Godly Counsel
Drawing on the wisdom, giftedness, and experience of the men in your group. Godly
counsel is a major theme of the book of Proverbs, because it is one of the best
ways to gain wisdom. Many verses speak to this, such as this one: “He is on the
path of life who heeds instruction, but he who ignores reproof goes astray” (Proverbs
10:17a NASB). When a problem or question arises in your company, experienced businessmen
in your Forum can recount what they did with a similar problem and how they applied
God’s Word to a similar situation. They can explain what they understand from God’s
word and encourage you to remain faithful to His promises. By drawing on the wisdom
and experience of men with various gifts, you can honor the Lord with your business.
Mutual Support
Receiving and giving understanding, empathy, and encouragement when facing both
difficulties and opportunities. In CBMC FORUMS, men encourage each other in the
Word, listening and praying through the hard times. “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs
it down, but a good word makes it glad” (Proverbs 12:25 NASB).
Accountability
Gaining the courage to follow through on tough decisions and issues as they arise.
Since God will ultimately hold us accountable in Christ for every action and thought,
it would be wise to ask for accountability from fellow believers now (Romans 14:12,
Matthew 12:36). Leaders are disciplined people. With healthy accountability, the
men in your Forum can take up the weapons with “divine power to destroy strongholds”
and fight your part of the spiritual battle in this world (2 Corinthians 10:4 ESV).
Prayer
Experiencing the power and ministry of prayer both as a group and with individual
members. Just as the Lord Jesus prayed over all things, we pray over every detail
of our lives. We understand that we are not our own men. We are stewards of our
lives, our families, and our companies. Through prayer, we submit to the Father
and seek His direction.
Confidentiality
Gaining the confidence in one another that comes with honesty and transparency in
a confidential environment. Confidentiality is simply loving your neighbor as you
love yourself. You need people with whom you can discuss sensitive issues from your
personal life and your business. The trustworthy men in your Forum are just such
people, men who will keep your secrets and pray for God’s richest blessing for you.