About Us

Since 1930 CBMC has helped business leaders around the world integrate their faith and work. In 1986 we established our first peer advisory group. In 2014 the CBMC Trusted Advisor Forums were established to update our ministry to senior business leaders. There are many options when it comes to leadership development. However, those who are committed to their Christian values and desire to integrate these into their business have limited choices. Trusted Advisor Forums provides a confidential peer to peer environment where faith and leadership intersect. It is a whole life leadership approach, encompassing the multiple roles and responsibilities leaders maintain with their business, family and greater community.

Business leaders have a tendency to “go it alone,” but this isn’t always the best strategy. Solomon, one of the wisest leaders in history, maintains that two are better than one: “If one falls down, the other can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up.”

Member

Advantages

  1. Godly Counsel

    Drawing on the wisdom, giftedness, and experience of the peers in your group. Godly counsel is a major theme of the book of Proverbs, because it is one of the best ways to gain wisdom. Many bible verses speak to this, such as Proverbs 10, verse 17: “He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, but he who ignores reproof goes astray.” When a problem or question arises in your company, experienced business leaders in your peer advisory group can recount how they may have reacted to a similar problem and how they applied best of business principles coupled with Christian wisdom. By drawing on the wisdom and experience of other leaders with various gifts, you can honor the Lord with your business.

  2. Mutual Support

    Receiving and giving understanding, empathy, and encouragement when facing both difficulties and opportunities. In CBMC Trusted Advisor Forums offerings, leaders encourage each other in wisdom from the Bible, listening and praying through the hard times. “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad” (Proverbs 12:25 ).

  3. Accountability

    Gaining the courage to follow through on tough decisions and issues as they arise. Since leaders will ultimately be held accountable to God for every action and thought, it would be wise to ask for accountability from fellow Christians now (Romans 14:12, Matthew 12:36). Natural leaders are disciplined people. With healthy accountability, the leaders in your peer group can take up the weapons with “divine power to destroy strongholds” and fight your part of the spiritual battle in this world (2 Corinthians 10:4 ).

  4. Prayer

    Experiencing the power and ministry of prayer both as a group and with individual members. Just as Jesus prayed over all things, we pray over every detail of our lives. We understand that we are not our own person. We are stewards of our lives, our families, and our companies. Through prayer, we submit to God and seek His direction.

  5. Confidentiality

    Gaining the confidence in one another that comes with honesty and transparency in a confidential environment. You need people with whom you can discuss sensitive issues from your personal life and your business. The trustworthy peers in your peer advisory group are just such people, peers who will keep your secrets and pray for God’s richest blessing for you.

Typical Agenda

What does the agenda look like for a Peer Advisory Group?

  • A monthly gathering in a comfortable offsite location giving a sense of sabbatical with time to recharge, reflect, and sharpen one’s focus. The duration of these monthly meetings are 3-4 hours.
  • Devotional – Setting the stage for the day – dedicating my business to God by starting with a devotion focused on a business subject or issue.
  • Discovering the latest in business thinking– An interactive discussion on best in business principles using a variety of resources.
  • Developing my leadership – How does a “Christian workview” fit with the business principle discussed? Using prewritten faith based work responses, engage in an interactive discussion as a direct application of the Bible to the business.
  • Delving into one member’s issue – this is the main event of the time together as we take a key business issue one of the members is facing and build a framework for a path to long-term resolution.
  • Round Table – Prayer items – updates from each attendee, including disciple making – in my sphere of influence and praying for one another.

Why would you want to be part of CBMC Trusted Advisor Forums?

  • Do you call yourself a Christian, yet feel like you fall short when it comes to living out your faith at work?
  • Do you feel alone sometimes as you make important business decisions by not having other Christian leaders to support you?
  • Do you desire to get connected to other business leaders you could count on for reliable Godly counsel for business decisions?
  • Do you recognize the value of making yourself vulnerable to the accountability of others as you act upon your long term goals?
  • Do you do an effective job of sharing your faith within the sphere of influence you operate within?
  • Do you regularly pray about the daily needs and challenges of your business and your role as a leader?
  • Do you see the value of having a confidential place to turn for open dialogue around challenges you face as a business leader?
Want to know more?

Leadership Team

  • Don Hoffert
    Area Director, CBMC Northland & Natl TAF Servant

    Don Hoffert is the CBMC Northland Trusted Advisor Forums Director where by Gods enablement, he has been shepherding growth to 35 facilitators and 315 peer advisory business leaders since 2008. In addition, he strategically advises on the growth, development and training to expand the 750 CEO-Owners network nationally. Don retired from a 30 year corporate career in 2007, last as VP of Business Excellence for Storaenso Paper, a fortune 50 company winning a number of national and state performance excellence awards. He was introduced to CBMC while on international assignment in Helsinki Finland. He is passionate about nurturing teams toward a servant leader, biblical Workview perspective for the glory of God and for leaders joy as they steward their businesses well while focusing on the Great Commission. Don and his wife Cynthia live in Minneapolis, MN and enjoy spending time with their 2 adult children/spouses and 6 grandchildren. Don has also invested time ministering as a church elder the last 4 decades. He has a BS in engineering.

  • Paul Johnson
    Director, Leader Advancement

    Over the past 28 years Paul has served CBMC in a variety of positions that have allowed him to pursue his passion for helping emerging leaders discover and develop their leadership potential. Paul completed his undergraduate work at Metro State University and received his Master of Arts in Theology and Counseling from Bethel Seminary. In 2007 he completed his professional certification as a Leadership Coach. He is the co-author and producer of the acclaimed CBMC Leadership Coach Training curriculum which is changing the way CBMC leaders are being developed in the United States and around the world. Paul is the former Vice-President of CBMC International. His speaking and training engagements have taken him to more 60 countries on 5 continents. He remains engaged in mentoring a select group of emerging leaders in Europe and Africa. Paul and his wife Carol live in St. Paul, Minnesota and have three grown children and three grandchildren.