2019 Donor Letter
November 2019
Greetings
God is in the process of re-focusing me on the task of reaching Indiana for Christ! Back in 2003, some of us started a monthly meeting, and began to call the effort, Transform Indiana. We met for five years, during which time we developed relationships with a large number of niche ministries doing transformation in the lives of people in various localities, and, each of us began to focus on one or more of those. This year, the concept is being revisited, and I am prayer-walking my neighborhood each Saturday, praying,
That, by His grace, He would grant you, the people of Indiana, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; Eph 3-16-17
So that you may experience the Abundant Life of Jesus Christ.
It is my desire to encourage others in my neighborhood to get excited about developing Discovery Bible Studies, which have been very effective in other countries to bring large numbers of people to Christ. Since the mission of CBMC continues to be focused on evangelism and discipleship, this is certainly not a departure from the ministry!
CBMC Indiana set a Three-Fold Vision a year ago, which we are continuing to pursue:
The Three-Fold Vision
Vision 650
To double the number of CBMC cities and teams throughout the US, from 325 to 650, by the year 2028.
40 Year Vision
For CBMC to become known as the guys who come alongside businessmen, right where they are, to help them become the men that God designed them to be.
Leadership Vision
To lead the men of CBMC to be the greatest leaders the world has known.
We will have a Leaders Team Retreat on December 6-7, focused on our 2020 Ministry Action Plan, to delegate tasks and responsibilities necessary to carry out our plans in the next year. See the Ministry Action Plan https://indiana.cbmc.com/blog
CBMC continues to be alive and well, growing under the leadership of President Bill McAvinney and his cohort, COO Mark Whitacre. They developed Vision 650, two years ago, with the goal of doubling the number of cities and teams by the year 2028. We are right on target after two years, and CBMC Indiana has participated in the past year, with a new Connect3 Team in Carmel, and a new Forum in Northern Indiana. Our goal is to double our footprint to 38 Teams in 22 cities by the end of 2028. Gary Kirschman is planning to start 4 Young Professional Teams in January, and Deno Rousopoulos has two more cities that are looking at Forums, so 2020 looks like a good year for expansion!
The promotion of Vision 650 has certainly developed a greater awareness of CBMC around the country, and the national marketing efforts on social media will be helpful in our own promotion of the ministry in Indiana. We started a new quarterly meeting at Mr Quik Headquarters which is designed to give us more exposure and we are developing partnerships with other organizations, such as Corporate Chaplains of America, to promote the tools of CBMC.
Our major focus of 2020 will be on Leadership Development, as we seek to build the leaders for the future that our nation needs.
My experience in goal-setting has been that, at the end of the year, when we look back on our accomplishments, the biggest one is something that we didn’t even know about until February or March!
This past year was no exception, at least in the life of my family!
It was Valentine’s Day when my wife, Sandy, and I gave each other the gift of a new daughter! The was the day that we “adopted” Clementine, a 26 year-old from Cameroon, who had been attending our church for a few months. Because of some issues with her visa, she lived in our home for 10 weeks, before returning to her husband, Claude, and two-year-old daughter, Megan, in April, after an 11 month separation.
God has given me the assurance that He has a plan for them to be used in the lives of people in Cameroon, and He has already laid the groundwork for that!
I checked on the website of CBMC International to find that not only is Cameroon one of the 96 countries which has a CBMC, but they have a director, Jini Kingsly Shei, who lives in Douala, where Clementine and her husband live! I emailed him, Clementine connected with him, her first week back, and he led Claude to Christ in their first meeting! Currently, Claude and Jini are doing Operation Timothy in person, and Clementine and I are doing it, using eOT and WhatsApp!
People at our church and many of you have been engaged in providing funds for them to start Vicky’s Seafood, a business that distributes fish and other seafood products to local restaurants and groceries.
Some of you participated in the funding to send Claude and Clementine to the CBMC Africa Convention in Nairobi, Kenya, in October. For this I will be eternally grateful, because the experience was transformational for both of them! Here was Claude’s response:
'' Before the convention i haven't realize the value that i had in God's eyes and how much i am blessed by Him in this world. I was doing thing my ways with my own strength. I haven't realize my identity in God , i was doing everything to challenge myself in my family , my business , in the society but i have never realized that i was selfish. since the first day of the convention i am a different person , i have realize that i am nothing without MY GOD , that i am the light and i have to shine for His Glory. I know now that God loves me so much that He already gave me everything. I live now with the assurance of His presence in my family, in my business ,in my life and i walk by faith everyday since we came back from Kenya. i will like to testify that i am a new person because now i am no longer walking by my own strength but by God who guides me. I know now that i have to do the right thing everywhere i am. i have no excuse to do wrong because my God is Right , and He is THE ONE THAT INSPIRE ME so that troughs me people will learn the first Gospel.''
This is why I have been involved in CBMC for 46 years, 21 on Staff! Thank you for your involvement in CBMC and for your support for my ministry. Thank you for those of you who support the work of Gary Kirschman and Deno Rousopoulos. We would not be available to men in the marketplace without your assistance!
Some of you have provided prayer and financial support for many years, others are new to the ministry. We look forward to the next generation of leadership that will be developed with our ongoing efforts and with your support. Please consider a generous gift on the enclosed form and, please, continue to pray for us!
I have been challenged by these verses, recently, from Ephesians 3:20-21:
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
I hope that they will encourage you, as well, that no matter what the past has been, no matter what is going on now, and no matter how you think the future looks, God has a plan for you that outshines anything that you can imagine! I pray that you will entrust you future to Him, allowing His Holy Spirit to live the life of Jesus Christ through you, right now, moment by moment, and for every step you take into the future!
For the Team
Eldon Kibbey