The Momentous History of Lions Roar!

In 1979, Edwin Louis Cole, Nancy Corbett Cole and Paul Louis Cole incorporated a new ministry, believing God was about to start something…. In February, 1980, at a men’s retreat in the mountains of Oregon, God gave Edwin Louis Cole a “word” for men. It produced such a phenomenal response in men’s hearts that by April, the first city-wide rally for men was held, with 38 men attending.

In June, 1980, God spoke to Dr. Cole’s heart to “major in men in ministry.” In July, at the first concerted nation-wide effort to minister to men, Campbell McAlpine prophesied that this ministry would become a “new threshing instrument with a sharp cutting edge,” based on Isaiah 41:15.

On April 24, 1981, at a prayer meeting for the ministry, George Otis said, “This ministry is running late.” Within twenty-four hours, Dr. Cole resigned every ministry with which he was engaged, walked into the church where he pastored and made farewells.

The following day, with a typewriter and a four-drawer file in his kitchen, the ministry was underway. In April, 1984, 7,800 men attended the first National Christian Men’s Event in the United States.

In September, 1986, Dr. Cole started using monthly videos to be part of the pastor’s call to disciple men, to stand alongside God’s chosen men and deliver the life-changing truths God was pouring into our hearts and minds. Throughout the world, men were able to minister in their church, home, school, business, prison and elsewhere. Ministry occurred every day of the week, fitting into the leaders’ schedule. In October, 1986, the first overseas campaign was in Australia. Other nations quickly followed.

In 1996, Christian Men’s Network launched a major thrust to establish ministry to men in 210 nations by 2001, effectively covering the globe with the message that “manhood and Christlikeness are synonymous.” In 1998, a global effort brought men in from around the world for training, equipping and commissioning, resulting in leaders coming from 50 nations for the first “Lions Roar!” Majoring in Men® training was introduced, developed from the books written by Edwin Louis Cole. Thousands of men began distributing hundreds of thousands of books in dozens of languages.

Why does CMN have such an international impact? Because the Network works! The truths we teach come from years of experience and success. For thirty years, we have seen men follow the patterns and principles that have dramatically impacted families, businesses, churches, communities, and even entire nations.

The venture of faith, which it is, was initiated by God to multiply the ministry to men which He so sovereignly started in 1980 with just 38 men.

It is God’s Network, God’s men, and God’s ministry for our generation.

At Lions Roar, men come from all over the world to network with other men who are reaching their church, their community, their nation for Christ. Men leave different than they came, with hearts bent on reaching another man. We can change the world, and we are—one man at a time!