Most men don’t walk through the door of a conference knowing exactly what they’re signing up for. They know the date, they know the city, maybe they saw a friend’s post. But they don’t know what the weekend actually feels like. That’s what this is for.
Built Different Men’s Conference is August 28-29 at Harvest ABQ in Albuquerque. Here’s what you can expect.
The room matters before anyone says a word. There’s something that shifts when you’re surrounded by hundreds of other men who chose to be there, not dragged or obligated. Men from across New Mexico, from different backgrounds, different churches, and different seasons of life. Some have been coming for years. Some are walking in for the first time and aren’t sure what to make of it. Both of those guys belong there.
The schedule runs Friday afternoon through Saturday at 12:30 PM. Doors open Friday at 3 PM, first session kicks off at 4, dinner break, then a second session at 7. Saturday starts early with Men’s Alliance at 7 AM, doors at 7:30, three more sessions, and dismissal at 12:30 PM. Five sessions total. That’s the backbone of the weekend.
The three speakers each bring something different. Jayme Montera is an international evangelist who doesn’t pull punches. If you’ve followed him on Instagram or had him at your church, you know he’s direct. Stephen Benintendi is a Licensed Professional Counselor who works with men through Integrity Now. He goes into the territory most men spend years avoiding, and he does it without making you feel like you’re in a therapy session. Jason Dickenson is the lead pastor of Harvest ABQ and the man who has run this conference for over a decade. His sessions carry the weight of someone who has watched men change over years, not just weekends.
The sessions themselves are held in the Harvest auditorium. With powerful worship, intentionally prepared word and prayer and real time at the altar, we expect God to show up and men to encounter the life change that can move a community. Every year, God moves in incredible ways when the men of God come together believing they are ready to leave everything at the altar, that God has created us as new creations to be something new.
The verse behind the conference is 1 Corinthians 16:13-14. “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” That’s the reason this weekend exists.
A few practical things: the venue is at 5331 Montano Rd NW in Albuquerque, parking is on-site, and Albuquerque has some of the best food spots in the state. Bring a Bible and a notebook. If you’re driving in from out of town, hotels are close to the venue, and a number of men make the trip from other parts of the state, some as a group from their church, others from out of state.
Students get in for $29, and there’s a group discount where every eleventh ticket is free when you buy ten. If you have a teenage son or a younger man you’ve been wanting to have certain conversations with, this is a good environment for that. You don’t have to engineer anything. Just being in the room together does something.
Register at builtdifferent.men. Early bird is $49 through June 30. Regular price goes to $69 after that, and door price is $89. See you in August.