CVM are on the look-out for a Web & Social media Maternity Cover for 10 Months.
Do you know someone who might fit the bill?

Location: The Hub, Chesterfield S41 8XA

Hours: 24 hours (Monday – Thursday*)

Salary: £12,480pa

Job Type: Part Time (10 Months Maternity Cover)

Start Date: 1st October 

CVM is a Christian Charity founded in 1989, based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. CVM serves the UK church to help introduce men to Jesus Christ and the Gospel. 
 

Job Description

This is an exciting opportunity to join our small team of committed people based from the CVM Hub in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The role is to provide cover and support for the web and social media role for 10 months.

The successful applicant will assist in the ongoing role in keeping CVM’s online presence in focus on web and social media platforms.  

Day to day activities will include: uploading and exporting from the CVM database, scheduling and formatting email communication via mail chimp and basic management of the website alongside more general office and admin support.

Closing Date: 1 September 2019

From the 1-3 November 2019, our autumn conference in Nottingham for men returns.

The theme for this year’s Autumn Conference is ‘Give Me This Mountain’

Following on from the great success of our first ever Autumn Conference back in November, you can now book for next autumn’s event.

Nathan and Carl get stuck into ‘The Power of Stuff’ in the latest Codelife podcast.

If you don’t yet subscribe to The Codelife Podcast hosted by CVM’s Nathan Blackaby (CEO) and Carl Beech (President), now’s the time to get onboard.

Check out this 1min 30sec video about what’s coming up.

CVM’s El Presidente and CEO, otherwise known as Beechy and Blackers are going on tour. It’s the CVM GRAND TOUR and it takes to the road on September 16th 2019.

The Plan Is Simple.

Classic VW Camper Van

5 Days

1080 Miles

25 Hours Driving

From Edinburgh to Essex

The Point Of This Grand Tour?

Well, CVM has been around now for three decades, 30 years introducing men to Jesus Christ. To celebrate that, the guys decided to get on the road and meet the grassroots network in some of the towns and cities that have been part of that journey. Capturing stories of salvation, faith and transformation as the guys travel the UK this is going to be an epic trip.

The Route

Beehcy and Blackers will be visiting the following places:

1. Edinburgh
2. Newcastle
3. York
4. Leeds
5. Liverpool
6. Llandudno
7. Leicester
8. Norwich
9. Shrivenham
10. Plymouth
11. Exeter
12. Bristol
13. Swindon
14. Reading
15. Carshalton
16. Essex

How Can You Join In?

The trip will be live streamed via Facebook lives at various points in the day, the guys will be posting regular updates and ‘current position posts’ to keep you all informed.

Our YouTube channel will also have an update video each day highlighting some of the funny and interesting moments form each days travel so be sure to subscribe and turn notifications on to ensure you don’t miss anything.

The Big 30 Celebration Roadshows will take place in Brighton, Bristol and York and will be nights out like no other. Following on from the success of our established CVM Roadshow nights and marking 3 decades of winning men to Jesus, these events will be a packed evening of comedy, fun, inspirational stories and envisioning for the  future.

CVM’s Nathan Blackaby (CEO) and Carl Beech (President), will jointly host each evening with comedy from top stand-up performer, Andy Kind.

It’s perfect occasion for a men’s group event or as a night out with ‘the other half’. You could even combine the two. Either way, you can enjoy a free drink and some nibbles, then sit back and take in the evening.

The Big 30 Celebration Roadshow is an event we’re bringing to three venues only so:

1. Choose the nearest venue to you

2. Book your place

3. Save the date

3 venues…

Mon 23 Sept. Bishop Hannington Church, Brighton BN3 7NH BOOK

Mon 21 Oct. Thornbury Baptist Church, Bristol BS35 2EG BOOK

Mon 25 Nov. The Gateway Centre, York YO24 3BZ BOOK

Cost…

£4 early bird
£6 each
£7 each on the door

Everything was going well for Neil until he started having panic attacks.
He walked in darkness for so many years, suffering with deep depression. He continued to suffer a lot of panic attacks, which he couldn’t understand.
He tried all the conventional methods of man-made treatments and self help methods, but then he stumbled upon the Alpha Course and encountered Jesus and the Holy Spirit, who set him free.
Watch his story here:

Neil’s Story | Great Commission from Evangelical Alliance on Vimeo.
 
Image Credit: Rawpixel
If you are in a crisis or if you’re worried about someone you know – help is available.
Sharing a problem is often the first step to recovery.

This week, ‘Beat’ launched an online support group for fathers of people with eating disorders.

The struggle of seeing someone you love in turmoil and being unable to fix it for them – it’s an all-consuming battle for everyone involved.
And as is often the case in these situations, support for fathers is hard to come by.

Beat, the UK’s leading eating disorder charity, has just launched a weekly online support group for fathers of people with eating disorders.
Nick Pollard is one such father, who is looking forward to the positive impact and connection the support group will bring.

Nick, whose daughter had an eating disorder as a teenager, told Beat:

‘When my daughter Lizzie was very ill with anorexia she really valued Beat’s online support group, but there was nothing specifically for me as a dad. I tried, as best I could, to understand and help Lizzie – but it was a real struggle. It felt like I was cutting a new path through a dense jungle, on my own. I knew that there must be many other dads stuck in the same jungle, but I had no way of contacting them. So I am absolutely delighted that Beat is now launching this support group specifically for dads.’

Alongside its long-running groups for sufferers aged 18 and under and sufferers over 18, Beat’s support groups will now include two groups for those supporting someone with an eating disorder, including the group for fathers and one for mothers.
For more information on dealing with or supporting someone with an eating disorder and/or contact information, please see the Beat website.
Nick was on BBC Two on Tuesday on the Victoria Derbyshire show with his daughter Lizzie talking about help for fathers of children with anorexia – you can watch the piece here http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08pvl75/victoria-derbyshire-09052017 (starts at 45.10)
Lizzie had a hard struggle with anorexia and recently wrote the book called ‘Life Hurts: a doctor’s personal journey through anorexia’. Find out more here including discussion resources from Ethos Media

Recently I have been watching a TV show about stargazing, I loved it. I rushed out to the garage and found my scratched, bits missing Christmas gift from years past telescope and went to work setting it up again. Sitting in the cold garden at 10pm it all came back to me, focusing in on the moon and it’s markings, awesome!
Space is utterly amazing, it’s vastness, and it’s un-chartered depths, wow! As a human race we can understand solar wind and electrons, we have sent voyager 1 to the deepest space we have never reached before, wow. We have people living in the International space station constantly orbiting us, visible from earth. The sun! Now that’s incredible!
I remember something really simple in my own life, the day I looked up. Sounds stupid I know, but I was about 13 and as a boy I can remember walking with my head down, looking at the floor. I lived in Harlow, so this was sometimes a safe method to travel, but on one occasion near the sweet shop I lifted my head, don’t know why, but I lifted it up and from that day that’s where it has been. It was a significant moment.
So what, you might be thinking? Well for me this is important, I spend so much time looking down around me, this problem, that problem, this criticism, or that wrong choice, and I forget to look up.
Psalm 19:1-6 says;
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.
Choosing to look up to God is incredible. If we believe what the Bible says, Jesus has restored our relationship with God when he died and was raised to new life. Because of this, in any and every situation of life we can stop and look up.
This looking up is a simple, daily recognition for me of my love and dependence in what Jesus has done and is to me.
Now this looking up works in the ‘wow’ moments in life and the ‘why’ moments too.
When the good moments turn into the trials and mountains to climb, looking up is the way, to look up and remember you’re not alone, you’re not forgotten, you’re loved and a plan is at work.
One that may lead you through the darkest valleys or the sweetest roads, but fixing you eyes upwards on Jesus the Christ is essential!
Image credit: Photo by U.S. Department of Agriculture / CC BY 2.0

When I served the church as a pastor I had the responsibility to pray for new babies, to lead marriage ceremonies and to assist funeral services. The funeral services that I have held inevitably ended at the cemetery, where a place or marker is established as a final resting place.
Recently after a meeting, I drove past a large cemetery where two of my family have their bodies laid. I drove in and walked around locating the place, the marble marker with their names engraved into metal. Silently I just sat, thinking about them, their lives, the memories, and the effect of these two people in my life. As I sat, I prayed, I looked around and read many of the inscriptions, the names and dates, the families that would come to remember these lives.
What’s the point in writing this? Well the cemetery is a place where I often find a renewed vision. It is so easy to put financial success, material acquisitions, the big holidays or the new car at the top of our lives. Working hard to achieve these things and find our value, to buy more, to obtain more in my opinion means less time and less of me going into the things that really last beyond the grave, it feels like I am just collecting dust.
The house can be taken, damaged, burnt, broken into. The cars; in a year they are replaced by a better looking faster model, the holiday becomes pictures no one wants to see. There must be more that is worth investing my life into, this one chance that I have!
This is only part of the picture, you see not only does this reflection help in what I am trying to pursue in life, it helps me focus on the things I don’t want to dominate my life, like letting fear rule my actions. I’m looking for the chance to step out in faith, the chance to go for something bigger than me and take a risk. The chance to give to someone in a way that will really cost me, the chance to forgive, to love, to show mercy, grace and hospitality like I have never done before!
The Bible in Matthew chapter 6 records Jesus speaking saying:
″Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal”
This is a bit of a challenge by Jesus! Is it wrong to work hard and enjoy life with your family and friends? To take some pleasure in the rewards for your work? No, I don’t think that’s true. But the words of Jesus call us to take a good look at where our heart is!
Jesus knows us, better than we can ever imagine, he knows that we can be consumer machines that never reach fulfillment in our material hunger.
I used to go to bed as a child with the Argos catalogue, looking for my next top 5 items. When they were acquired did I throw the book away? No, I found the next top 5.
Where is the balance, sell everything and give to the poor? Well Jesus did say that to some, but why? Well I think this is a heart condition. What is it that drives us? Motivates us, consumes our time, our thoughts our energy? Is it stuff? The next purchase in the Argos book?
I don’t know the outcome you will arrive at, take a walk around the local cemetery and ask yourself some questions.
What will you be known for? Having a 3 bed semi with a nice carpet and double glazing? That bloke who always had the cleanest and newest cars?
Or a person that wasn’t ruled by material stuff, but lived to follow the most radical life-giver the world has ever and will ever see!
To be known as a bloke who lived out a radical kindness, generosity and faith in Jesus Christ, in public and in private.
Are you a person who is not held by fear; fear of failure, fear of inadequacy, fear of ridicule? A person who loves greatly, gives generously, forgives deeply, loves unconditionally? That is worth living for, they are values and characteristics that I want to be known for when someone visits my grave.
Image credit: Photo by Sean MacEntee / CC BY 2.0

Welcome to the new blog from the CVM team, let’s start with a question:
Have you ever been walking along and a complete stranger greets you warmly with a smile and a nod? You may be thinking ‘what does he/she want? Have I got breakfast around my face or in my beard?’ (happens to me regularly). Or you may take the greeting for what it’s worth, feel encouraged and be on your way. The point is, sometimes it’s the really simple things that can make a difference to us.
Take the Bible for example, in particular a book written by a guy called James. He talks about ships being steered by a tiny rudder and a match that can set ablaze a huge amount of trees… or was that the Stereophonics? Anyway, your tongue, proportionally tiny, but very powerful, can build up or bring down. These things are small and simple, yet have huge effects and implications in life.
A few years ago something so simple had a huge impact on my life. I remember a very elderly lady getting up in Church, walking slowly to the front. Lifting her head she stood gazing at the congregation. In silence we waited, watched, but nothing. She just stood there looking out at us. The microphone buzzed and squealed as the sound guy started to panic boosting the audio levels, but she remained calm, still, waiting. What she said was simple, ‘Read your Bible and pray every day if you want to grow’ then she shuffled back to her place, head down and still.
The service moved on and we all went home, but that simple truth stayed with me, why? She hadn’t just invented it; Jesus spoke the message before, that ‘man cannot live by bread alone, but on every single word from God.’ Matthew 4:4
The faith and relationship that we can enjoy with God because of Jesus Christ has to be a life that is fed and cared for. Much like how we care for and feed our physical state, our spiritual one is in need of spiritual food.
Perhaps you have made a commitment to God before and things have gone cold, or the challenges of certain life experiences have caused you to move away.
The message is simple, if you want to grow in your relationship with God, if you want to be the man you know God desires you to be, read His Word (the Bible) and pray each day. This is not a prescription like the doctor will give, this is a living relationship that requires you to respond, to move forward and closer to God, that’s done in reading and praying.
And remember this simple guide, as you open and read God’s word, ask Him, ‘Lord what were you saying then, and what do you want to say to me today?’