Special Report — CBMC Northland Mid-Point, 2016

Special Report  

CBMC Northland Mid-Point, 2016  

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances....   ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

This passage from 1 Thessalonians is how I’d like to frame up this letter to you, because you – with your generous financial, prayer, and leadership support –are the backbone of God’s work through CBMC Northland.  Without you this ministry would not exist.  

The Summary of this letter is at the beginning. Read through it, be encouraged, and dig into more detail in the three following sections:  Young Professionals, Small Groups, and Events. 

Summary

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ~ 1 Peter 4:10 

God is at work and on His throne in a mighty way despite the challenges we experience individually, throughout our country, and around the world. It is our privilege and honor as the local CBMC staff to provide a snapshot in this report of how God is at work in Northland through our members.   

On a daily basis, business leaders involved with CBMC groups and events are helping countless individuals grow in their faith through discipleship and appropriate evangelism.    

Recently, CBMC USA Director of Leader Advancement, Paul Johnson, told a financial supporter of CBMC Northland that they were receiving a significant bang-for-their-buck and eternal ROI second-to-none from their generous financial support of our Northland staff including myself, Don Hoffert, and Tom Whitney. As you will see below, God is accomplishing a great deal from a very lean staff.   

As you read through the rest of this letter and are encouraged by the work we are doing together in reaching the Marketplace for Christ, would you ask God if He might lead you to move into a deeper level of financial commitment in supporting the work He is doing through CBMC Northland, especially during these summer months when giving is more lean? As we grow in increased financial support, we can begin to consider targeted growth through staff and contracted marketing and administrative support. With that said, we continue to have significant opportunities to expand our reach and influence in our communities throughout Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and North Dakota. 

Young Professionals- YP's 

We are getting younger! Sounds impossible doesn't it? We have a new and effective 3-pronged approach to intentionally reaching the very important but difficult audience of Millennials, young adults in their 20's and early 30's. 

We are just getting ready to start our 3rd year of YP Gatherings. These networking events that feature inspiring stories of changed lives for Christ are now happening every six weeks. We've been averaging 2530 attendees and are growing.   

YP Acceleration Team #1 launched in January. This brand new once-per-month three-hour small group has been a powerful and effective way to help YPs see themselves in a whole new way by integrating their faith into work. 

CBMC@U is another new ministry area we are testing. So far, interest levels have been very high. College/University juniors and seniors will be attending two Leadership Institute meetings over the summer followed by 10 months of mentoring/discipleship from the business leaders in those groups.   

Small Groups

I'll never forget the first day of 7th grade biology class at Penn Junior High in Bloomington, Minnesota, when my teacher, Dr. Sheffer, wrote these words on the chalk board, When growth ceases, death occurs!  I don't remember much else about 7th grade, but that was a lifechanging message.   

To remain effective and fruitful for God's glory, we must continue to grow individually through the study of God's Word, one-to-one through discipleship, and collectively through the iron-sharpening-iron of small groups.   

Business Forums/Trusted Advisors Leadership Institute groups. 2016 is a year of transition. From a sheer numbers standpoint, the most influential part of this ministry has been the Business Forums groups. With 360+ individuals attending 30 groups each month, we continue to stay very strong in numbers. No other CBMC area in the world has this many Forums attendees each month. In a push to grow (and therefore not die, as Dr. Sheffer put it), we are pivoting from the name Business Forums groups to Leadership Institute groups. The enhancements and additional attention on the new CBMC Leadership Institute will inject a powerful shot of adrenaline into the B in CBMC, as the focus on growing Christ-centered businesses and business leaders is what separates CBMC from any other ministry in the world. Areas where we want to grow new Leadership Institute groups are the downtowns of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Help spread the word in your networks about the October 25th Executive

Businessmen’s Working Luncheon at the Minneapolis Club, designed to encourage the start of two new Leadership Institute groups in downtown Minneapolis.                                                                                                                                                                                                

Connect3 CBMC groups continue to meet and grow in numbers around the Northland and the country. Typically, Connect3 groups meet for 60-90 minutes in the morning as guys are going into work. Time together is focused on small group discipleship, prayer, encouragement, and a lesson from the new Marketplace Ambassador

Attributes study or from Operation Timothy.  

            Other types of CBMC groups with a targeted focus also meet weekly and monthly, such as Caleb (Bible studies), Northland Financial Council (providing financial services to Northland members), and David’s Mighty Men (focusing on major donor financial support of Northland). 

We are so excited to see the organic growth of a downtown Minneapolis Christian Business Women’s Connection (CBWC) Forums group over the past year and a half. This has led to a new integration with CBWC USA based in Cleveland, Ohio, led by Mary Messuti. 

Events 

So far in 2016 Northland has conducted several events including Leadership Coach Training, four CBMC Young Professional Gatherings, and Leadercast Northland that sold 540 tickets. We are heavily in the throes of planning at least 8 additional events for 2016 including: YP Gatherings, September Leadership Coach Training, and a Journey of Generosity couples retreat.  Major events include the 2nd Annual Lakes Area Mayor’s Prayer

Breakfast at Grand View Lodge on Gull Lake August 17th and the Saint Cloud Area Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast in November. Both prayer breakfasts will include a keynote address and invitation to follow Christ by long time CBMC member Jerry Molnar. Jerry will share his powerful story that includes losing his entire company and his employees as terrorists crashed planes into his business on the 79th floor of the World Trade Center on 9/11.   

Each week in the Northland Focus News and Notes, I report to you stories of lives that have been eternally changed. Look for those in your email in box (or spam filter), on the CBMC Northland Facebook and Twitter feeds, and on my personal Facebook and LinkedIn pages. You can also access the Northland News and Notes at this link http://goo.gl/GGpxAl or from the CBMC Northland website. 

Thank you for all the ways you give to the work we are doing together!

I trust you have been encouraged in the work God is doing through you as you read this annual mid-point update. If God is leading you to provide additional financial support to CBMC Northland, you can directly access our secure Donations webpage at this link https://goo.gl/ZJFCJi  or from the CBMC Northland website.  

I look forward to giving you a complete year-end update during the holiday season. In the meantime, enjoy God’s beauty, majesty, and splendor during these long and warm summer days. 

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.  Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.

“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this?

Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. ~ 1 Chronicles 29:11-14 

For His Glory and Your Joy,