CBMC 2024 Spring Connector

REACHING BUSINESSMEN FOR CHRIST SPRING 2024

CBMC ADVANCE CBMC IN HAWAI’I FLOURISHING 2024 MEN’S CONFERENCE USING TECH IN MINISTRY GROWING CBMC SOUTH FLORIDA

cbmc.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT

13

A brief message from David Meyers, President of CBMC USA.

5

7

CBMC IN HAWAI’I FLOURISHING Jeff Tullis is launching a new ministry in the Hawaiian Islands, exemplifying CBMC's national expansion efforts.

11

2024 CBMC NATIONAL MEN’S CONFERENCE Get a glimpse into the upcoming CBMC Men's Conference, highlighting an incredible speaker lineup and an invitation to attend.

1

Barry Weir sets an example by utilizing camera technology to connect individuals across multiple C3 groups.

CBMC ADVANCE Explore CBMC Advance, the new enhanced online discipleship platform, and review CBMC's 2023 Impact Report, showcasing the ministry's growth.

USING TECH IN MINISTRY

15

GROWING CBMC SOUTH FLORIDA Steve Solomon showcases his efforts to reach men in South Florida's diverse multicultural region.

To Donate & Learn More:

The stakes are higher than ever. We need your support to enhance CBMC's digital user experience, including CBMC Advance and a new national website. Your donation will help people worldwide discover and pursue Jesus.

2

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT Dear CBMC Community, As we reflect on God's boundless power at work in us, I am reminded of Ephesians 3:20 which assures us that Jesus "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." Inspired by this promise, I am pleased to share the remarkable progress and new developments within CBMC. CBMC has experienced significant growth this past year thanks to your unwavering support.

Our network now encompasses 614 teams and connects over 18,000 members across the United States, fostering deep relationships and spiritual enrichment. Our financial strength has also increased, enabling us to invest in new initiatives and sustain our mission of presenting Jesus and developing businessmen.

We are excited to announce that in June 2024, we will launch CBMC Advance, our digital platform that is dedicated to delivering transformative evangelism and discipleship resources. This tool supports personal, professional, and spiritual growth.

The new Advance system will feature excellent curated content, comprehensive spiritual training modules, and compelling one-on-one discipleship tools.

Furthermore, we are eagerly anticipating our National Men's Conference this fall on Oct 3-5.

Have you signed up? It’s going to be an amazing conference you do not want to miss!

We will bring together men from all over the United States to inspire transformation and deepen their commitment to becoming Marketplace Ambassadors.

3

Your participation and generosity have been vital in these endeavors, allowing us to exceed expectations and expand our impact. We are immensely grateful for your partnership and excited for the future.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.

(Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV)

OUR VISION For all men to experience: • The Power of One God • The Value of One Man • The Leverage of One Team

Standing with you,

David Meyers CBMC President

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Get Connected for Our Latest Updates & Engage With Us.

on Linkedin @cbmcusa on Facebook @cbmcusa on Instagram @cbmcusa on Youtube @cbmcusa

www.cbmc.com

4

CBMC BY THE #’S 290K

Connected through Events and Digital Media

614

354

33 New teams in 16 new cities

Cities where CBMC is present across 39 states

CBMC teams available for men to engage

18.3K

2,815

6,274

Men Engaged as a Ministry Participant, Leader or Investor

Men discipling other men

Men being discipled

18.5K Registered Users of CBMC's Digital Discipleship Tools

How CBMC invests in the work Fundraising 9% General & Admin 10%

148 Countries with Registered Users for Digital Discipleship Programs & Services

5

81%

CBMC's decision to upgrade its online discipleship program, focusing on a mobilefriendly approach, marks a significant stride in leveraging technology for evangelism and discipleship. Matt Trayler, Director of Programs for CMBC USA explains, “With the introduction of CBMC Advance, we are not only embracing the mobile-first era but also adapting to the evolving needs of its members. Operation Timothy, a gold standard of CBMC's discipleship efforts, takes center stage in this enhanced program. It promises deeper meaningful engagement, broader accessibility, and more widespread opportunities for spiritual reproduction.”

CBMC Advance caters to diverse learning styles and preferences by expressly leveraging multimedia content, that includes videos, podcasts, and detailed interactive study materials. This multimedia approach not only makes the learning process more engaging but also facilitates a deeper understanding and application of biblical principles in everyday life.

The new CBMC Advance is a force multiplier, empowering members with access to a wealth of resources, mentorship opportunities, and community support, enabling them to grow in faith, character, and leadership.

By integrating a mobile-friendly approach, CBMC Advance ensures that discipleship resources are readily available to members on the go. This shift acknowledges individuals' increasingly mobile lifestyle, providing them the flexibility to engage with the program at their convenience. Whether commuting, traveling or during a lunch break, members can now access spiritual content and connect with others through their smartphones or tablets, fostering continuous growth and interaction.

The new enhanced platform will launch and be accessible on June 3, 2024. You can access the new Advance platform by scanning the QR code below and signing in with your CBMC account.

Scan this QR code to view the new Advance platform.

6

CBMC IN

HAWAI’I The ministry of CBMC has been established in 38 states across the U.S., as well as 98 countries around the world. However, one state where CBMC has been unsuccessful in capturing a beachhead – quite literally – is Hawai’i. Until now!

Jeff Tullis and Steve Garrison are two CBMC leaders who passionately desire for the ministry to take root in the picturesque island state. Both have had a long-standing affection for Hawai’i, although their stories of how that came about are very different.

Garrison was born and raised in Hawai’i until his family moved to northern California when he was a teenager. Even after attending college in Southern California (Cal Tech) and building careers there, first in the aerospace industry and then in commercial and industrial real estate, Garrison’s love for Hawai’i never faded.

“I often vacationed there with my parents and siblings, and my wife, Joy, and I had been there a number of times. We’ve had the privilege of traveling to many parts of the world, but about five years ago we decided to make Hawai’i our home. We finally bought a house on the big island of Hawai’i, on the Kona coast.” He now wants to participate in building a fruitful ministry there. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. Someone in CBMC about 25 years ago tried to start a ministry here, but it did not last.”

7 NOMADIC

|

24

FLOURISHING Introduced to CBMC in 1978 in Santa Ana, California, Garrison was mentored by Lorin Griset, a leader in the ministry both locally and nationally. God also used a number of other godly CBMC leaders to model for him what it means to be a follower of Christ in the marketplace. Among them were former CBMC President Ted DeMoss, Jack Cauwels, also of California; Karel Sinaga of Indonesia, and John Shin of Korea.

As the saying goes, ‘People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’

Having served in many CBMC leadership roles including chairman of the Santa Ana group and on the boards of both CBMC USA and CBMC International, Garrison envisions how God could use the ministry to touch lives of men in the Hawaiian marketplace.

While he was working in management with Southwest Airlines in 2018, the company decided to expand its service into Hawai’i.

Tullis jumped at the opportunity to return to the islands. When the COVID pandemic brought airline travel to a halt in 2020, Tullis and his family chose to remain there after voluntarily accepting a severance package.

He currently juggles a number of jobs, including adjunct professor at a local college, high school shotput coach, and Uber driver, but is eager to devote his full attention to the ministry of CBMC in Hawaii once his financial support goals have been reached.

CBMC Hawai’i Ministry Dedication.

He’s teaming with Jeff Tullis, who is in the process of raising support to become a fulltime CBMC Area Director for Hawai’i. They’re starting with a small core of men, getting them grounded in the basic strategies and excellent tools of CBMC, and anticipate identifying potential leaders for the islands of Kauai, Oahu, and Maui.

Tullis traveled to Hawai’i for the first time when he was eight years old. His father, a successful insurance agent, had taken the family there on a business trip and they revisited the state several times through the years. “I learned to surf there and became hooked on the island life,” Tullis said.

8

CONTINUED “Alan Smith, CBMC’s West Region Director, first talked to me about coming on staff two years ago, and we had a more serious conversation in September 2023. I prayed about it; my wife Tonya said, ‘I support you 100 percent’; and I sought biblical counsel from several friends to help in confirming my call.

Tullis said.

First CBMC Hawai’i TAF meeting.

“In Luke 10:2, Jesus said the harvest fields are plentiful, but the workers are few. The Lord is quickly raising up laborers here for CBMC. In fact, every morning at 10:02 Hawai’i time, I pause to pray, ‘Lord, please provide laborers for your harvest fields in Hawaii.’ This is a practice other men have modeled for me. We want the right laborers – men who love Him, understand the transformed life of Christ, and as spiritual reproducers desire to produce fruit that remains.”

Garrison said several men he has met through his church join in meeting weekly. They pray for unsaved friends and business associates using the 10 Most Wanted card and spend time discussing the 10 Attributes of a Marketplace Ambassador. “Using the Monday Manna workplace meditations also has proved important as these men develop a heart for the lost.”

“In Luke 10:2, Jesus said the harvest fields are plentiful, but the workers are few. The Lord is quickly raising up laborers here for CBMC.” In early October I committed to become CBMC’s area leader and met with Steve Garrison soon after. We’re co-laboring together, forming an area leadership team and praying about finding volunteer leaders for each island. Right now, we have two Connect3 teams going, one in Kona and one meeting virtually via Zoom. We’re also in the process of starting a Trusted Advisor Forum.”

9

“The culture in Hawai’i for evangelism is difficult; it’s very much a recreation-oriented community with surfing, golf, tennis, the beach. In some ways that works against people recognizing their spiritual needs – people enjoying God’s creation without giving thought to the Creator,” he said.

“We need to see the value of investing in people’s lives for Christ, being willing to spend the time to be a friend, meeting them where they are, listening and modeling what it means to follow Him. As the saying goes, ‘People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’”

Present Jesus.

Develop Businessmen.

Your gift allows CBMC to present Jesus as Savior and Lord to business and professional men and to develop these men to carry out the Great Commission.

10

NATIONAL MEN’S CONFERENCE Event Details: Dates: October 3 - 5 2024

Location: Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch, St. Louis, MO

Theme: The Call of Men

Who: All CBMCers and men who are called to attend

Why: Get inspired and equipped to live out your GOD given calling as a man!

An Invitation from David Meyers Someone asked me why they should consider attending our National Men’s Conference in early October. I took a deep breath and said, “Have you read the news lately? Have you seen what is happening to men across our country? Suicide, substance abuse, porn addiction, and families falling apart, it’s tragic!

These are just a few of our everyday struggles.

We are at a critical point.

The reality is that men have the chance to tap into their best life ever, living with profound mission and purpose. CBMC is all about igniting men, through the power of Jesus, to live above the dark narratives of society and be everything that God designed them to be.

It’s time we activate our CBMC men with the power of the gospel. That’s what this conference is all about!”

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

(Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV) 11

Introducing Our Speaker Line Up I invite you to join me for the CBMC National Men’s Conference. This dynamic event is designed to inspire and equip you to lead with purpose and integrity. You will discover practical strategies for success in your personal and professional life through engaging with our keynote speakers, interactive workshops, and meaningful networking opportunities. Connect with guys just like you who share your values and aspirations.

There will be so much more to this amazing conference. This is your chance to seize the moment, grow, learn, and be inspired like never before. Mark your calendars and join us for an unforgettable experience at the first CBMC National Men's Conference in a quarter of a century! Prepare for a transformational experience October 3-5 in St. Louis MO. I challenge you to prayerfully consider bringing someone with you to experience this remarkable event. This is your chance to expand your horizons, acquire new knowledge, and receive uplifting support.

We’ll see you in St. Louis,

Sean McDowell Dr. Sean McDowell, an Associate Professor at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, is going to show you how to make a bold, thoughtful case for Christianity. Bring your toughest faithrelated questions!

Philip De Courcy Philip De Courcy, a contributor to our Operation Timothy content and senior pastor of Kindred Community Church in Anaheim Hills, CA, will deliver a thoughtprovoking challenge as to how we think in this post-Christian world. He will help us grasp the radical nature of a biblical world view.

Owen Strachan Dr. Owen Strachan, author of the book "The War on Men", provost and research professor of theology at Grace Bible Theological Seminary, will examine the current state of men and point us towards our God-given charge to live an empowered life, fueled by Jesus alone. His talks will be a gamechanger!

Tim Philpot Tim Philpot, a former CBMCI president, passionate golfer, and marketplace leader with a remarkable story of faith, will walk us through a life of full purpose and meaning.

No matter your age and your career status, God has a specific assignment for you, right now. Do you know your God-given assignment?

Todd Hopkins

Scan to Register Today!

Todd Hopkins, a CBMC leader and current national board member, has faithfully championed reaching young professionals.

With an inspiring business acumen, as founder and former CEO of Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services, he will call us towards action, reaching all generations. The spiritual condition of current and future marketplace leaders is at stake— let’s go and reach more men!

12

UTILIZING

TECH Barry Weir is one busy guy. In addition to running his computer services company, each month he participates in eight different CBMC Connect3 meetings thousands of miles apart. They span from Miami, FL. to Kapolei, HI, with Houston, TX and Phoenix, AZ, in between. This is not mentioning the four C3 teams in California.

If you’re wondering how Weir manages such a full schedule or what he’s doing with his frequent flyer miles, he does most of it from the friendly confines of his office in Yorba Linda, CA. He literally “zooms” from one meeting to another, assisted by the wisdom of an of video conferencing technology called an "owl."

“...it brings people in. They all have a seat at the table.”

We’d like to forget the COVID-19 pandemic, but it had a few notable benefits. Among them was the emergence of virtual meetings, enabling people to connect remotely by using Zoom and other video conferencing tools.

With businesses forced to change how they did meetings, demand for these resources exploded. Weir, whose decades-long career has emphasized staying on the front edge of computer changes, quickly saw applications for CBMC ministry. His expertise helped a number of CBMC groups to continue meeting virtually when in-person gatherings weren’t possible.

13

IN MINISTRY In addition to Zoom software, his company was already marketing the Meeting Owl Pro, a fish-eye camera developed for virtual conferences. The camera alternates between speakers seated around a table, with the last three individuals displayed on a large screen at the end of the table. There are eight microphones, four speakers, and remote participants visible on the screen. “it brings people in. They all have a seat at the table.”

Mike Jones, a member of a C3 team and Operation Timothy leader in Santa Ana, CA. for years, stayed connected to them virtually after he moved to Texas. At his invitation, Monty Boyle joined Santa Ana’s Zoom meetings. Within a few months Boyle gathered some men to start rebuilding the CBMC ministry in Houston. “I joined with them as a wingman and encourager as they launched,” Weir said.

Even though the pandemic has ended, many C3 teams continue to meet either virtually or as “hybrids” – some participants attending in person and others remotely. The rationale, Weir explained, has gone far beyond social distancing and health concerns.

There’s even an international flavor, with men from South Korea, Bangladesh and Nigeria periodically logging on to the weekly Zoom meetings of the Santa Ana C3 team. “Virtual keeps them connected,” he said, “and if they gather two or three other men, they can start their own C3 teams – and we can help.”

“From my Friday C3 team, two of our men relocated their homes during COVID, one moving 16 miles away. In Orange County traffic, that’s a two-hour drive each way. The other moved 35 miles away. Since there’s no CBMC in their immediate areas, they continue to join our group every week.”

To read more or to connect with a C3 team, scan the QR code Photo of Barry Weir Meeting with a C3 Team.

Another benefit has been extending the team’s reach far beyond California’s borders.

Ron Weber was actively involved with the group. After moving to Phoenix, he was able to stay connected with the C3 team via Zoom and now is helping to rebuild the CBMC ministry in that area. Last year he launched a weekly Mountain Time Zone C3 team.

Weir started joining a monthly “Coffee with Courage” Zoom meeting after he met Steve Solomon, a CBMC staff leader, while in Boca Raton, FL visiting with family. “I wanted to learn a new way to lead a C3 team,” he said.

14

GROWING

SOUTH Imagine a farm with fields stretching as far as the eye can see, ripe for harvest. But instead of one crop, they contain many kinds – corn, wheat, cotton, soybeans, fruits, and other kinds of vegetables.

Got the picture? Then you have a sense of the incredible ministry opportunity CBMC has in South Florida. Stretching from Fort Pierce on the north to Miami on the south, with Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and other cities in between, the region boasts as much ethnic and cultural diversity as anywhere in the United States.

This is why Steve Solomon, who has served there as CBMC’s Area Director since mid-2018, brims with excitement. “The cultures of Miami, Broward and Palm Beach counties each are uniquely different. Miami has a very heavy Latin influence, with people who have immigrated from Cuba, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nicaragua, Argentina, Colombia, and other countries,” he said. “Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach are more traditional, with populations consisting of white, black, and some from Latin backgrounds.”

The common theme, he said, is “the courage it takes to be a discipler of men.”

15

“When I first encountered CBMC in 1993, it was a nice ministry that had been around for a while, but it consisted mostly of older businessmen. Now we’re crossing all age groups, races, and nationalities. We’re really becoming relevant.”

NOMADIC | 24

FLORIDA CBMC “Our initial goal was to grow wide and become relevant. We’ve accomplished that.

We’re at the table,” Solomon said. “Now we’re starting to go deep, seeking to build a ministry that’s sustainable and developing an army of disciples who will be the light of Christ where they work and do business.”

Achieving CBMC’s mission of evangelizing and discipling business and professional men in such a diverse marketplace calls for a multi-faceted methodology, both traditional and innovative.

A veteran of 30 years in sales for the telecommunications industry, Solomon is using his experience to draw men to the ministry. “God gave me a gift for connection, and this is the biggest thing guys are looking for in the marketplace – connection.

Connection to other men, and to God. This is the number one thing CBMC provides.”

with another planned for the Miami-Dade area later this year.

A few are hybrids, taking place both face-toface and virtually. This enables groups to reach beyond South Florida, joined by participants from New York, New Jersey, Texas, California, and even South Africa.

Solomon hosts a “Coffee with Courage” virtual meeting the first Tuesday of each month, with prominent speakers telling how spiritual courage helped them to overcome personal challenges and crises. The common theme, he said, is “the courage it takes to be a discipler of men.”

Photo of Steve Solomon with South Florida Group

Connect3 (C3) teams are foundational to the ministry, Solomon noted, as in other parts of the country. South Florida now has more than 30 C3 teams, with men meeting weekly for accountability, fellowship, prayer and mutual encouragement. Most are in-person, but some are virtual meetings via Zoom, a strategy that began because of COVID pandemic restrictions.

Other ways for connecting men include Young Professionals and Trusted Advisors Forums. One YP team has been established in Fort Lauderdale, with others to be launched in Miami-Dade and Boca Raton. TAF teams meet in Fort Lauderdale and Boynton Beach,

16

CONTINUED Reflecting the area’s strong Latin influence, Cigar Night fellowships are held in Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, West Broward and Coral Gables. On average, 40 men gather each month to connect, enjoy informal fellowship and build relationships.

“A number of companies manufacture cigars in our area, spawning a lot of independent cigar lounges that appeal to cigar smokers.

But even for men who aren’t cigar aficionados, our laid-back Cigar Nights serve as a good connection point for inviting guys who don’t go to church and might not even attend our outreach luncheons,” Solomon noted.

CBMC South Florida Cigar Night Meeting

Overnight men’s retreats and weekend couples’ retreats have also proved effective for ministering to people in South Florida, he said. “I believe in getting outside the bubble, not just staying within Christian circles, so I also network with several area business groups to help expand awareness of CBMC.” Solomon has seen the value of cross-cultural ministry firsthand. He was raised in a Jewish home and celebrated his bar mitzvah ceremony as a boy. After moving to South Florida, he was teaching Dale Carnegie courses at night. “I was led to Christ the Thanksgiving weekend of 1991 by another instructor I got to know. He had told me, ‘You’re the most miserable person I know.’”

He describes himself as Jewish and came to know Jesus. Solomon is passionate about pointing others to the joy he’s found in Christ.

He has discipled six men through Operation Timothy, currently meeting with three regularly. The other three people have also started taking men through OT.

“We’ve seen men come to Christ as they encountered Him through informal conversations. Others have rededicated their lives to the Lord, and marriages have been repaired. We could never have imagined how God would use these events.”

17

“That’s the next step: Spiritual reproduction,” Solomon said. “When we bring a guy in and get him involved with CBMC, we want Operation Timothy to be his next step. We want to develop men to be light in the workplace, instilling in them core Christian values and teaching them how to integrate their faith into every area of their lives.”

WHO ARE YOU LEARNING FROM? Join a team of believing brothers under age 40 - holding each other accountable, getting connected to the men that came before them, accelerating personal, professional, and spiritual growth.

Join our national network of 100’s of Young Professionals (under 40 yrs.) within a larger network of 1000’s of CBMC members across the country - all dedicated to building God’s kingdom within today’s marketplace. Become a YP member today and reap the rewards of living out God’s plan for your professional and personal life.

Get connected and join a YP team today at cbmc.com/yp

18

P.O. Box 8009

facebook@cbmcusa

Chattanooga, TN 37414-0009

twitter@cbmcusa

800.566.CBMC (2262)

linkedin@cbmcusa

423.698.4444

instagram@cbmcusa

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID MONTGOMERY, AL PERMIT NO. 275

VARIABLE MAILING INFO

CBMC’S MISSION: To present Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord to business and professional men, and to develop christian business and professional men to carry out The Great Commission.

Become More.

Become who God designed you to be.

Connect With CBMC

CBMC (Christian Business Men’s Connection) connects business and professional men to God and each other through Christian peer groups and one-on-one mentoring, so they become more like the men God designed them to be.