Brand New Book! BOGO Special Friends Edition

Audacious title.

Simple message.

Profound way of life.

"For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk;

It is living by God's power." 

1 Corinthians 4:20

Because of your long and fun history as a subscriber to Cup O' Joe with Bill, I want to honor and thank you in a special way.

You are among the very first to hear about Cadre's brand new book, The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus: The Why, What, and How of Disciplemaking Friendships that Multiply.

That's right. We haven't shouted this fun news out to the general public via social media just yet. We wanted to do something special for our longtime friends like you—so we've printed a limited number of special book covers we're calling our "Pre-release Friend Edition."

But wait. There's more!

For a limited time, we are giving you a buy-one-get-one FREE option. Why? So you'll read, live, and share what you’re learning with a friend.

Here’s how our BOGO (buy-one-get-one) FREE offer works...
1. Put two books into your online cart.
2. As you go check out, apply the coupon code: cupojoe 

When you apply the coupon code, you’ll see the cost of one book is subtracted.

Here's how the brand new book is laid out...

Section 1 The WHY of Disciplemaking Friendships
* Introduction: Are We Confidently Walking In Circles?
* Chapter 1 Why Disciplemaking Like Jesus?

Section 2 The WHAT of Disciplemaking Friendships
* Chapter 2 It All Starts with TW
* Chapter 3 Add Generous Amounts of K4
* Chapter 4 Stir It All Together with D3

Section 3 The HOW of Disciplemaking Friendships
* Chapter 5 Start Here Start Now—with PIE
* Conclusion: Your Disciplemaking Friendship Stories

The book explores...

• Why disciplemaking friendships is a way of life is for every follower of Jesus.
• The three irreducible minimums for Jesus-like disciplemaking friendships that multiply (a.k.a., Jesus' disciplemaking "secret sauce."
• Tons of real-life stories that reveal the nuts and bolts of Jesus-like disciplemaking friendships.
• Almost 400 questions to make you think and wrestle what disciplemaking friendships that multiply look like in real life with your family and friends.
• The three most important first steps for engaging God and others in a disciplemaking friendship.
• How to listen and respond to the Holy Spirit's leading in the formation and development of disciplemaking friendships that multiply.

Plus, each of the five chapters conclude with application and discussion questions perfect for reading and wrestling what you learn together with family and friends.

Get your special “Pre-Release Friend Edition” book—plus a FREE book for a friend—while you can.

All you have to do is go here and put two copies into your cart. At checkout use the coupon code: cupojoe

FREE AUDIO: Praying AND Living the Disciplemaker's Prayer

Yep. Some crazies actually allowed Derrick Smothers and me to be on radio. Thanks to Mike and Heather in the Morning at KEYY Radio in Provo, UT, for this fun discussion about what a Jesus-like disciplemaking way of life might look like for regular people in everyday life.

Check it out here.

Stream it while you drive, exercise, or whatever. Thanks for listening.


p.s. As we mentioned in the interview, here's the Disciplemaker's Prayer and how you can get copies. And here's the Disciplemaker's Living Guide that was referred to in the interview.

Go west young ma... um, old man

Why are we investing time and energy training disciplemakers out west in places like NV, UT, AZ and CA? Here's why.

Here's just one of the churches/ministries we partnered with last week in NV and UT. We were your missionaries of encouragement and equipping to pastors, church planters, and ministry leaders with eight different ministries in seven days. As your Cadre Missionaries, we drilled down on how Jesus made disciples who made more disciples—who made more disciples.

Best of all, we partnered with one of our favorite Cadre trainers, Derrick Smothers (on the right). You should totally read about our exciting disciplemaking partnership with Derrick and The E3 Connection. In the picture above we're loving on Pastor Carl Wimmer and his wife—who are planting a Gospel-centered church that is one of the few for miles around.

If you don't take the time to read anything else, please watch Pastor Carl's testimony—above—and you'll see exactly why we're taking Cadre's training to these brothers and sisters in otherwise under-served, under-resourced, and often more challenging places. If the video doesn't appear, go here.

Would you please take a moment to pray right now for this church as they live and share this Jesus-like disciplemaking way of life with others?

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 
Let me encourage you and and make you think 1 stinking time a week (usually Monday morning) with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Two Simple Steps...

1. Go here and submit your email.
2. Go to your email and click the Feedburner confirmation link.
You can unsubscribe at any time with no questions asked simply by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email you receive from Cup O' Joe with Bill. Honest. You got nothing to lose. Try it.

When is Cadre going to do something new?

"All you ever focus on is disciplemaking. When is Cadre going to do something new?"

Those were the words of a ministry friend of mine. I love him deeply. And I still do :  )

I smiled and said, "When King Jesus gives us new marching orders, then I will focus on that. Until then, the last I heard was, "Go and make disciples...."

I know. The newest thing is always so... sexy, cool, and shiny. And there is always a new thing coming down the pike.

But this is precisely where we must not confuse that which is sensational with that which is significant.

Friends, sensational doesn't automatically mean significant. It may just be just a lot of hype and hot air.

Ponder the difference between sensational and significant. Which of those two really matter? Why?

For those still reading, I encourage you to pay close to this blog the next few weeks for something that is both new and ancient—and more importantly, something that we hope will be significant in helping people follow Jesus together.  You, as Cup O' Joe subscribers, will be among the very first to be in the know.

BONUS: 
Free Audio Here.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 
Let me encourage you and and make you think 1 stinking time a week (usually Monday morning) with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Two Simple Steps...

1. Go here and submit your email.
2. Go to your email and click the Feedburner confirmation link.
You can unsubscribe at any time with no questions asked simply by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email you receive from Cup O' Joe with Bill. Honest. You got nothing to lose. Try it.

Do you really want to be a better leader?

Let's unpack this more here.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 
Let me encourage you and and make you think 1 stinking time a week (usually Monday morning) with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Two Simple Steps...

1. Go here and submit your email.
2. Go to your email and click the Feedburner confirmation link.
You can unsubscribe at any time with no questions asked simply by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email you receive from Cup O' Joe with Bill. Honest. You got nothing to lose. Try it.

Disciplemaking Friendships that Multiply

This disciplemaking friendship adventure began when Crazy Pastor Steve and I picked up Derrick Smothers at the Peoria International Airport. We then immediately drove to Minneapolis, MN. (We may have stopped at our favorite ice cream spot along the Illinois/Iowa boarder—Whitey's Ice Cream. I highly recommend their Cup O' Joe ice cream. Not joking. I hope they change it someday to Cup O' Joe with Bill. I would die a happy man—probably from too much ice cream.)

We woke up in MN and headed out for coffee and we spent the morning studying how Jesus made disciples—who made disciples—who made more disciples. Then for the next two days—along with Dave and Rennie Garda, Mark O' Brien and other Cadre friends/trainers, we encouraged and trained almost 30 disciplemaking leaders from seven different states (IL, NV, MN, WI, IA, OH, and MI). We partnered with our dear friends—Reach Students of the Evangelical Free Church of America.

We trained trainers to take the Ministry Is Relationships training experience back to their family, friends, and churches.

We had some more coffee and fun along the way too. Yes, pastors need to have fun too.

We also trained trainers to take the Disciplemaking Is Relationships training experience back to their family, friends, and churches.

We had trainers we've trained training trainers with us. (Yeah, you should read that again.) Pastor Nate Stenholtz is a disciplemaking friend and one of my favorite Cadre trainers.

And we also trained trainers to take the Evangelism Is Relationships training experience back to their family, friends, and churches.

At the end of our time together,  all three groups being trained gathered together to encourage each other and pray. Our disciplemaking friend, Mark O' Brien, gave us encouragement as we looked to take what we learned back home to where we live, work, and play. Might you be interested in being trained to live and share a Jesus-like disciplemaking way of life with others. If so, go here.

Would you please pray RIGHT NOW for these folks to continue to be disciples—who make disciples—who make more disciples—like this?

The very last thing we did together as a large group was pray the Disciplemaker's Prayer. And before you go, I invite you to join us. Start with this prayer right now.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 
Let me encourage you and and make you think 1 stinking time a week (usually Monday morning) with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Two Simple Steps...

1. Go here and submit your email.
2. Go to your email and click the Feedburner confirmation link.
You can unsubscribe at any time with no questions asked simply by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email you receive from Cup O' Joe with Bill. Honest. You got nothing to lose. Try it.

16 years of God, You, Church, Ministry, Disciplemaking, and Cadre!

The Real Mission of Cadre.

How God Birthed Cadre.

How Cadre Can Help You.

How Cadre Can Help Your Ministry.

How You Can Help Cadre.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 
Let me encourage you and and make you think 1 stinking time a week (usually Monday morning) with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Two Simple Steps...

1. Go here and submit your email.
2. Go to your email and click the Feedburner confirmation link.
You can unsubscribe at any time with no questions asked simply by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email you receive from Cup O' Joe with Bill. Honest. You got nothing to lose. Try it.

Is Pastoral Suicide On the Rise?

Have you heard about the recent rise in the number of people who commit suicide? So sad.

I wished we could say that pastors are immune, but they are not.

I'm not saying it's common for a pastor to commit suicide (thank God it's not)—or that pastoral suicide is on the rise. I am saying that I've heard of more pastors committing suicide in the last few years than any other time in my life.

Still not sure? If you search the Internet with two words, "pastoral suicide," it will break your heart.

It happens. It's real. It's disturbing. It's complex. It's heartbreaking.

As a friend of pastors, I'm sadly not surprised.

Of course, there are multiple factors of causation—and no easy fixes.

You might feel helpless and hopeless to do anything about it.

But you'd be surprised how HUGE a little encouragement from you can be in a pastor's life.

Not sure where you should start?

Start here and start now.

Thanks for loving God and loving people—including pastors.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 
Let me encourage you and and make you think 1 stinking time a week (usually Monday morning) with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Two Simple Steps...

1. Go here and submit your email.
2. Go to your email and click the Feedburner confirmation link.
You can unsubscribe at any time with no questions asked simply by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email you receive from Cup O' Joe with Bill. Honest. You got nothing to lose. Try it.

How God is using YOU through us for His Glory...

(We're celebrating 16 years of God's faithfulness! Here's a little bit of backstory and an invitation for you to celebrate with us.)

Click any image to enlarge for viewing, reading, and praying.

Would you please pray for us? About 1-2 times a month, I'd like to send you a short email with details about how you can say a quick prayer for us. If you are willing to be on our email prayer team, please email me and put "prayer team" in the subject line. We'd be glad to pray for you too.

Can you help us? We couldn't take any of part of this disciplemaking adventure without people like you who love us, pray for us, and give $ to Cadre. Every expression of partnership breathes life into our souls… and enables us to do the same for many others! For more information about how you can partner with God, the Allisons, and Cadre Missionaries, go here.  Cadre Missionaries is a recognized 501(c)3 ministry and donations are tax deductible.

For up-to-date ways you can pray for us, go here.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 
Let me encourage you and and make you think 1 stinking time a week (usually Monday morning) with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Two Simple Steps...

1. Go here and submit your email.
2. Go to your email and click the Feedburner confirmation link.
You can unsubscribe at any time with no questions asked simply by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email you receive from Cup O' Joe with Bill. Honest. You got nothing to lose. Try it.

How God Birthed Cadre Missionaries...

(September 2018 is Cadre Missionaries' 16th Anniversary. We're celebrating God's faithfulness with a little bit of backstory and an invitation for you to celebrate with us.)

About 17 years ago, I was a happy high school teacher who did speaking, preaching and training on the weekends and all summer long. In those days we partnered often with our dear friends, Scott and Rachel Kramer—who are amazing musical missionaries. 

One day while eating pizza at the Kramer's home, Scott pulled out a large box filled to the brim with envelopes. He said, "Bill, put your hands in here and feel how many envelopes are in this box." It was sort of weird, but, hey, he just bought my larger-than-normal family pizza. I'll do anything for a friend like that. I kneeled down by the box and put my hands at the very bottom of all those envelopes. Then I pulled up lots and lots of envelopes.

Then Scott said, "We've been raising support as missionaries for a number of years now and every one of those envelopes had a check from a friend or a church." I thought to myself: That's a lot of support. While I was glad for them, I wasn't sure where this was going. Then Scott said, "We've been partnering with you for a while now, and I want you to know that if you ever dare to step out by faith to do Cadre full-time, I believe with all my heart God will take care of you."

I don't remember saying anything in response because I had six young kids at the time—and every one of them liked to eat regularly. Plus, I must confess, that I was a member of the "I-will-never-raise-support-to-do-ministry" club. (Have you ever said that?) Yet, I still had brief moments when I considered it. But here's the truth: I was too chicken to trust God to provide. And I loved teaching—and the few benefits that came with it. But in my head, I thought the biggest hurdle would be my wife. I never broached the subject with her, but I was pretty sure she wouldn't go for the raising support thing.

On the way home from Scott and Rachel's, I asked Stacy what she thought about Scott's comments. To my complete surprise she said, "I've seen this coming for a few years now. If we don't take a step of faith and give it try, we'll never know."

Not exactly what I was expecting. The rest of the car ride home all I could think about was how I was the one who refused to step out in faith. I was the roadblock. As I drove home, I silently prayed, "Is all this really you, Lord?" There's a huge difference between a good idea and a God idea.

As we pulled into our driveway, everyone piled out and I walked to the mailbox to get the day's mail. Once inside, I noticed a personal letter. I opened it. It was from someone I couldn't readily identify at the time. It said, "Last Sunday you spoke at our church. God kept impressing on my heart to send you this check. I'm not sure why, but I did it anyway."

Yikes! This was getting a little ridiculous. God was already providing for us and we hadn't even asked anyone for help. But isn't that just like God? If we dare to pray, he'll let us know what to do.

It wasn't long after that, we reached out to our good friends, Dave and Rennie Garda, to share with them what God was doing in our hearts. Not long after that, God birthed what we know now as Cadre Missionaries. And so far, by God's daily provision, we've never looked back. (Thank you Jesus!)  It has been an amazing adventure.

(Dave and Bill about 17 years ago.)

For 16 years, God and YOU have made it possible for us, as Cadre missionaries, to multiply Jesus-like disciplemaking here and around the world. Let me keep this real: For 16 years we've had no buffer financially. Every month is a financial adventure. We're not sitting on a financial nest egg. We literally live month to month. Please don't misunderstand. We're not complaining. We joyfully signed up for this adventure. And for sixteen years, God has provided for us through friends like you. I often think of your financial partnership as manna—just enough for today—and each day it is enough.

From our hearts to yours: Thank you!

If you love Cadre missionaries and our disciplemaking mission, we invite you to be God's wind in our sails.

In honor of our 16th birthday, would you please prayerfully consider donating a special gift of $16?



Those of you who know us well know that over 90 percent of our communications are not about financial support like this. However, on our 16th anniversary as a ministry, we really do need your $ help, so we're asking God's people—like you—to join us in this disciplemaking adventure.

We'd love to see 300 of our friends respond with a special gift of $16. That would bless Cadre with $4,800 much needed dollars.

Will YOU be one of our 300 friends?

To donate $16 securely online, go here. (Other giving options below.)

If you've never financially supported Cadre Missionaries before, this would be a great first step. If you're already a $ partner with God and Cadre, then please prayerfully consider an additional $16.

In a ministry like ours, every dollar makes a huge difference. Each gift—no matter the size—is a huge encouragement, much needed, and greatly appreciated.

Because Cadre seeks to make disciplemakers, only Heaven will reveal the full impact of your partnership.

We really are your Cadre missionaries. Thank you for celebrating 16 years of Jesus-like disciplemaking with us and to God be the glory!

Bill Allison, Executive Director, for the Cadre team.
* To donate $16 securely online, go here.
* Mail a check: Cadre Missionaries, PO Box 278, Sycamore, IL 60178

Other giving options...
* To give more than $16 securely online, go here.
* To support a Cadre missionary on a monthly basis, go here.
* For questions and more info, please call Rennie at 815.501.3132.

Cadre Missionaries is a recognized 501(c)3 not-for-profit ministry and all gifts are tax deductible.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 
Let me encourage you and and make you think 1 stinking time a week (usually Monday morning) with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Two Simple Steps...

1. Go here and submit your email.
2. Go to your email and click the Feedburner confirmation link.
You can unsubscribe at any time with no questions asked simply by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email you receive from Cup O' Joe with Bill. Honest. You got nothing to lose. Try it.

Cadre Missionaries: Equipping Equippers

The real mission of Cadre Missionaries is to make disciplemakers who make more disciplemakers. Here are some true stories from some of our disciplemaking friends—all for the glory of God and the extension of His kingdom!

What happens when a pastor initiates disciplemaking as a way of life in the church? Here's the true story of Crazy Pastor Steve (CPS). Want to bring Pastor Steve to your church or ministry to do training? Go here.

If you're interested in becoming part of God's movement of making disciplemakers, read this. 

In fall of 2018, almost 30 disciplemaking leaders from seven different states (IL, NV, MN, WI, IA, OH, and MI). Above: Pastor Nate Stenholtz trains Cadre trainers in Ministry Is Relationships at the national office of the Evangelical Free Church of America. 

If you're interested in becoming part of God's movement of making disciplemakers, read this. 

"Bill, thanks for pulling me close years ago and challenging me to live as a disciplemaker. I'm regularly investing in nine college students. We're studying Jesus and trying to make disciples like He did. Is there anything greater than this? Thanks for the push. Love you." 

—Ed and Pam Brockway, retired but not-so-retired.

If you're interested in becoming part of God's movement of making disciplemakers, read this. 

Meet Derrick Smothers—a disciplemaking friend equipping church and ministry leaders in the west. Here's his fun story.

If you're interested in becoming part of God's movement of making disciplemakers, read this. 

"I trained some of our volunteer youth leaders and some junior high students with Cadre training and the training went great. We're all very excited about the our volunteer ministry leaders and the culture of disciplemaking going forward. I can see God doing great things in and through these leaders and then with our students. Very exciting!"

Austin Branson

Junior High and Young Adult Minister

Grace Presbyterian Church

Peoria, IL

If you're interested in becoming part of God's movement of making disciplemakers, read this. 

"I trained Cadre's Disciplemaking Is Relationships with some students, volunteers, and parents. Such a joy to follow Jesus together with friends! Thanks to our amazing volunteer ministry leaders who invest their lives in our students! Multiplying joy with Cadre Missionaries. 'When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours'” (Romans‬ ‭1:12).

Seth Fagerland

Pastor to High School Students and Families

Rockpoint Church

Lake Elmo, MN

If you're interested in becoming part of God's movement of making disciplemakers, read this. 

"It was a sweet blessing to spend time with about 15 individuals and couples from our church going through the Evangelism Is Relationships training! Thanks for praying with us! God brought a lot of things to the surface of our lives, and it was challenging, yet encouraging, to wrestle with these things together. I’ve heard some encouraging things from those who participated and hope to hear more in the days to come! I'm so thankful for Holy Spirit’s instruction, exhortation, and encouragement through the Word, Prayer, and Fellowship with each other. With love for JESUS,"

Pastor Dan Nyquist
Minnesota

If you're interested in becoming part of God's movement of making disciplemakers, read this. 

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 
Let me encourage you and and make you think 1 stinking time a week (usually Monday morning) with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Two Simple Steps...

1. Go here and submit your email.
2. Go to your email and click the Feedburner confirmation link.
You can unsubscribe at any time with no questions asked simply by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email you receive from Cup O' Joe with Bill. Honest. You got nothing to lose. Try it.

Are you mad at God? Know someone who is?

Just in case any of my friends are angry at God, this video is for you.

Thank you for subscribing and reading Cup O' Joe with Bill.

Please share this with someone in your life who might need a word of encouragement.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 
Let me encourage you and and make you think 1 stinking time a week (usually Monday morning) with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Two Simple Steps...

1. Go here and submit your email.
2. Go to your email and click the Feedburner confirmation link.
You can unsubscribe at any time with no questions asked simply by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email you receive from Cup O' Joe with Bill. Honest. You got nothing to lose. Try it.