Testimonies

 

Here’s what other leaders are saying…

I’ve been in the ministry since 1976 and [the No Man Left Behind Courseware] training was the most practical I’ve received during that entire time, including Bible College. I wish I’d had it years ago! I think you could apply this to ANY ministry and am encouraging our youth staff to sit in on our next training. Thanks for making a difference in my ministry! Pastor M. Boothby, Ohio

Prior to the training, the church only had one men’s leader and one semi-involved leader. Man in the Mirror met with these two men to cast vision for an intentional ministry to men. These two men then recruited two more leaders and their senior pastor to attend the live training. After the training, they met with me and by then, had recruited seven more men to participate in the video-based No Man Left Behind Courseware. Now, they have expanded the courseware training to more than 20 leaders in their church — not just men’s leaders but other ministries as well! They see the concepts from NMLB as universal to all areas of their church. The pastor is 100% supportive of the leaders and they, in turn, are supporting and promoting the pastor’s vision for the church. – Area Director L. Niggli, California

I’ve been to a lot of seminars and conferences; the exceptional thing about this one was the emphasis on forcing us to actually put the concepts into a concrete plan before leaving. Pastor J. Schwartz, Tennessee

In the spring of 2008, Grace sent around 18 men to NMLB training. There had been frustration with the “men’s ministry.” The women’s ministry was thriving and steadily staffed but the men felt left out, and it didn’t help that there was a lot of turnover with part time leaders and volunteers. One of our leaders did a great deal of research by calling churches around the country and heard repeatedly that NMLB was the model to follow. He lobbied heavily and the church made an audible call to send the men to the conference. It was a watershed event. Our leaders suddenly found that they spoke a common language, there was room for various styles of ministry within the Model, and they gained the understanding of “ministry TO men.” They came back with a few serious determinations. 1) Grace needed to hire a full-time dedicated men’s leader. 2) A leadership team needed to be banded together and begin meeting regularly. 3) The 2nd gear (“capture momentum”) concept needed to be embraced wholeheartedly. Out of that, the leadership team has coalesced steadily and hundreds of men now matriculate through our [discipleship opportunities] annually and are driven toward the Way of Discipleship, the primary growth path for people at our church. Pastor M. Whitesell, Indiana

This training exceeded all I hoped for. I am starting a ministry to men from the ground up and needed this direction and a place to start. M. Lake, Alabama

The live training has changed the way our church approaches reaching men. We talked back at the hotel for two hours Friday night, and then the whole way home Saturday from Pennsylvania to Ohio, about implementing some of the things we learned. Our church is about 275 attenders. I got one of the “fringe” men to plan/host a skeet shoot for guys. It will happen this Sunday; 30 guys have signed up to go! Our Wednesday evening Men’s Bible Study has doubled in size because we personally invited guys. And last weekend, we had two outside leaders lead Sunday service for our Fall Spiritual Renewal. What an opportunity to have an all-inclusive mindset as we encouraged more than 20 men with the knowledge that THEY were ministering to men by parking cars, setting up chairs in our overflow rooms, etc. THANK YOU for your work. I will be contacting my Man in the Mirror Area Director to see if he can come help us with our retreat and groups this Spring. Pastor T. Carnahan, Ohio

The experience I had during the training was life changing and a complete transformation for me. It clarified my calling to ministry and created in me an overwhelming desire to reach men to know and have a profound relationship with Jesus Christ. J. Vore, South Dakota

At our church, we basically began our NMLB journey about five years ago, when we hosted a NMLB training. Since then our ministry “to and through men” has morphed and evolved in many ways, but the basic principles of establishing and publicizing our vision and “Creating, Capturing, and Sustaining momentum” have guided us. We have worked hard at developing strategies that will inspire and motivate [all the types of men we have in the church and move them down the Wide-Deep Continuum]. And we’ve seen significant movement of men in this way. Additionally, the “Capture Momentum” idea of always offering “next step” suggestions at every event, class, or Bible study, and having them commit on the spot, has proven to be very valuable. We use this approach with everything we do now at the church. Finally, we’ve used the “all-inclusive ministry” approach in what we call our Matthew 28 Ministry. The idea is to recognize where our people are already coming into contact with “church” and discipling them right there. All of our teachers, partners , coaches, and team leaders have been instructed to use what they do as an opportunity to grow the people in their group, but also as a way to help the individuals in their group reach out to others. We’re truly grateful for the “partnership” we have with MIM. – Pastor J. De Horn, Michigan

Never have the men of our church been so alive! The No Man Left Behind Model has not only catapulted our men forward but it is revolutionizing our church. I have seen two primary results in the lives of our men in recent months: 1) A desire to disciple other men, and 2) A heart to love and serve their pastor. I am ecstatic about the future of our church and (the Man in the Mirror) ministry will be a key part of that future! Pastor G. Peters, Florida

The NMLB training was an eye opener! It gave us new insight into men’s spiritual lives and how to disciple them in real and practical ways. I left there with a toolbox full of proven methods to make a difference in the lives of men and their families. Praise God! Pastor R. Siboni, Florida

The best thing about the No Man Left Behind Model is that it enables our ministry to men to rest upon a process and system rather than on the shoulders of only one or two men. We train the next wave of leaders and teams and it ensures sustainability over the long haul! It is great to know that we can partner with other churches to learn how they are doing with it. Other churches have sent their leadership team to learn from us, too. Imagine that! I’m looking for 100 men who want to make a difference for Christ. This is the perfect model to use in training future leaders. II Timothy 2:2 – Pastor W. Green, North Carolina

My experience after being involved with the NMLB Model for about three years was that it completely revitalized a men’s group that was spiritually dead in the water. The result was more men active active in mission and ministry, and more men aware that our primary task was not to have events and programs, but to make disciples. P. Wilson, North Carolina

Two leaders from New Community recently came to the (No Man Left Behind) training without a formal leadership team or any real organization in place of their ministry to men. After the training, they met with their local Man in the Mirror Area Director (myself) and fleshed out their vision, aligning it with the church’s overall vision. Next they developed their “elevator speech” about their passion for men’s discipleship and what that means for the men of their church. An announcement was made at a monthly men’s breakfast about the training and the intention of the leaders; this inspired two more men to join the leadership team. This new team of four men enlisted the help of the current transitional pastor to honor and emphasize men on Father’s Day; the team purchased books to give away as gifts and created an insert that included a greeting to the men, the vision statement, and the “elevator speech.” The pastor used examples from the book to challenge the men and also promoted the upcoming breakfast and other events as possible next steps. With a trained, core leadership team now in place, they are ramping up their ministry efforts! – Area Director L. Niggli, California

We have been busy since attending the No Man Left Behind Conference and it had a big impact on us and the direction of the church. We developed a vision statement and a broader (longer) mission statement. We have worked through the majority of the No Man Left Behind Courseware together as a leadership group and we also developed and ran a 12-week Discipleship Training Program (DTP). This was attended by approximately 70% of the men in the church over the full 12-week period; it was quite amazing as God really put it on the guys’ hearts. It has changed the DNA of the church and having our pastor attend the NMLB training was a big part of that. God is good and this is all His doing. He is working through all this in a big way with life-on-life discipleship now a major part of our church’s broader vision. – N. Marks, Australia