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.

Ezra 9.10-12 says, and now, our God, after all this what can we say for ourselves? For we have thrown your commands to the wind…Whatever you do, don’t cultivate their good opinion; don’t make over them and get them to like you so you can make a lot of money and build up a tidy estate to hand down to your children.

We should want to cultivate the good opinion of men but for the singular purpose of glorifying God. Our lifestyle, our morals, values and behavior, should reflect the character, nature and ways of God Himself for we are His adopted children and we call God our Father.

The single biggest adherence to sharing Jesus with others, to challenging the godless living, speaking and believing of our neighbors, is our fear of their disapproval leading to our harm in some way. The harm we most fear in America is the harm of losing business which is the loss of revenue which is the loss of personal income.

When we deny Jesus either by omission or commission in order to curry the favor of man so that we can gain financially, we show by our actions that we love money more than God. We cannot love money and God. We cannot love money more than God and expect to live forever with God in His kingdom.

We are to serve men in order to win their favor so that we can share with men the Good News of God’s love for men and offer of pardon to men through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Christian mission is the Great Commission. We are God’s ambassadors, He is making His appeal through us for the salvation of men.

Our purpose is to be that of the Lord Jesus Himself Who came not for His own glory but to seek and save the lost. So too our work should be our means through which we serve people so that we can share with people the hope of eternal life promised to us through Jesus Christ the Savior.

All the money we ever earn will be of no value to us one second after our death. All the good we do for God’s glory will be rewarded to us for all eternity upon our passing from this life into the next.

Are you making temporary or eternal investments?

His Opportunities

1. CBMC is trying something new in 2018: Monday Manna live. 10.00am Mike will explain today’s scripture in person. Catch it here
   
   
2. CBMC’s first special luncheon of the year is March 29th. Our speaker is Deloitte CFO Pete Shimer. Register HERE
   
   
3. CBMC Leadership Coach Training is changing the way leaders are being developed and the way people are communicating. Learn how the art and science of listening well and asking powerful questions are at the heart of conversations that can lead to individual and corporate transformation. It’s true with your family, friends, business and personal ministry. This is a one day hands on training workshop with 8 weeks of follow up exercises and Teleclass conference calls to help you to embrace and practice what you’ve learned. February 23& 24 Register HERE
   
   
4. CBMC needs more investors in 2018. Join the Team Today.  COMMIT now.

 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 5, 2018

The Mission Field – Closer Than You Think

by Robert J. Tamasy

Have you ever been to the mission field? Let me warn you: that’s a bit of a trick question. For most of us, when we hear “mission field,” we think of traveling to a distant land where an unfamiliar language is spoken in a culture dramatically different from our own. In the traditional sense, that is true. But have you ever considered that the mission field might be down the street – or just outside your work space?

For more than 25 years, my friend Ken has led a ministry to business owners and CEOs, offering them a place to meet for sharing common challenges, needs and problems. Whenever a new member joined one of the groups, Ken gives them a sign, suggesting they post it at the top of their office door, on the inside, serving as a daily reminder. The sign reads, “You are now entering the mission field.”

This is fitting because when Jesus made the command we commonly refer to as the Great Commission – “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) – He did not say we should not include the country, city, or community in which we live. In a practical sense, if we are unable to have an eternal impact where we presently are, how can we have an impact where we are not?

For most of my 10 years as a newspaper editor, I was not a follower of Jesus. And even after committing my life to Him, I lacked the understanding of how to effectively talk with others about my faith and help other believers begin to grow spiritually. It was only after I became involved with CBMC – and started to interact with dedicated, mature Christ followers – that I realized that telling others about Him was not a job restricted to the clergy and professional missionaries.

Here are some teachings from the Bible to confirm that whatever we do, wherever we go, we already are on the “mission field”:

For some, we are the only “Jesus” they will see. In many parts of the world, we live in secularized, post-Christian cultures. Many people – especially business and professional people – will not consider entering a house of worship, even if they have spiritual questions. We might be the ones God wants to use to provide the answers they seek. Jesus told His followers, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden” (John 5:14). He also said, “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). 

We can show the reality of Christ by how we conduct ourselves at work. A friend told me of the poor work ethic and low standards he observes within his industry. I suggested this offers a perfect opportunity to separate his company – and its values – from his competitors. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17). The apostle Paul also exhorted believers in the city of Corinth, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

 So, the next time you think about going to the mission field, recognize you are already there! You do not even need to pack a suitcase.

 © 2018. 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 Adversity by Mike Landry. Bob’s website is www.bobtamasy-readywriterink.com, and his 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 5, 2018

 Reflection/Discussion Questions

1. What comes to your mind when you hear the term “mission field”?

1. Have you ever gone to what we typically consider the mission field – meaning traveling to another country or culture – even on a short-term basis? If so, what was that experience like for you?

1. How does the distant mission field – across an ocean, or at least on the other side of a national border – differ from the “mission field” we are describing here, in your own city, on the next street, or even outside your own working space?

1. If you consider that whatever you do, wherever you go throughout your work day, “you are now entering the mission field,” does your perspective change about how to approach your job – and the people you encounter along the way? Why or why not?

NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more about principles it presents, consider the following passages:  Ephesians 2:10; Colossians 3:23-24, 4:5-6; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 3:15-16

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