Since its onset, Men in Ministry has been a ministry for men. We have concentrated on a man's need for mentoring, discipleship and accountability. We believe strongly in men mentoring and disciplining men, because men have unique needs that must be discussed in confidence with other men. We will always continue on this premise. However, over the last couple of years, men have been asking me "What do you have for my wife?" My answer was, "I don't have anything for your wife - this is a men's ministry."  But, as is often the case, God had other plans.
 
Sarah and I were having lunch after church one Sunday with our daughter, Michelle, and her husband, Scott Nelson.  As the conversation developed, they both expressed an interest in getting more involved in our ministry. Scott has since joined our Board of Directors, is serving as our Business Manager, and is responsible for the development of our new website. Michelle believed that God wanted her to get more involved with women's ministry and felt that the Men in Ministry material, Mentoring His Way - Disciple Twelve, could easily be adapted in order to effectively mentor both men and women. Since that pivotal conversation, she has not only made the necessary changes to the books, but has developed a Mentors Guide to go with each volume. These tools now equip any mature believer to have a mentoring ministry.
 
As the women's ministry began to grow, it became evident that the name Men in Ministry no longer described the full extent of our ministry. After praying diligently with ministry partners and our Board of Directors, we agreed to change the name to Christian Mentors Network. Members of the Christian Mentors Network are now able to facilitate a ministry of "men mentoring men" or "women mentoring women". The mentoring tools can also be used for couples to mentor other couples both in pre-married or in-marriage mentoring.

It is our vision to equip Christ-centered mentors worldwide. 
 
We believe that mentoring is like coaching. In fact, mentoring is sometimes referred to as being a "Spiritual Life Coach." We prefer the term "Mentor/Discipler." A Mentor/Discipler is simply a more experienced follower who imparts to another believer the knowledge, skill, and truths to grow in Christ while affecting the believer's character and behavior. We call this process, "Mentor/Discipler Training."
 
In sports, there are several different levels of coaches, such as NFL, Collegiate, High School and Pee Wee, with each coach having a different level of understanding. The same is true in your growth process with Jesus Christ: no matter where you fall in the spectrum of understanding, there is someone you can mentor. Likewise, at each stage of your discipleship journey you should also find someone who can be your mentor. In this way, you experience untold blessing as you share the difficulties, victories, temptations, and joys of daily growing in Christ with your mentor, not to mention the invaluable perspective offered by one who has faced and overcome many of the same kind of challenges in their faith journey.
 
We know that as we faithfully serve Christ in this new season of ministry, He will be faithful to accomplish more than we can think to imagine.  We look forward to partnering with you as we continue to serve the Lord through Christian Mentors Network.

"Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others."
 (II Timothy 2:2)
 
Alive in Christ,
Roy

 

Helping Others:  Michelle Nelson Brings Women's Ministry to CMN
 
Michelle has always had a heart to help others. She was the girl in high school that everyone knew had a "big ear" and would likely use it at any time if anyone needed someone to talk to, even if it was at two in the morning. This is likely why she, at seventeen, took a volunteer role at the Crisis Pregnancy Center- so she could help people. You could say it's in her DNA.
 
In those younger days, Michelle knew of the mentoring ministry kind of like how a spectator watching a football game knows the plays being run on the field. She saw how the ministry played out for Roy and Sarah (her parents) and knew that some pretty crucial touchdowns were going up on the scoreboard of men's lives, but that was really the gist of it. How interested is any high school girl in men's ministry? But that was then.
 
It was in November of 2007 when God began to nudge Michelle towards getting more involved in developing a women's ministry as part of Christian Mentor's Network. At first, it seemed easy enough to help with some editing for the volumes. In fact, Michelle initially saw her participation not as an entrance into ministry as much as a commitment to put her fingers to a keyboard and tap, tap, tap away. Before long, though, it was clear that God had something bigger in mind.
 
Michelle did take a moment to reason her options with God, sort of like Moses by the burning bush. She explained all the logical reasons she was inadequate to be eloquent or effective for the work of this ministry. Thankfully, she listened to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, when He said, "Do it anyway. It's what I have for you."
 
Since that time, Michelle has worked diligently to help bring Mentoring His Way to women. She has mentored several women through the course one-on-one, as well as led groups of women through it and found the joy that comes when a growing disciple looks into the Word, applies it to her life, and suddenly "gets it". During this time she has also created the Mentor's Guides, a valuable companion to each of the volumes, and a helpful tool for those who are beginning their own mentoring ministry. As it turns out, Michelle is still being used by God to help others.

Michelle has been married to Scott Nelson for almost ten years, and has one daughter, Grace, who is seven. In the coming year, as she particpates in the broadening of CMN even more through developing couple-to-couple mentoring as she continues in her role in the women's ministry of Christian Mentor's Network. 

We all have seen at one time or another, what happens in someone's life when God gets a hold of a human heart and does a work that cannot be denied. Barry and Julie Lynch are ones that have had the opportunity to both witness and embody this kind of work because they said "yes" to Mentoring His Way, and "yes" to what the Holy Spirit would do in their lives.
 
It really is quite simple. It started with one man being mentored by another. Before long, the evidence was unmistakable: Barry's walk with the Lord was getting stronger and everyone could see how God was using this study to change a husband, father, and man into a Christ-centered follower who surrenders daily to the Holy Spirit. It wasn't long before his wife, once his high school sweetheart, took notice and wanted to be equally impacted in her own faith.
 
These two are not the super elite of our churches, mission fields, or movements. There is nothing that sets them apart as "out of the norm". This is the beauty of it. Christ does the miraculous with the ordinary, with hearts that are simply willing to be changed by the power of Christ and the truth of His Word.
 
Before getting involved in CMN, Barry was growing in his relationship with Christ but he still had a lot of questions. In Barry's own words he was "going it alone without the help and support of trustworthy men by his side". That all changed when he began meeting with Roy and getting involved in a TriCord. Since that time, God has led him to use his gifts to lead a men's mentor training class, and has personally mentored six men as well as referring many others to the ministry. Many of the men Barry mentored or introduced to Mentoring His Way have gone on to mentor other men, as well. 
 
It goes without saying that the impact on Barry's family was immense. Here's how Julie describes it:  "I first became interested in the mentor/discipleship study when I noticed what a huge impact it was having on my husband, Barry.  His walk with God was getting stronger and I saw how God was using this study to change Barry's life, which in turn, had such a positive impact on our marriage and our entire family.
 
When I was able to go through the study myself, God really placed it on my heart that my relationship with Him is all really so simple, basic even.  God used the study to help me see that all I need can be found in Him, that He alone can fulfill all my inner desires. This realization helped me break my cycle of unrealistically relying on worldly influences to satisfy the emptiness I felt inside."
 
For Barry and Julie, the Lord has used this ministry to open their eyes to see through an eternal perspective and has taught them to seek His will like never before. No doubt, it has been one of the most rewarding and life-changing things God has allowed them to be a part of. Now it is their joy to live as His disciples and use what they have been given to equip and build up the church, the body of Christ and to further his Kingdom.
 
"It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."    Ephesians 4:11-13

 

A mentor is a person whose behavior others observe and then decide, consciously or unconsciously, to copy. Our desire is to develop Godly characteristics so that Christ's life will be reflected through us.
 
What we do is a direct result of what we are. What we are is determined by our values. Our values determine our character, and our character determines our behavior. Ask yourself these questions: "Do the characteristics reflected in my life exemplify the world's values or those of Christ?" "When people spend time with me, do they go away desiring fame, wealth, material possessions, glamour, sexual pleasure or popularity, just to mention a few, or do they desire to be more like Christ?" and "What values do they desire as a result of observing my character?"

Mentoring His Way - Disciple Twelve, is a three-volume series that helps us develop certain Godly characteristics that others will want to emulate. It is about being, not doing. We are to become mentors. This series is about the Twelve Characteristics of a Godly Life. These characteristics are based on the premise that God has a purpose for each believer. That purpose is explained in the eighth chapter of Romans, verses 28 and 29. "...To those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first of many brethren."
 
God foreknew, in other words, He knew in advance, from the beginning of time, who would accept Christ as Savior. Therefore, He had predestined or purposed what they should become. His purpose is that they should be "conformed to the image of His Son." The word "conformed" means to be molded. The word "image" means likeness. In other words, God's purpose is that each believer be molded into the likeness of Christ. We are to become Christ-like. Our life is to exemplify the character of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When people observe us in everyday life, they should see Christ.
 
Only through studying God's Word, prayer and the Holy Spirit's power can this be accomplished. We must come to an understanding of who we are in Christ. We must also experience the benefits of trusting and obeying Christ in everything. When this happens, we will have the joy and peace that the Bible promises. When we interact with other people, the loving character of Christ should be very apparent.
 
Living a Godly life is having a lifestyle that centers on BEING,... not just doing or saying.

My desire is to be so much like Christ that others can... "IMITATE ME, JUST AS I ALSO IMITATE CHRIST."    (I Corinthians 11:1)

 

 

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