By BLAKE DESHAZO | The Demopolis Times

Every Thursday a group of men get together to pray and eat breakfast, and those same men are looking to make a difference in other men’s lives when the group holds its first “Stand in the Gap” men’s rally Saturday, May 2 at 5 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Demopolis.

“We need men to step up and be spiritual leaders among us again,” said Carl Williams, pastor of First Baptist. “That’s been the driving force behind not just this event Saturday, but the men that gather together on Thursday mornings to pray.”

The rally is based off of the Bible verse Ezekiel 22:30, Williams said, which challenges men.

“There is a passage of scripture from Ezekiel where the Bible says, ‘the Lord looked for a man among them that would stand in the gap,’” Williams said. “The Bible says he found none, and it is just such a tragic verse that God was looking for men and on that day he could not fine any.”

Jim Stanford, who is a part of the group, is hoping the guest speakers will inspire the men that attend.

“What’s important in this is, if you look at everything that is going on in the world today, we need men to step up and be strong in their faith,” Stanford said. “That is just something I see that we need, and that is what this is about.”

The first session, which starts at 5 p.m. will feature a testimony from Stacy Luker, the head football coach at Demopolis High School and a surprise guest speaker. After dinner, which is from 6-6:45 p.m., Kevin Hamm, the pastor of Gardendale Baptist Church in Birmingham, will preach.

“We know this time of year there are a lot of things going on that men could be doing on their Saturday … but we really want them to come because we feel like that their hearts will be blessed,” Williams said. “We feel like it is going to have the opportunity to make a difference in their lives. All we’re asking for is three hours out of their Saturday.”

The rally is free and open for men of all ages.

“We’re just hoping that we’ll have a good turnout and men will come and be inspired and feel challenged from the messages they hear,” Stanford said.