ocean within”… the inner life where emotional honesty, spiritual maturity, healing, and deeper relationship with God are formed. Together we will reflect on what holds men back from going deeper, what it means to fully surrender to Christ, and how to move toward the next level of growth as a man, disciple, husband, father, friend, and leader.

This is an invitation to leave the shallows behind and discover the deeper waters where real transformation happens, where faith becomes more authentic, purpose becomes clearer, and the Spirit leads us into the fullness of life God desires for us.