Although my husband was always committed to me and our family, even before we were married, going through the Edwin Louis Cole books and doing the work needed to get commissioned in May, 2003, has helped him be more focused on what he always knew to be right. He has always been there for us because he knew it was the right thing to do, but now he knows why its the right thing to do. In the past 2 years, he has grown to be a better leader of the home, as well as our "pastor" at home. I have always known he loves me, but now I am absolutely certain. He has learned how to express his love for me in ways that have convinced me that I am worthy of love. As for our children (7 of them), he is better able to lead them and guide them in the way each one should go. Our first 3 children are sons. One is already a teenager and the other 2 will be soon. This could not have come at a better time, as I was dreading having to deal with teenage boys. With my husbands Real Man training, he has been able to help me learn how to deal with the coming physical, mental, and spiritual changes. I am better prepared to raise teenage sons because my husband has been able to tell me what to expect. We have discussed how to handle the coming changes and are in agreement and that makes me more confident. I thank God for Real Man Ministries. I have always been a blessed wife, but am so much more blessed now.
Penny Lane
Phoenix First Assembly of God
Testimony of God’s Financial Goodness.<br><br>I would like to testify as to the goodness and faithfulness of God. There was a time I was several thousand dollars in debt on my credit card. Each month I paid about $200 toward paying it off but it never seemed to get lower. I must admit that I did not change my lifestyle of living that was not excessive but not necessary. I did not consciously connect my credit card bill with my life style. The credit card balance began to be a cause of worry. It caused friction between my wife and myself. Finally one day while I was alone, a voice spoke. Clear as if you spoke to me. But, no one was there. He asked, “Do you want to get out of debt?” I thought to myself, “Yes”. Then He asked, “Do you trust Me?” I had always trusted the Lord verbally but this was different. He was asking. I said, “Yes”. “If you are faithful and do as I command, I will have you out of debt in one year.” This sounded good. Then He told me what to do. “Pay your tithes before you pay any bills and then pay $586 to the visa bill every month.” That exact figure was as clear as a bell. I had always paid my tithe after paying my bills so this was no problem but $586 instead of $200 was a little out of line. I was already living check to check. I said, “Lord I can switch the order of paying my tithes but where do I get $386 more every month?” “Do you trust Me over all your savings?” Now He was talking about my future and protection of my family. I struggled and finally said, “Yes.” “Cancel your 401k contributions for one year.” I checked my pay stubs and those contributions were $387 per month. I cancelled them and in 13 months I was debt free on my credit card. On top of that, God never said to stop using the card but I never found reason to use the card for another 2 years. I can say that I am still debt free after 8 years and loss of job, but that is another blessing and testimony. God never said He would pay the debts I created but He did show me how to overcome them and took care of me while I did it.
Larry Clewley
I am one of those who were raised in church. Since I can remember I was in church. The only time I remember my family not going to church was when we stopped going in my 7th-9th grade years of school. When that happened I faded from God. I was on fire in sixth grade. I was getting close so young and I loved it. Things occurred with my mom and dad and that was why we left. Now over a year ago my dad got saved and my mom also. The impact it had on me was first anger and I wanted to get away from them. Then slowly my foundation that had been placed was burning me up. We went to Phoenix First a year and a half ago and He started to minister to me slowly. Id go up to the altar almost every Sunday night and morning. Then I lost my best friend, my grandmother. I couldnt take it. I went into a deep depression and started to not care. If not for my father and mother I would not be where I am today. They spoke life and not death so that I would have a hope. Finally, a man named Bill, whom I respect a lot, told me his testimony in the PFA Cafe one night during this Christmas Pageant. It hit me hard, so hard that in the conversation I prayed to God by myself that he’d forgive me because from Bill’s testimony I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that He was real. God anointed Bill’s words and through Bill I saw the grace of God. That is how I was saved. Since then I’ve begun reading my Bible. I read three chapters of the New Testament, three chapters of the Old Testament, a Psalms and a Proverbs every day now. I’m on fire and God has given me dreams. I’m only sixteen years old and I’m dedicating my life to the cause of Christ. Psalms 56:1-13 “Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me,. O thou most High. When time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil. They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul. Shall they escape by iniquity? In thine anger cast down the people, O God. Thou tallest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. For thou has delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?”
Nick Jordan
Phoenix First Assemblies
My good friend of 25 years, Steve Phelps, was used of the Lord to lead me to Phoenix First Assembly from a church I had been attending for almost 20 years. From there I started to attend the Real Man Thurday morning prayer breakfast at Dennys in Paradise Valley which is now held at the Orangetree Resort in Scottsdale.When I first started I was having struggles with numerous areas of my life including marriage, finances, emotions and just a general feeling of malaise. My faith was faltering.What I found was a group of men who told me like it was and would not yield to my previous habits and patterns of looking for people who would agree with me or use the lastest and greatest fad theology or better described psycho-theology. These are men who harvest the truths of scripture and apply them to their lives...with tangible results, and that is all the difference. Yes a true paradigm "shift" or should I say "return" to Biblical principles of manly living.My life is far from perfect, however, there have been immense improvements, and while I have a long way to go, I now have a band of brothers I can go to, lean on, and count on. In my weakness I have found strength. I have found the true man Jesus in these men and wow He is a REAL MAN. I want to be like Him and thats what my life is now dedicated to. Give me more of Him.Thanks Ken, and Pastor Barnett and Pastor Godzich, and all of my Real Man brothers. I love you all. Lets help each other to heaven.Phil Schembri
Philip A. Schembri, P.E
Phoenix, Arizona
I cannot begin to describe how powerful a movement of God this is. I have been a Christian for over 20 years but have never experienced the Holy Spirit like this before. Franklin's messages on the Blood of Christ were so powerful I had to get and distribute copies on tape. They have traveled around the United States and among my friends in Phoenix. The life change that accompanies this has been nothing short of amazing. I cannot emphasize how good God is and how he is using this ministry to raise up men like never before.
Chris
Phoenix
I started going to the mens breakfast 4 or 5 years ago. The reason I started going was to network with other christin business owners and get some help starting my own business.I remember the speaker talking about being a man of God and making choices now that will change the coarse of my future. "reach into your future and pull down some of Gods will for your life today", "change is not change untill it becomes change", People will not change untill the pain of staying the same becomes great enough to make them want to change", "a short pencil is better than a long memory". These were some of the things that I heard them saying. I have held on to the principles I learned and aplied them to my life and have seen God do miracles in my life, marriage, and business. I thought I was going to be learning business stratagies and marketing ideas but instead I learned something much greater. I am chosen by God to be here on this earth for his plan and purpose for my life. The closer I get to him the stronger I am inside. Now God gives me stratgies and marketing ideas and favor and blessings which have propelled me to a way of life I could never have imagioned for myself.Thanks to a few faithfull men that are fulfilling Gods purpose for there lives.I am currently attending a Max track class and can wait to teach other men what I am learning
Matthew Smith
Phoenix, AZ
My story with Real Man Ministries began in a bar at a Dennys in Phoenix, AZ, where I heard principles from the Word of God that I had not heard before. In the beginning my heart was hard and I was not faithful to attend every Thursday morning, but eventually I felt myself being drawn there. I remember it was winter 2001 when I was strongly encouraged to attend a men’s event that spring in Dallas, called Lions Roar with Dr. Ed Cole. "Yeah right!" was my response. That cost money and time away from work I could not afford to take! But, through a series of events and circumstances, I went to Dallas for Lions Roar. There I had a personal encounter with God, and I knew something was conceived in my spirit. I was deeply touched by the Commissioning Ceremony that took place there. I heard that men completed a nine-book curriculum study in order to earn the Commission as a Minister to Men and a sword. As Dr. Cole prayed over each man and gave him the "Sword of The Lord" he had earned, I saw the countenance of each man changed at that very moment. I wanted that change. The Sword represented that change. In October 2002, at the strong suggestion of my good friend and brother Andy Glenn I began the curriculum study with Andy and ten other men. In May 2003, I was Commissioned a Minister to Men by Real Man Ministries. My life as I knew it would never be the same. I began a Max Track leading eight men through the curriculum and they were all commissioned May 2004. In June 2004, due to a dear friends schedule, I started a Champion School, (Manhood 101) at 7am Sunday mornings. Fifteen faithful men attend regularly. I was speaking to a friend in Tuscon about working out our salvation with fear and trembling and going through the curriculum, I discovered that, like Jacob, wrestling with God physically for a blessing, I had been wrestling with God spiritually. God touched Jacobs hip, changed his walk and changed his name.Today, March 2, 2005, I realized that God has touched my heart, and changed my walk and changed my name. God has so richly blessed me with a continuing revelation of who He is and who I am in Him. I want to encourage you right now, wherever you are, if you will purpose in your heart to go through this curriculum, and you honestly examine yourself in the Light of Gods Word, the Holy Spirit will minister to you, He will bless you! He will change your walk and change your name. "Change isn't change til its change." In Christ
D. Craig Sallas RMM Commissioned Minister to Men
Phoenix First Assembly of God
I was in the fast trac class on Monday nights and when it was the first part of January I had a strong feeling that this was going to be the greatest year of my life and that the Lord was the reason behind it. First thing I did was join the church. A sort time later I answered the add in the paper for a job that I thought I was well qualified for. I and friends from my bible study group prayed for me along with my Real Man class. It got down to two people and I did not get the job. I just figured that the Lord has a good reason. Shortly there after I went to the doctor about my eyes and found out that I had to have my eye operated on. So I would not have been able to keep the job I tried to get. When I had my eye operated on, the place where I worked laid me off and I had no insurance. I put my trust and faith in the Lord and put my mind at ease. I had the operation on Monday and on Sunday night our church was having a praise party for the Choir, which I belong. I felt that the Holy spirit was present and I told my friends that were present. When I got home I was told that some man had called me and told me that I had a job. I called the man in the morning and he told me that the man that got that job that I did not get earlier could not keep the job so it was mine and all I had to do wad fill out the paper work. I feel that the Lord was holding that job for me and even though my one eye was going to need some time to heal, they said that tghey did not care. I now work there and I feel that it is the best job I have ever had and I put the thanks and praise in the hand of Jesus Christ and the fact that with what I am learning in the Real Man Class and the faith I have in Jesus to be the only reason that as I said, this is going to be the best year of my life and it is off to a good start. With praise and love for Christ.
Jeff Currier
Phoenix First assembly of God
My name is Richard Clark. I am fairly new to Real Man Ministries, a member since December 2004. I have been lead by the Holy Spirit to share my testimony. My testinmony actually begins on a hot August night in 1995. My(then)stepson and I were having a rather heated discussion following dinner that evening. I can't even remeber what it was about now. All I really remember is feeling so exasperated and angry at the inability to control the situation. At the point in time I could go on no longer I stormed out the patio door,sat in a chair, looked to the heavens and said:"God help me, I can't do this on my own any more" and began to cry. I sat by myself for a long time and conversed with a Man I had never spoken to formally. But now was babbling like a fool. Jesus came into my heart that night and began a transformation. Over the next several days my life changed. Isn't it funny how God shows up at the eleventh hour. After a few days my wife commented that there was something different about me. I shared with her at that time what I had done that night on the patio. She became curios, asking many questions I could not answer. We began attending church on a regular basis.On a particular Sunday I filled out, as usual, our attendance card. That night as we lied in bed my wife began asking questions again. Biblical questions I had difficulty answering. Quietly I asked God to send someone to help me. The next night(Monday)God sent two people from our church to minister to my wife. She accepted Christ that evening. What an answer to prayer! We were baptized together on November 25 1995. Our spiritual life together began. However in retrospect we did not have,nor have the training to have a spirit filled home.We underwent multiple attacks on our marriage and our marriage did not survive.Much of this I take responsibility for because I of course was the head of the house and knew everything. Only to find out later I knew nothing. My wife left me in August 2004 due to the fact niether one of us could bend but instead broke. I was a stubborn sort,convinced I could pray my wife home.Wrong. I did the counsiling thing but no one told me what I wanted to hear. My best friend Jim had received some counsiling at his church, Phoenix First, and suggested I try there. I made an appointment with Pastor Leo. Pastor Leo set me straight. If you don't want to hear the truth I would not recommend Pastor Leo. I now attend his Marriage class every Sunday morning at 9:00AM. What a blessing that was and is. Pastor Leo is one of the most incredible teachers and men I know. His teaching is phonominal. My friend Jim then had another great idea. He thought I should get involved in this ministry he was invovled in. Real Man Ministries. Of course I din't need anything like that.My life was fine and God and I were going to fix things.After persistantly inviting me and almost tying me up and throwing me in his trunk and forcing me to go,I went.So beat me up again. This is quite the church. All they do is point out your short comings and tell you how wrong you are. Where's the support there? Ahh.... but there is. Phoenix First is a loving,supportive place where God meets you head-on.I have attended Phoenix First now since February 2005.I was Baptized in the Holy Spirit March 25 2005. WOW! My life forever transformed. As mentioned before my friend Jim took me to my first Real Man meeting. That was in December 2004. I went kicking and screaming. But,Jim being the loving best friend he is didn't care.I was going.My first meeting,taught by Craig Salas, I was "forced" to stand in front of the group, and give a praise report.I din't have much of one except that I was alive. And at that point I didn't know if that was necessarily a good thing.These men, that night, minisered to me and loved me. They didn't care how broken I was, they just cared.These men showed me what it was that made a man a man. I walked out of that first meeting excited about the next. As time went on week after week I became more participatory in each meeting. God, these men through Him and Real Man Ministries was changing me. What a blessing! So what has Real Man taught me? Men pretty much see life as a one oneway road. We forge on in on direction never or seldom looking back. We have an awesome responsibility to God,our wives,our children, and lastly to ourselves. We are to lead with love and understanding as Christ lead His desciples. We are to love and support our wives with all our hearts. We are to respect them as women and as our life partner. Our children should look up to us with respect not fear.They should see us as leaders. They should know they are protected. They should know we will allow them to grow and experience life and all it's disappointments with love and support. To be there through the times of disappointment as well as their successes. Our wives and children should always see Christ in us. We need to provide a Christ centered home.Our actions must parrot our words. And because we are not always able to do all these things,because we are men, we must be able to recognize our short-comings.We must be able first to forgive and then to ask for forgivness. Real Man has taught me much more than that but that is the foundation which I believe I will stand. Real Man Ministries has been a blessing to me. It has turned my life in a new direction. A direction I am proud to go in. I know I'm not perfect. I know I will mess up. But I also know God is right there to catch me and forgive me and send me on my way. As well as a group of men that will do the same. I must take the opportunity here to thank God and the men He sent. First, God. Thank you for bringing me through the fire. Jim, thank you for all the times we sat and prayed together and for ministering to me. Thank you for never judging me and always being there for me. Thank you Dale Lane. Thank you for your teachings and leadership. Thank you for helping me to discover, in me, a man I knew not exsisted. Thank you for the endless weeks of preparing a lesson and being so faithful to a few(our group is small). Thank you Craig for your prayers and support. I have saved one particular man for last because I will never forget what he said to me. His name is Jerry Fisher. He left our Real Man group some time ago to pursue his calling in the ministry. Jerry always had something positive to say to me.On the last night he attended Real Man he told me he had never seen anyone transform and change as much as I had in a short period of time. How God and that ministry had changed me was incredible. He then asked if he could use my story as a ministry to others. He told me he would not use my name. My reply was: of course, but please use my name. If I can return the blessing that was so graciously given me, it would be an honor.I have many friends that have noted the change in me and what a blessing that is. I never miss an opportunity to tell anyone about Real Man Ministries. Real Man Ministries has been a blessing. I know because of the nature of the ministry there is much more of a support system than what I mention here. These men are truly men of God and walk the talk. Thank you for the opportunity to share my heart. And thank you God for these men that lead me to this ministry, and changed my life forever. God bless Real Man Ministries and the men who pour their hearts into it day after day. Saving men such as myself. Lovingly, your brother in Christ; Richard Clark RMM Ephesians 6:10-11
Richard Clark / Real Man Ministries
Phoenix, AZ
First of all, please allow me to say hello to you, thank you for your time and may God bless you. My name is Matthew Goh, from Malaysia. God has been very kind to me for the past 40 years of my life. He has thought me so many things and I feel so close to him. I want to serve him, and I feel its time for me to start doing so. I wrote my self-profile (testimony) titled "Believe - the purpose of life" in year 1998, at the time when I was in great financial trouble. Here is a quote from the book: "Today is 20 September 1998. I started to write this profile just a few weeks ago, to testify about Gods love for me and his performed miracles I have witnessed. Now, halfway writing this, I was told that I would be retrenched from my present job. I know it will be difficult for me to find another job due to the current economy recession in Malaysia. Worst still, my wife Elaine is pregnant and my baby daughter Caitlin will be delivered in about five weeks from now. I feel the great pressure and burden. My greatest scare and pain are to see Elaine and Caitlin suffering, who I place far more important than myself. Despite the current problems and hardship I am facing, I continue to pray hard to God and I determine to complete this profile to show my strong faith in him." God answers my prayers, again and again. In fact, he has done more than that. I have created a website http://www.matthewgoh.com solely for the purpose of allowing easy access and convenient reading of my book (testimony) titled "Believe - the purpose of life". Please read it at your leisure. I am convinced of his love, and I would like to share my experience with you. May God bless you and be with you always. Want to be a servant of Christ, Matthew Goh
Matthew Goh
Malaysia