Conviction:

“The church should be a leadership locus.” The church has a responsibility to develop leaders for the world (Geiger and Peck, Designed to Lead). This needs to become CBC’s culture.

“The church is the primary means through which God accomplishes His plan in the world (cf. Eph 3:10). It is His ordained instrument for calling the lost to Himself and the context into which He sanctifies those who are born into His family. Therefore God demands a commitment to the church from everyone who claims to know Him” (Mack and Swavely, Life in the Father’s house).

Men’s discipleship program (or Christian Men of Service) will be a better platform where we can create this culture.

Vision:

To disciple Christian men for Christian service to impact lives for Christ.   

Objectives:

1. We want to grow men as Christians
   1. Grow spiritually
   2. Build relationships—Fellowship
   3. Help deal with life issues
   4. Serve the body
2. We want to grow men as servant-leaders.
   1. Involvement
   2. Outreach
   3. Discipleship

Outcomes:

1. Men start taking a lead of CBC ministries (Involvement).
2. Men disciple other men at CBC (Fellowship).
3. Men take a lead in their communities (Outreach).

Planning: Picture the Horizon

• Foreground—90 days away
  • Our Christian growth / Service (John Piper, Don’t waste your life)
  • Fellowship / Build relationships
• Mid ground—1 year away
  • Continued focus on our Christian growth / Service
  • Involvement in Christian service
• Background—3 years away
  • Christian growth through Bible Doctrines
  • Outreach / Evangelism
• Beyond the horizon—5-20 years away
  • Qualified to lead
  • Replicate the program by discipling other men (2 Tim 2:2)

Exhortation:

Christian Men’s Focus  

• Os Guinness: “We cannot find God without God. We cannot reach God without God. We cannot satisfy God without God” (The Call, 13).
• John Piper: “God created us to live with a single passion to joyfully display his supreme excellence in all spheres of life. The wasted life is the life without this passion” (37). “A means to not wasting your life is a Christ-centered life lived in the light of eternity with Christ” (Don’t waste your life, 68-69).

Christian Men’s Service

• “God normally calls us along the line of our giftedness, but the purpose of giftedness is stewardship and service, not selfishness”.
• We serve because we have been served and because we follow a leader who models servanthood.
• Connecting our spiritual gift with an area of passion is the key to ultimate effectiveness and fulfilment in serving.
• Sincere, energized servanthood must flow from an ongoing, daily experience of God’s presence and love.
• Reeb Lloyd: “The deepest satisfaction comes not so much from accomplishing big things for God but from surrendering our hearts and agenda to God and living each day in community with him” (89).

Christian Men’s Relationships

• Jonathan Leeman on NT metaphors: “Metaphors describe something of our union in the church—the church is relational, mutually dependent, indwelled by God, dependent on Jesus (70-71). Thus being a member means submitting our whole lives for one another’s good.
• We are to give ourselves to our churches publicly, physically, socially, affectionately, financially, vocationally, ethically, and spiritually (Church Membership, 95).

What is our objective?

1. To equip members of Christ’s church, for the work of service, to build up the body of Christ, aiming to attain a unity of faith, a knowledge of Christ, and a maturity which belongs to the fullness of Christ. Resulting in steadfastness and growing in all aspects of Christlikeness. So that we will not be swayed by false doctrine, trickery and deceitful scheme. But in love contribute to the growth of the body of Christ.

In this way also becoming better Husbands, Fathers and members of society.

How do we attain this?

1. By Becoming servants to the church.
2. By gaining a better understanding and comprehension of sermons
3. By developing skills to interpret scripture
4. By learning how to think biblically, all the time
5. By learning how to teach, learn to catch a fish, so that we can feed or families, church members and society.

Iron Men, take a look at this link Dr. John MacArthur on the Baptism of the Spirit

Previous study at Iron Men: The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit by R.A. Torrey.

Do you know the Holy Spirit as “an ever-present, loving Friend and mighty Helper?” You should! Join us on Friday morning to find out more…

Previous study at Iron Men: Fireproof your Life, a book by Michael Catt based on the movie “Fireproof”.

We all experience spiritual dry spells when the flames of tragedy, loss, and grief blight our inner landscape. How can you conquer life’s fires? Discussing issues such as marriage, temptation, and financial concerns, Catt shares eight ways you can stand firm in Christ. Discover how hardships can help you survive the blaze of life’s trials!

Join us on Friday mornings for an edifying time around coffee and the Word…