Growing up, I used to love watching the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons. Of course, Wile E. tried every trick in the book to catch up to the speedy Road Runner, often with the use of a mail-order device from the Acme Corporation.
 
While some believe that Acme simple stood for "A Company that Makes Everything," it was really a clever use of irony. "Acme" means the highest point of achievement or development. In other words, it's as good as it gets. Unfortunately, operator error consistently doomed the incompetent canine to epic failure even as Acme's product worked flawlessly.
 
What if Wile E. Coyote had someone to help him? What if he went to Acme's annual convention and met other Acme customers who had successfully hunted and caught a Road Runner? Can you imagine the workshop titles? Slingshot Strategies on Uneven Terrain, or Parachute Safety for Rocket Users.
 
Men's discipleship is the true Acme of the local church. Yet too often operator error dooms our efforts to spectacular failure. Most leaders are not as tireless as Wile E. Coyote. After a couple of "crash and burn" experiences, we often see leaders quietly remove themselves from the hunt. Maybe you're easing that way yourself right now, or you know someone who is.
 
That's why the Annual Summit is so important to us, and why you should come. The Summit brings together leaders who are successfully "catching the road runner." They are making men's discipleship work in their church, community, region or denomination. They are the "super-users," using the Acme products to perform the Acme tasks, often with Acme results. Best of all, they are eager to share what they've learned with leaders who are as committed to men's discipleship as they are. Leaders like you.
 
This isn't a cartoon. Our stakes aren't scrawny fleet-footed birds. We can't afford to lose our most enthusiastic leaders. If you want to learn from the experts, if you need encouragement as a disciple-maker, or if you have fellow leaders who need to learn, grow and be inspired, you can't miss the Summit. It's the Acme Convention of Men's Discipleship.
 
For more information on the 2010 Man in the Mirror Annual Summit, go to www.maninthemirrorsummit.com. You'll find workshop leaders and main session speakers, schedule and registration pages, travel and lodging information, local area attractions and more.