Sick of men’s retreats? Us too. We need adventure in our  lives to thrive, so we work hard to provide that in a way that draws you closer to our Lord and to the brothers he’s given you. This is nothing like any church event you’ve been a part of before. The content and the challenges are unapologetically designed to speak to what makes you uniquely male- and men keep coming back because they find themselves connecting to God and their brothers in ways that don’t happen in a retreat center. Lasting  life change doesn’t happen over a weekend but we’ve seen this be a powerful catalyst in the lives of men who have attended. Invest in your walk with God and see what he does with it. We dare you.

It’s a valid question.  Is your God-given need for adventure satisfied regularly? Are there other men in your life committed to see you become more like Jesus? Are you leading from the front in your home, church, and community? If you answered no to any of these questions then we want to be a part of your life. Too many men quit the race. They abandon their faith and their families because no one stood shoulder to shoulder  with them- shields raised to fight the enemy. If you want all your answers to be yes, we have a place for you.

We’re based in  Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas and our event locations are within a short drive of the metroplex.

We get this question a lot. Quite frankly, it’s because they need you to. But this guy says it better:

“Walking point– being the first man on patrol, literally the point of the spear- requires levels of alertness that, once developed, never go away… Similarly, being the point man of your family team means that sometimes you will have to go out ahead and take time away from them. You’re going to have to leave– not become an absentee father but to be the knowledgable and relevant father your son needs. If you’re not leading from the front, being the person you want your children to be, then you will not be able to show them the way. You need to be as well as be there or else the whole thing backfires.”

-Eric Davis, Former US Navy SEAL

We cannot provide refunds or credit to other events. If you are unable to use your ticket please notify us so that we can donate your ticket to our scholarship fund for guys that can’t afford to come. If your team knows of a replacement let us know an they can be added to the standby list. Contact registration@ironcenturion.org.

Here’s the idea behind teams: it’s easy to make some snap decisions or resolutions that you don’t really intend to keep. Especially over a “retreat” weekend. We’ve been around long enough to know that. So your team is there to keep you honest over the long haul. The closer you are to the men on your team the better. But even if you’re not blood brothers yet we’ll give you a solid foundation to start from if you just show up. Bottom line: you’ll get more out of this weekend if you bring at least one guy with you, but we won’t turn you away if your friends are lame and you have to come solo.

We get it. We’re married and have kids too- It can be hard to justify a whole weekend away that on the surface looks like a goof off time with the guys. We can assure you that’s not the case. Men’s lives are changed and we’ve seen it with our own eyes. Pray about it with her. Have her get in touch with us and we can answer any questions she has or we can have her talk to our own wives that fully support us on this endeavor. The key is to make the decision as a team. (Flowers, chocolate, and Caribbean cruises never hurt anyone’s mood either.)

(See also: Why should I leave my family for a weekend?)

Our events are only for men who are US Citizens or permanent residents  18  years old and up. Some events are closed to those with a felony record due to the laws regarding our subject matter.

That’s a statement, not a question… but we’ll answer it anyway because it’s one of the biggest excuses we get.

What shape were you expecting to be? We’ve had plenty of men complete our courses and none of them have been triangles, trapezoids, or rhombuses.

Under that dad bod you may be rocking is a perfectly good warrior. A warrior that is built for this. Just because this lies outside the fringes of your cubicle dwelling comfort zone doesn’t mean you lack what it takes. Show up and you’ll prove it to yourself. Justin did- see what he has to say about it.

Read  our challenge level rating for each event, and know that all of our events are designed to push you physically. You may be required to hike over rugged, hilly terrain with a pack, rappel into a canyon, crawl in the dirt and other activities that will make you sweat. Without getting into legalese, you’ll need to be in decent shape and injury free, but you don’t need to be a super-athlete. (See also: “I’m not in shape.”)

We realize one of the joys of getting old is that the body doesn’t quite function like it did when when you could throw a pigskin a quarter mile. We’ve had men in their upper 40’s complete our events and we’re always looking to set new records. If you’re willing to work through any limitations you have and give us 100% effort we won’t quit on you. For a bit of perspective- King Leonidas was over 60 when he led the 300 Spartans to victory in Thermopylae.

Late arrivals/early departures must be cleared with Ironcenturion at least 24 hours prior to our event except in case of family emergencies. If your arrival or departure causes you to miss a substantial amount of course material we may choose to not allow your participation in the event for the safety and benefit of the other participants. Please check with registration@ironcenturion.org prior to purchasing your ticket if you have any questions regarding this policy.

You caught us. We made it up. But here’s where it comes from:

Iron [ahy-ern] n.: Ore that is extracted from the earth and made into durable, useful tools  through the hands of a blacksmith capable of driving out impurities and forming it through the forging process.

Centurion [sen-too r-ee-uh n] n.: The commander of a Roman Century of 80-100 soldiers, a rank typically earned by enlisted soldiers that  distinguished  themselves in battle by displaying uncommon valor and were subsequently  given the authority to lead men. No  pedigree required, just a warrior’s heart that has  proven that he’ll fight for the lives of the men next to him.

In short, Ironcenturion means: one who has been forged from dirt and rock into a leader of men. But that’s just the beginning.