Success Stories

Testimonies from people just like you.

1. Tim's Story

My name is Tim and I learned about Christian Mentor’s Network at my church in 2007.. At that time I was coming to the third year of a deep depression and time of struggle after my son’s suicide. I used to be a Pastor in student ministry and worship. In 2001, two days after 9/11 my oldest son Bryan was going through a time of personal struggle and fear and decided that the solution was to end his life.

I continued in ministry for two years after his death until I realized that there were some things in my own life I was really struggling with. I took a one year sabbatical then came back as a volunteer. I did this for another year.
It was now 4 years after my son’s death. I cannot explain the struggle I encountered during that time but it was coming from every angle in my life. I found myself hating GOD with all my heart. I also became filled with hatred and bitterness towards anyone who claimed to be a Christian. Again, I cannot go into detail but everything seemed to be dark, hopeless, and I lost all trust in GOD.

After three years a friend of mine who isn’t even a believer but knew me before this event told me I needed to get help. I left on a motorcycle trip across the states from AZ to IL to see my dad. I spent five days with my dad and somehow he convinced me to give GOD, my marriage, and kids a chance. I agreed and returned home eleven days later.

I moved my family down to the southeast valley of Phoenix where I found a church that was meeting in a school. At that church, I met the man GOD had prepared for me. The Lord led me to a man named Barry Lynch. After a few sentences into our conversation Barry asked me if I would take a look at some books he had and asked if I would be interested in getting together. I told him I would love to get together.

We met at a Paradise Bakery every week and Barry began to just share his life with me. I poured hatred, bitterness, and anger out while he poured faith, hope, and love back in. God had produced the very fruit in his life that I was so desperate for. Besides meeting with me every week he would text me scripture and want to know what I thought of it. This got me digging in to the Word for myself where the Lord met me and spoke words of healing in to me.

I am walking with the Lord now in a way that is not just back to where I was, no, He has brought me to a new place and lifted me out of the miry clay. I am now doing for others what Barry did for me. I plan on doing it until the day I die. I am so grateful to God for Barry and I know many men now who feel the same way.

Restored and Grateful,

Tim

“TriCord has taught me how to be open and honest with my feelings, and with what is going on in my life. I’m encouraged with the fact that I have other men of God praying for me…men who “have my back” during the bad times..”

Art

“My whole family has benefited from me being mentored. This ministry has also helped me understand what it is to trust the Lord completely, and I have found what some of my spiritual gifts are.”

Barry Lynch

2. Augie's Story.

I wanted to take a minute and share some thoughts about the impact that Christian Mentor’s Network has had on my life and ministry.  It has made a meaningful difference in my personal life as both a father and husband, and has given me the tools that I have been looking for to grow both discipleship and outreach at our church.  How has this been so?

As a father, I have been using the mentoring course with both my college aged boys.  We were unable to complete all the sessions in-person, so now we go through the material over Skype!  It gives us not only a reason to stay in contact, but it causes us to talk about significant matters of faith, rather than just chat about the mundane issues of the day.  This is especially important given the critical and formative stage of life they are in.  What a blessing to have the tools and the occasion as a father to stay spiritually connected with my sons!

As a husband, I can say that my wife and I had a great relationship before I experienced the mentoring program.  However, through mentoring I have become more aware of myself, and the issues of being a Godly man in the home, such that I believe my wife would tell you that our relationship is even stronger as a result of the things I have learned and put in practice.  In fact, the mentoring course has challenged me to be much more intentional about the time I spend with my wife and the kinds of goals that we work together on.

As a pastor, the Mentoring His Way course has provided me with a way to equip people for ministry.  People come to church hungry for the Word but many won’t take a small group study, nor will they read the books I may give them.  However, when someone offers to sit down with them one on one, they find that they will commit, and go deeper in their faith than ever before.  But the real beauty of the materials is that they can be used by anyone in the church!  I have now witnessed men taking what I have shared with them and in turn sharing it with others.  Isn’t that what discipleship is all about? They are truly being equipped to reach people for the kingdom and to make disciples of Jesus.  In many cases, the folks they reach may have previously resisted attending any “organized” worship services.

All in all, I can say that even as a pastor I have grown so much by both going through the course, and by taking several others through it.  The materials capture such a breadth and depth of subjects that I dare say there is no one who wouldn’t benefit by them! … and the experience of going one-on-one through these matters of faith with another man or woman … is life-changing!  Thank you, Roy and CMN!

Glory to God,

Pastor Augie Iadicicco
Redeemer by the Sea, Carlsbad CA

4. Mike's Story.

For several years now, I have been looking for a mentor: someone who was older and wiser than me, someone who has more life experience than me, and someone who could guide me spiritually. I tried starting accountability groups, and approached older men in my church about the possibility of having them mentor me, all of which failed to produce anything. When my friend Barry told me about Roy and Men in Ministry, and the impact that it was having on his life, I was very eager to get involved. I had seen the change in Barry’s life – he had been mentored and was now mentoring other men – and I saw his enthusiasm and passion for the Lord. Now that I have allowed Roy to take me through his mentoring program, my spiritual life has been renewed and is full of life. I am no longer the Christian with the “stale and stagnant” relationship with the Lord. Even more than this, I have been able to live a life of victory where there was only defeat. Praise God!  The biggest “kicker” for me is that I am a pastor of a local church. Accountability with parishioners in my church is nearly impossible, especially at the deepest level. But I have found that with Roy I am able to be completely open and honest, and that I can now share without fear of judgment. I thank God daily for Roy and Men in Ministry. Our church, through many avenues, is being both blessed and strengthened through this ministry.

Pastor Mike

3. Rick's Story.

In the summer of 2009 I was diagnosed with an aggressive prostate cancer. It is well known that being diagnosed with cancer causes people with the disease to react in different ways. But, the common thread seems to be that we tend to take an inventory of our lives especially when facing a life-threatening situation. I was no exception. Fortunately for me, a man from my church, Roy Comstock, invited me to join his TriCord group shortly after my diagnosis. In the group I was introduced to Mentoring His Way, Twelve Characteristics of A Godly Life. The support and encouragement I received from the group during the months of my cancer treatment, and beyond, as well as Roy’s one-on-one mentoring, helped keep me grounded and deepened my desire for God’s Word.  The privilege of then mentoring men myself, as well as having the honor to serve on the Christian Mentor’s Network Board of Directors, has only deepened my conviction that one-on-one mentoring can be transformational in the lives of men. It always amazes me how many men struggle with the same sets of issues in their spiritual lives, marriages, families, & workplaces. Some men are so disconnected from other men, and even their own families, that they are adrift & unable to have victory in their lives. God gives us the answers in the areas we are struggling with and so much more if we are will seek Him & allow Him to change us. Mentoring does so much to help facilitate this and, I believe, helps us take an inventory of our lives. It is then we can understand what is important from God’s perspective.

As I write this I am told that statistically I have beaten the odds by surviving this long. I don’t know what the future holds as prostate cancer still kills approximately 25,000 men a year. Being able to mentor is a gift, and I hope to give, as well as receive that gift with the days God allows me.

Rick 

5. Art's Story.

My TriCord experience has been the second best thing to ever happen to me. The first, of course, was when I gave my life over to Christ. And with the prayers and encouragement that I receive from TriCord, I’m in the process of learning how to walk in Christ and totally being controlled by the Holy Spirit…every facet of becoming Christ-like is a process.

Because of life circumstances, my self-confidence was hit hard. God has blessed me with TriCord. As a result of being involved with TriCord, my confidence has matured so much… Praise God!!! My confidence has grown in my salvation and who I am in Christ, and for the first time in my life I truly believe I’m heaven bound and I can say that with so much assurance. It’s because of what Christ did on the cross…taking my sins and giving me His righteousness…now I have the right to claim my position in God’s family. The joy and peace I feel from that!!! It’s as if so much weight from the many years of feeling in bondage (the low self-esteem, shame, and condemnation) has been lifted.

TriCord has taught me how to be open and honest with my feelings, and with what is going on in my life. I’m encouraged with the fact that I have other men of God praying for me…men who “have my back” during the bad times. Encouraging and holding me accountable for the “Characteristics of Accountability” questions we ask ourselves daily, and for the way I walk, talk, and live. As a result of TriCord, plus studying the “Mentoring His Way” book series, the evidence of the fruits of the Spirit are manifesting in me.

Being in the TriCord is definitely a part of the “Process” for me. It’s a life-journey in Christ – learning to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, and striving for holiness by being Christ-actualized rather than self-actualized.”

Art