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. 

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16 CSB https://bible.com/bible/1713/rom.1.16.CSB 

I never again want to be ashamed of the gospel or my Lord Jesus Christ. I have not denied Him per se, but I have certainly remained mute when an opportunity was present to identify with Him. Peter was determined to stand with Jesus, even seeking to bring death to those who would arrest his Lord. Yet he denied Jesus before a slave girl three times because it was no longer reasonable to identify with Jesus. 

Praise the Lord Jesus forgives and restores. Peter died a martyr’s death, proving faithful in the end. Paul remained loyal and faithful because it was by identifying with the gospel that people became Christians, and people becoming followers of Jesus is the purpose of our lives. The Great Commission is the mission of every Christian, and it can’t happen without sharing the gospel. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. We must identify with Jesus in word and deed. 

Our deeds prove our words, but our words explain our deeds. People need to see Jesus through us and hear Jesus from us to become followers of Jesus. Let it be that we no longer live ashamedly of Jesus but live holy, loving, sacrificial servant lives that draw people to us to hear the good news of saving faith in Jesus, the only Savior. 

Our Opportunities 

1. Your opportunity to share the gospel with men through hearing the testimony of a fellow Christian business leader is set for March 21. All you need to do is commit to attending the date with a man who needs Jesus. Create a list of potential invitees and pray for them. Build your relational capital with them so they will accept your invite when you invite them to lunch. Learn more and register here.
2. CBMC National Men’s Conference October 3-5 in St. Louis, MO. Plan to join and to meet new brothers who love the Lord and are serving Him in the marketplace across America. Mark your calendar busy for those dates then watch for details to come soon.
3. Join CBMC men for prayer and Bible study every Friday morning 8-9am at Panera Frandor

CBMC Central Michigan 4407 W. St. Joe Hwy. Lansing 48917 / 517 481 5996 www.lansing.cbmc.com 

MONDAY MANNA

A service to the business community

A Publication of CBMC International

January 29, 2024 

Two Perspectives On Success

By Ken Korkow 

Do you desire to become a worldly success? There are a number of possible approaches to achieving this goal, but one of the most tried and true strategies is to focus on leadership. In other words, discover how to get other people to do what you want. They perform much of the work, while you receive much of the credit. 

However, what if you choose instead to become a godly success? How do you accomplish that? Then you would want to focus on ‘followship’ – learning how to become a better servant. Instead of using people to achieve your goals and objectives, you strive to serve people, helping them to accomplish their own goals and objectives. 

If you go into any bookstore or library, or search an online retail site, you can find countless books that offer differing views on leadership. The same applies to seminars, conferences, and retreats – we have a seemingly endless array of choices that offer many perspectives on what it takes to become an effective leader of people. 

There is one book, however, that demonstrates and teaches the immediate and eternal value of being a follower-servant. It is called the Bible. In it we find many accounts of people who discovered that their greatest impact – what today we would refer to as “an influencer” – was by selflessly serving others. 

We can find no better example than Jesus Christ, who declared, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). How did He do this? He performed miracles of physical healing, feeding multitudes, and even bringing people back to life on several occasions. His earthly life was exemplified by acts of giving, not receiving. 

But Jesus’ greatest act of all was willingly going to the cross to die and pay the penalty for the sins of humankind. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). From a human perspective, Jesus’ ‘ultimate sacrifice’ seemed like failure, but in terms of eternity it was the most successful moment of all time. 

As business and professional people, most of us want to understand the formula for success. We think that if we can understand all the necessary inputs, then we can control the output. Sometimes this works, but often our success or failure is a result of factors operating outside of our control. 

The problem is we are finite, limited by time and space; God is infinite and eternal. His ways and purposes are far beyond our own. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways” (Isaiah 55:8). Because of this, placing our faith and trust in Him – our submission to His will and plans – are essential but mysterious elements we cannot calculate by any of our formulas. 

What kind of success do you seek? What we really desire is evidenced by where we spend our time, what commands our focus. We must each decide. Today. And tomorrow. And the next day. Should we pursue worldly success? Jesus said, “For what does it profit a person to gain the whole world, and forfeit his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). Once we decide, we must live with the eternal consequences. A mark of maturity is the willingness to defer immediate gratification for long-term gain. 

Ken Korkow lives in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A., where he serves as an area director for CBMC. This is adapted from his “Fax of Life” column. Used with permission. 

.CBMC Central Michigan 4407 W. St. Joe Hwy. Lansing 48917 / 517 481 5996  lansing.cbmc.com

MONDAY MANNA

A service to the business community

A Publication of CBMC International

January 29, 2024

Reflection/Discussion Questions 

1. How would you define “success”?
2. Based on how you are living your life right now, how you are pursuing your work and career, what does that say about your perspective on success?
3. Do you think a person can actively pursue success based on the world’s definition and godly success at the same time? Why or why not?
4. When you think about God’s thoughts not being our thoughts, and our ways not being His ways, how does that make you feel? Is it encouraging or troubling for you? Are there ever any times when you would like God’s thoughts and ways to conform with your own? Explain your answer.

NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages: Psalm 33:11; Matthew 6:24,33-34, 16:25-27; Ephesians 5:15-16; Colossians 3:17,23-24 

Challenge for This Week 

Over the coming week, think about what you have read and discussed in this Monday Manna. What kind of success are you pursuing – are you focusing on the right things? If you are a leader, are you leading people so they can help you accomplish your purposes, or are you seeking to serve them in achieving their goals and objectives? Find a trusted friend who can help you work through these important questions. 

CBMC Central Michigan 4407 W. St. Joe Hwy. Lansing 48917 / 517 481 5996  lansing.cbmc.com