Core Values
Here are some of the core values which we have at Community of Men Ministries.
Belief: Man is created to be relational.
We are taught early on to think the opposite about mankind. We believe that we are to trust nobody, need nobody and never ask for help. In fact, asking for help is a sign of weakness. The truth is that God created us to be relational and wants us to practice community.
Belief: Man is his weakest in isolation.
We often isolate ourselves as a form of protection. We are afraid of the rejection that we are convinced will occur if anyone finds out about our struggles. We try to convince ourselves that we can overcome our secret struggles on our own.
Belief: Man is by nature a selfish individual and therefore only as strong as his support system.
The two essentials to living a godly life are a personal, intimate relationship with God our Father through Jesus Christ, and a community to help you humbly submit to your Father. Adam walked with God in the cool of the day. He had an intimate, personal relationship with his creator. Yet at the end of the day, he was still lonely. Community is designed to draw us closer to God and help us overcome the selfish desires in us that are hindering our intimacy with God.
Belief: Man can only be held accountable when he chooses to let himself be.
Accountability can’t be forced, only enforced. It can only be enforced when a person is willing to be held accountable. Accountability is unsuccessful when all we do is try and stop our negative behavior. If we do not also treat the heart issue and the belief system, then accountability will not succeed long-term.
Belief: All men live with the same temptations and insecurities.
Because of this we are free to be open and honest with each other without the fear of shame and condemnation. Instead, we have ourselves convinced that we have to overcome these things on our own. We stay stuck because we are too ashamed or too proud to admit we need help.
Belief: Our sin and the shame that accompanies it have been paid for at the cross.
“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) We need not live our lives like we have not been forgiven. We seek to create a community where all men can stand before God and each other without the fear of condemnation.
Belief: We are physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual beings all at the same time.
It is not just our bodies that become addicted to sinful behavior, it is our minds, our emotions and our spirits as well. In order to find the freedom that has already been purchased for us we need to proactively seek wholeness in every aspect of ourselves.
Belief: Man’s single biggest need is affirmation.
It doesn’t matter our background, our ethnicity, our age, we all have a built in need to be affirmed. We want to have the questioned answered: Do I have what it takes to make it as a man. It is not manly to ask for affirmation and many of us are unaware of its importance. Our lack of affirmation is what drives most of our destructive behaviors. Learning to ask for it is key to overcoming our behaviors.