Four Remarkable Men

Four men have been friends for over 30 years and have met as a small group for the past 20 years. In the late 1990s they were all in their late 60s and concerned about the conflicting demands on time and resources for young family men. Out of their discussions they initiated a two-year leadership development program to help young men develop and live out a godly vision for their lives. Consequently, Bud Carrier, Steady Cash, Sam Cornwall, and Don Wrigley formed the Charlotte Leadership Forum.

The CLF mission statement is: “To develop Christ-like men and their wives who will be leaders in their families, their occupations, their community, and their churches. These men and women will have a clear vision for their life priorities, and will be upright in character; servant leaders; godly husbands, wives and parents; and effective builders of God’s kingdom.”

The program “brings together a selected group of young married men who are motivated to live purposeful lives filled with meaning, not just activity; men who want to impact their family, their workplace, their community, and their world for Jesus Christ.” Over 200 men have taken part in the CLF program.

The large group is organized into “Barnabas Groups” of 4 men each who meet once a month (except the summer months). They work through a curriculum – with support from a mentor – that focuses on four major topics: character, leadership, family, or Kingdom building. There are 4 weekend seminars, monthly evening meetings, and reading assignments. Their wives also participate in 2 weekend retreats, 10 of 12 evening meetings, and a mini-retreat for women only.

During the weekend of January 6-8, 2012 I facilitated my 8th CLF weekend retreat men called “Living Out Your Life Mission.” In January 2013 I will travel to Raleigh-Durham, NC to facilitate my 4th retreat for a similar group called the Triangle Leadership Forum. Approximately 100 men have gone through this program. The weekend seminar is organized into 8 one-hour sessions:

Each participant in the seminar wrote a draft copy of a personal mission statement. Listed below are some examples:

• To encourage the hurting to see themselves as God sees them.
• To help children make the right decisions and become better people.
• To inspire men to live lives of influence.
• To guide the hurting to hope.
• To provide the means necessary to inspire positive change in people’s lives.
• To develop creative methods for the Church to advance God’s Kingdom.
• To support men to experience freedom in Christ.
• To counsel men in navigating life.
• To bring hope to those in dark places.
• To encourage seekers to follow Jesus.

Each mission statement follows this pattern:

These four remarkable men – Bud, Steady, Sam, and Don – will leave a lasting positive impact for Christ. They are living a life well-lived.

If you want to connect with your unique, God-given purpose, contact Designed to Serve at 847-514-3609 or email.

© 2012 Designed to Serve®