It has been nearly ten years since I joined my first Forum team. When I first heard the Vision for CBMC 6 yrs ago I thought wow, our team is pretty well there, at least in Philly Forum #1. This became even more apparent the other week in Dallas at a Leadership Coach Training event where Stan Bower was leading us through a time to reflect on the Vision which is:

For all Men in our Movement to Experience:
• The Power of One God
• The Value of One Man
• The Leverage of One Team
Resulting in Spiritual Reproduction among Businessmen throughout the World

He asked us what is the most important word in this statement? Do you have it? Good. For a number of us in the room “Experience” was the word. And so it is for Forums as well. Forums is a group of peers teaming together in a carefully engineered covenant environment to “Experience” something.

Recently I was visiting a Forum team in New Jersey, and the host was feeling the pressure of our current business climate. He found himself resorting to old patterns of being on edge and impatient with any errors that his employees were making. He was beginning to think of them as hindrances rather than perhaps his most important asset. As we were coming to a close, one of the brothers was sharing a long list of Scriptures that applied to his issue, and I sensed the host becoming overwhelmed. And here is where the “bolt of grace” came in.

I asked, “What have you been hearing God speak to you in your quiet time?” Just like that his eyes got wide, his jaw dropped, and his mouth opened wide. “I know what it is!” he said. I was just reading in John 21 where Jesus and Peter were talking by the fire and Jesus was asking Peter if he loved him. Peter answered, “You know I do, Lord.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs,” “Take care of my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep.” I next asked, “What do you think God wants you to do?” He answered back sharply, “Don’t ask me that right now.” We took a minute of silence as we all watched Jesus at work in this man’s life. We watched and I reflected that we just “Experienced” “the leverage of one team” listening and asking questions. We just “Experienced” “the value of one man” as we saw God tenderly correct this mans perspective on his employees. We just “Experienced” “the Power of one God” in a “bolt of Grace” that was transforming to all of us.

This New Jersey businessman has two sons that are being groomed to take over the business. As this man shares with his sons how God is redirecting his thinking about their employees, what kind of fruit will come from that? As vendors and customers see this man interact with his people, what kind of fruit will come from that? As a partner who is far from God watches God change this man into one who looks and acts more like Jesus in each passing month, what kind of fruit will come from that? I don’t know. But God certainly does.

And I think He is smiling as Forums members are living the “Experience” that God gave CBMC in His vision for our ministry.