April 2006 C&MA Men’s E-Newsletter

Impact
During an evaluation of a computer application, a programmer received significant criticism over the approach he used. But the application worked. Within a week, he received an apology for the way he had been treated and the critics were sent on their way. He is praising God for taking him through a very challenging project and carrying him through a very trying evaluation.

What is God doing in your life? Send your testimonies to editor@cmamen.org.

Pray for Men's Ministry on Thursdays

News
Challenge 300. C&MA Men's Ministry is looking for 300 men willing to contribute $1000 each to fund the 2008 New Official Workers Forum on an Alliance mission field. There will be a short-term mission trip in conjunction with the forum. We want to give the 250 new workers first hand insight into Alliance missions and bring new energy to our commitment to complete the Great Commission. To date we have raised $5000. Join Gideon's army by contacting Jim Woods at jewoods3@juno.com.

Life
Character That Counts (CTC). CTC was established to communicate the unique and critical message of character (doing right), integrity (being whole through Christ) and accountability (honestly reporting to one another) into our daily lives. The primary audience of the ministry is men (equipping them to fulfill their calling in their homes, marriages and professions) and students (providing seminars and materials to instruct teens and young adults in churches and ministries as well as in public, private and home schools). The website/ministry of the month.

Reclaiming Priorities of Biblical Manhood. Our society has a very warped view of masculinity, says Pastor Ted Haggard. The view has changed because of the transition from a rural to an urban society where the definitions of family and work have been altered. We can reclaim biblical manhood through (1) developing a strong philosophy of life, (2) a strong philosophy of church, and (3) a strong philosophy of government. Our call to biblical manhood means that we understand that the gospel is always on the move and that we need to step up to the call. The article of the month.

Leadership
Leadership Community: Insiders Update
The Man in the Mirror Leadership Community continues to take shape. Our first major initiative was the Leadership Summit, where over 50 men's ministry leaders converged to share a vision for connecting in a real and virtual community. The next step is a new website, disciplemen.com.

This site will include a Leadership Directory where you can find experts in local churches around the country and access their expertise and encouragement; a Shared Resource Directory where you can upload and download best practices that have been tried and tested; and an Online Training Center where you can register and take courses online.

Would you like to be on the “inside?” We're looking for more leaders to help us as we develop this community. We need people to provide input, test out new areas of the web site, and be pioneers in this new online community. The first step is to sign up for the Leadership Community Insiders Update -- a regular e-mail that will keep you up to date. Go to http://www.maninthemirror.org/subscribe.htm to sign up today!

Upcoming Events - NCMM National Conference
The National Coalition of Men's Ministries will have its National Conference on Ministry to Men in Denver on April 20-22. With thirty workshops and dynamic plenary sessions, this is a unique opportunity for you and your leadership team. Man in the Mirror will also be rolling out more information about the leadership community, disciplemen.com.
Don't miss this unique event. More info at www.ncmm.org .

Pursuit Of Holiness
This is it! The classic bestseller by Jerry Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness. "Be holy, for I am holy," commands God to His people. But holiness is something that is often missed in the Christian's daily life. According to Jerry Bridges, that's because we're not exactly sure what our part in holiness is.

In The Pursuit of Holiness, he helps us see clearly just what we should rely on God to do-and what we should accept responsibility for ourselves. Whether you're continuing your pursuit of holiness or just beginning, the principles and guidelines in The Pursuit of Holiness will challenge you to obey God.

PRE-ORDER NOW FOR FATHER'S DAY.

NOW AVAILABLE Through Man in the Mirror's Books for $1 Program.

Reboot (with 1 Samuel 17:21-22)
The Enemy: ²³ … Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance. ... The enemy is persistent. He earned the title “champion” because he was a skilled fighter. He was confident and made an “in-your-face” challenge.

The World: ²⁴ "When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear. ... The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his father's family from taxes in Israel.” There was a lot of talk but no action. The reaction was fear and then flight. Not even a hefty reward could entice anyone to stand up to Goliath. Clearly, their thinking is in temporal terms, not God's greater reward. Israel had placed its faith in a human king and a human army. When that king was at a loss as to what to do, so was the army. How do we respond in the face of the enemy's challenge?

The Spiritual Warrior: ²⁶ David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” These are rhetorical questions. David already knew the answers. He was reminding the army of who they were and where Goliath fit in God's scheme of things. David saw things from God's perspective. Therefore he was not fearful or surprised. Goliath was already defeated.

Do we have a biblical world view? Do we see situations from a spiritual perspective? Do we see things as God sees them? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Rom 8:31b NIV)

The task ahead of us is never as great as the power behind us.

Visit us at www.cmamen.org.

What would you like to see in this newsletter?
editor@cmamen.org.