Our 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.

Luke 6.26 warns, woe to you when all people speak well of you, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the false prophets.

Most people would think God wants us to be the kind of people that others speak well about. Most Christians strive for this type of ‘witness.’ Indeed, no one should be able to say to those in Christ that we do things that Christ would not do. Those who claim to be Christians must live as Jesus did.

However, Jesus was maligned, He was despised, He was betrayed, and He was ultimately killed by men. All of this happened to God while He lived among us as one of us. Why? It was not because He wasn’t a good person. It was not because He helped numerous people.

It was because He identified as God and the fulfillment of all the Scripture’s promises about the coming Messiah. God tells us not to seek the approval of men in the context of compromising our testimony of His kingdom coming to earth and His will being done. This warning of judgement follows His promise of reward for those who are persecuted for identifying with Him before men.

We are God’s witnesses, He is making His appeal through us for all men to be saved. When we embrace our identity in Christ, when we live unashamed of our Savior, then we will tell others about Him consistently, passionately and humbly.

When we start speaking for Christ we can expect men to start speaking against us and then we will have to decide, whom will we please, men or God?

His Opportunities

1. The next CBMC special luncheon, your best opportunity for obeying the Great Commission, is scheduled for March 21st. Our speaker will be O’Leary Paint CEO John O’Leary. We will be meeting at The View from 11.45am-1:00pm. Register HERE
   
   
2. CBMC Men’s Conference April 4-7. Be encouraged in your faith and in your faith at work with hundreds of Christian business and professional men from all over the eastern United States.  Register and get more information here. Let me know you are going so we can carpool together in CBMC 1!
   
   
3. You can support CBMC today. https://give.cbmc.com/giving/?appealcode=winter

CBMC Central Michigan 6011 W. St. Joseph Ste. 401 Lansing 48917  / 517 481 5996 www.lansing.cbmc.com 

MONDAY MANNA

A service to the business community

A Publication of CBMC International

February 25, 2019 

Making Your Mark Through Mentoring – Part II

by Robert J. Tamasy 

 In last week’s edition of “Monday Manna,” I introduced the idea of making a difference – making your mark in the world – through a highly relational, mutually beneficial approach to mentoring. This week I wrap up this discussion, citing additional principles that David A. Stoddard and I developed in our book, The Heart of Mentoring: Ten Proven Principles for Developing People to Their Fullest Potential. 

As I mentioned, this differs from the typical approach to mentoring in which two individuals are assigned to each other, whether they like it or not. In our view, the best mentoring involves a more seasoned mentor working with a “mentoring partner,” both of them learning from one another. Here are some other basic principles for this approach, along with biblical foundations that support them: 

Effective mentoring involves character building. Skill training and exchange of knowledge can be part of the mentoring process, but it should also aim for the development of the entire person, including character building and imparting values that govern their lives. To be most effective, the mentor must serve as an example of living out these traits. “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put into practice” (Philippians 4:9). 

Effective mentoring offers comfort and willingness to share the load. Relationships grow through the demonstration of genuine care and concern for one another. A good mentor will want to know how the mentoring partner is doing both professionally and personally; work invariably affects one’s private life, and what is going on in one’s personal life has an impact on their work. “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). 

Effective mentoring helps others discover their passion. Sometimes the person being mentored is struggling because he or she is still trying to find their place. Even if they are successful, they might not be engaged in a profession they find fulfilling or meaningful. If personal interests and passions can somehow be aligned with the work they do, they will be able to thrive and become valued contributors wherever they go. The apostle Paul wrote to his protégé, Timothy, “Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you”(1 Timothy 4:14).  

Effective mentoring includes reproduction, resulting in a legacy. Because of all he had gained from his own mentors, Dave Stoddard developed a desire to come alongside others and help them to grow professionally, personally, and spiritually. I have had a similar experience, and view that as part of my own legacy – assisting others, so they in turn can help others. “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). ”I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 4). 

Even though he departed from this life five years ago, Dave Stoddard’s impact continues through the lives of many men who are having a strong influence in their families, their companies, and other men they are helping to develop through mentoring. 

A wise man once said the only things that will last for eternity are people and the Word of God. There are few better things we could do than to invest time, energy and resources into other people, helping them to become all they can be. Especially if we do so under the guidance of God and His eternal truth. 

© 2019. Robert J. Tamasy has written Business at Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace; Tufting Legacies;coauthored with David A. Stoddard, The Heart of Mentoring, and edited numerous other books, including Advancing Through Adversityby Mike Landry. Bob’s biweekly blog is: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com. 

CBMC Central Michigan 6011 W. St. Joseph Ste. 401 Lansing 48917  / 517 481 5996  lansing.cbmc.com

 MONDAY MANNA

A service to the business community

A Publication of CBMC International

February 25, 2019 

Reflection/Discussion Questions 

1. Do you agree that character building and the imparting of strong values can be an important part of the mentoring process? Why or why not? Has anyone ever had that kind of impact in your own life? 
2. What do you think offering comfort and “sharing the load” within the context of a mentoring relationship would look like, in a practical sense? Do you agree that this is something an effective mentor should strive to do? 
3. How do you think we can help someone if they find themselves stuck in a job that they do not find inspiring, that does not provide fulfillment or meaning beyond receiving a paycheck? Is that even important? Explain your answer. 
4. In what ways could mentoring someone else become a significant part of the legacy we establish that will last long after our time on earth have ended? 

NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more about principles it presents, consider the following passages: Proverbs 17:17, 13:20, 20:27, 21:2; Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 3:14; Luke 5:1-11 

CBMC Central Michigan 6011 W. St. Joseph Ste. 401 Lansing 48917  / 517 481 5996  lansing.cbmc.com