I can't wait to speak at Impact 2013 Conference

Lookout students in Iowa! I can't wait to bring God's Word to you at Impact 2013, December 27-29th!

And Emily Joy can't wait to bring Spoken Word Poetry to Impact 2013!

Check out this 1 minute promo video...

(If video doesn't appear, go here.)

Click here for complete details about Impact 2013.



Get Cup O' Joe with Bill in your Email Inbox!
Let me encourage you and make you think 2-3x a week with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Go here and submit your email. Then check your email inbox and click the Feedburner confirmation link. Note: You can unsubscribe anytime simply by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email that comes from Cup O' Joe with Bill.

2013 Keeping-It-Real Allison Christmas Letter

We do our best to keep our Christmas letter real AND fun. Why? It's the foibles of being human and imperfect that remind us of our need for God. Plus, it's just plain funny sometimes.

So we invite you to laugh with us... or even at us. We hope you at least smile a little. Any of the above would make our day.

If you're one who really enjoys laughing at/with us, then feel free to visit the Ghosts of Christmas Letters Past by going here, here, and here.

The best way to view and read our 2013 Christmas letter is to click here. Or you can click any image below to enlarge for viewing and reading.

If you're the praying type and are willing to pray our family and ministry with Cadre Ministries, please email me your complete mailing address and I'll send you our family's missionary prayer card to place on your refrigerator!

Thanks for reading, laughing, and/or smiling.

Get Cup O' Joe with Bill in your Email Inbox!
Let me encourage you and make you think 2-3x a week with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Go here and submit your email. Then check your email inbox and click the Feedburner confirmation link. Note: You can unsubscribe anytime simply by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email that comes from Cup O' Joe with Bill.

"Christianity at risk of dying out in a generation"

[Note: This news article is why I will continue to invest the rest of my short life infecting the next generations with D3 Jesus-like disciplemaking.]

Former Archbishop of Canterbury warns Christianity at risk of dying out in a generation

Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, has a warning for Christian churches: Attract young people to the faith or risk losing it forever. 

According to The Telegraph, Carey said Christianity is just a “generation away from extinction” in Britain unless churches have a breakthrough in attracting young people. 

Clergy are gripped by a “feeling of defeat” and congregations are worn down by “heaviness," he said.

Carey said the public greets both with “rolled eyes and a yawn of boredom," according to The Telegraph. 

Carey made his remarks at a Shrewsbury conference discussing how the church could be "re-imagined." 

“So many people do not see the average church as a place where great things happen," he said. “To sit in a cold church looking at the back of other peoples’ heads is surely not the best place to meet exciting people and to hear prophetic words.”

According to The Telegraph, Carey cited a lack of youth ministries as one of the sources of the problem.  

“So many churches have no ministry to young people and that means they have no interest in the future," he said. “We have to give cogent reasons to young people why the Christian faith is relevant to them.”

Sunday congregations in the U.K. have almost halved since 1970 to just 807,000 in the most recent figures, The Telegraph reported. 

[Taken from here.]

Let's ponder this for a moment.

Did you note that one of the problems identified was a lack of youth ministries?

While I love youth ministry (it's what I've done in one form or another my entire adult life), I have to dare to ask this question:

What long term good is a youth ministry that doesn't exits to funnel it's time, money, and energy into making disciples who make disciples who make more disciples—relationally—not programmatically—like Jesus did?

This a generation that wants to change the world. Let's help them do it like Jesus did!

Instead of simply setting up a youth ministry program that only reaches one generation, perhaps we could do something crazy with the next generation—like study the Gospels for the disciplemaking genius of Jesus—and then try to live and replicate Jesus' disciplemaking way of living... ad infinitum.

If we dared to live and pass on a disciplemaking way of life like Jesus, the next generation would change the world like Jesus did—and continues to do.

If all we do is gather the next generation together for growth without helping them disciple their friends, then the title of this post is a probable reality.

We haven't made disciples like Jesus until those we disciple make more disciples.

Want More?
* Disciplemaking training for every follower of Jesus
* Equipping the next generation of disciplemakers
* Training: Love God, Love People, Make Disciplemakers
* Helping the next gen change the world


Get Cup O' Joe with Bill in your Email Inbox!
Let me encourage you and make you think 2-3x a week with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Go here and submit your email. Then check your email inbox and click the Feedburner confirmation link. Note: You can unsubscribe anytime simply by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email that comes from Cup O' Joe with Bill.

Monday Funday: The stressed-out Santa, the big Christmas tree, and the rude little angel

Not long ago and very far away, Santa was getting ready for his annual trip, but there were problems everywhere.

Four of the elves got sick, and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as the regular elves, so Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule. 

Then Mrs. Claus told Santa that her Mom was coming to visit. This stressed Santa even more. 

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where. More stress! 

Then when Santa began to load the sleigh, one of the boards cracked and his big red toy bag toppled to the ground and scattered toys everywhere. 

Totally frustrated, Santa went into the house to calm his nerves with a cup of hot coffee. When he opened the kitchen cabinet, he discovered that elves had finished off the last of the coffee and there was nothing left to drink. 

In his frustration, he dropped the coffee pot and it broke into hundreds of tiny shards of glass all over the kitchen floor. 

He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw it was made from. 

Just then the doorbell rang. Santa grumbled under his breath all the way to the door. He opened the door and before him was a little angel with a great big Christmas tree. The angel rudely asked, “Where would you like this tree fat man?” 

And that, my friends, is how the little angel came to be on top of the Christmas tree.

[I got this from Mikey's Funnies years ago.]

Get Cup O' Joe with Bill in your Email Inbox!
Let me encourage you and make you think 2-3x a week with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Go here and submit your email. Then check your email inbox and click the Feedburner confirmation link. Note: You can unsubscribe anytime simply by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email that comes from Cup O' Joe with Bill.

Thanking God for a GREAT Year of Ministry!

Please take a moment to celebrate God's goodness with us! The best way to view this is to go here. Or you can click any image below to enlarge for viewing and reading. Thanks for celebrating what God is doing!

We need you. We couldn't take any of part of this Jesus-like disciplemaking adventure without people like you who love us, pray for us, and give to Cadre. We need you. You make our ministry powerful and possible. 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 Ministries, go here. To make a secure online tax-deductible donation, go here.  Cadre Ministries is a recognized 501(c)3 ministry.

* For up-to-date ways to pray for us, go here.
* For our 2013 Funny Christmas Letter, go here.

Monday Funday: The plight of a preacher's kid

When our son, Billy, was just a little nose picker (see picture above), I decided our family would read the One Minute Bible. This is a book that has 366 one-minute daily readings directly from the Bible. 

Just one minute long? My kids agreed that would be fine.

However, many of the one minute Bible readings spurred some very stimulating theological discussions. For example, we talked about the Jehovistic names of God, theophanies, the goodness of God and why terrible things happen to people who love God. As you might imagine, these rich conversations lasted longer than one minute.

After a string of these longer-than-one-minute readings and discussions, Billy lamented, 

"We may be reading a One Minute Bible, but we're getting a fifty-nine minute commentary."

Such is the plight of a preacher's kid.

And who knows? Perhaps some seeds were planted and God used something from these one minute Bible readings along the way in his life?

Perhaps.

For the story behind this picture, go here.

Get Cup O' Joe with Bill in your Email Inbox!
Let me encourage you and make you think 2-3x a week with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Go here and submit your email. Then check your email inbox and click the Feedburner confirmation link. Note: You can unsubscribe anytime simply by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email that comes from Cup O' Joe with Bill.

Central IL Tornado Recovery

BREAKING 12/5/13 Volunteers Needed Friday and Saturday!
There is a big need for chainsaws, skid steers with grapples, and dump trucks/trailers this Friday and Saturday. We are hoping to send small equipment out with as many teams as possible. This will help our teams with sorting debris. Sorting the debris could help save our city EPA fines. For more information or to volunteer, go here or call Bethany Community Church at (309) 508-1755.

------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, November 20, 2013, was the first time since Sunday's horrific destruction from tornados in Central IL that a call for volunteers went out. So Stacy and I volunteered.

As you read and view the pictures below, would you please say a prayer for the people of Central IL who have been affected by the tornados?

Click any image below to enlarge for viewing.

We gathered at the Dream Center Peoria and worked with an organization called Operation Blessing. After breaking into teams, we headed into Washington, IL, to help friends who reside there—and their neighbors.

We simply walked up to what used to be homes and asked the people there, "Can we help you?" And then we simply did whatever needed to be done. It was mostly hauling stuff that had been salvaged to trucks.

Just as important, we took the time to pray with the people that welcomed our help. Everyone welcomed our prayers.

One of the most needed things at this time is containers. Everyone was sifting through the rubble looking for that which is salvageable—and especially for that which has irreplaceable sentimental value.

The friendship we've shared with the Dan and Carol Learned family over the years has been and continues to be extremely precious to us. Dan and Carol's home, while still standing, has been irreparably damaged. One of the reasons we wanted to get into Washington today was to simply hug and pray with our friends, the Learneds.

This is what's left of the master bedroom in Dan's house.

This picture is one of those freaky things that tornados can do. It's the Learned home again. Look at it closely. (Click photo to enlarge for viewing.) Do you see it? The question is: How did the window shade go through the roof and out the other side of the window? Answer: The tornado lifted the roof, pulled the shade outside while still connected on the inside. Yikes.

A short walk through the Learned's backyard, and houses are no longer standing.

We jumped in to help wherever we could. 

It's heartbreaking. I saw my wife wipe tears from her eyes several times as we walked through the piles of rubble praying and helping people salvage their few remaining material possessions.

Our little "cadre" of volunteers included dear friends, Scott and Carla Bauer, and a new friend, Mike Womer, who is planting a church in Peoria (pictured above).

Down, but not out. I love this picture and the message it sends.

If you haven't prayed yet, would you please do so RIGHT NOW?

More information on volunteering, donating, etc.



Get Cup O' Joe with Bill in your Email Inbox!
Let me encourage you and make you think 2-3x a week with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Go here and submit your email. Then check your email inbox and click the Feedburner confirmation link. Note: You can unsubscribe anytime simply by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email that comes from Cup O' Joe with Bill.

Washington Tornado: Pray for the People of Central IL

More information on volunteering, donating, etc.

In lieu of my normal Monday Funday, I would like to ask you to pray RIGHT NOW for the people of Central IL. Yesterday, November 17, 2013, tornados ravaged various communities in Central IL—and across the entire midwest and beyond.

A view of Washington, IL, from a chopper...


We need your prayers RIGHT NOW.

* Peoria Journal Star report.
* Pictures showing the brutal damage.

Thanks for praying RIGHT NOW.

The biggest lie in ministry...

The words we use are full of connotations.

Would you rather buy a “pre-owned” car or a “used” car? See what I mean? It’s the same car, but, depending on which words are used, the connotation is different.

While I love the concept of someone freely giving their time and talents to serve without pay, the term “volunteer,” when used in ministry, often seems to carry a connotation of “second best” or “not really that important.”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a wonderful, committed, effective non-paid servant in a ministry refer to him or herself as “just a volunteer.” For whatever reason, non-paid workers in the church have subconsciously picked up on the very unbiblical connotation that they are “ just volunteers.”

This should bother us because it's a big, fat lie.

Why?

I contend that the Bible clearly teaches that every Christian is a full-time minister. (Do your own study on the "priesthood of the believer" or keep reading for more info below.) Therefore, I don’t like the term “volunteer” when used in a ministry context.

I think we need a new term for volunteers—one that doesn’t contain the second-class baggage.

When speaking of someone who generously gives time to serve Jesus but doesn't get paid for it, I propose we start using a term like “ministry partner.” If enough of us get on board with terminology like this, we might be able to exchange the word “volunteer” along with its less desirable connotations for a much more biblically accurate and dignifying term.

Who knows what could happen?

People who graciously serve in ministry without compensation might quit acting like "just volunteers" and might start acting like, well, "ministry partners." The potential ramifications for mobilizing the latent volunteer power sitting (literally) in our churches could be revolutionary.

Once we’ve replaced the term "volunteer" with something like “ministry partner,” we can move on to changing the term “committees” to “teams” or perhaps to my personal favorite, “cadres.” This, too, would be revolutionary.

However, for now, let’s take one revolution at a time. Way too many great people of God see themselves as “just volunteers.”

I contend it's the biggest lie in ministry.

And here's how YOU can refute this lie with the truth.

Get Cup O' Joe with Bill in your Email Inbox!
Let me encourage you and make you think 2-3x a week with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Go here and submit your email. Then check your email inbox and click the Feedburner confirmation link. Note: You can unsubscribe anytime simply by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email that comes from Cup O' Joe with Bill.

Monday Funday: Thanking God for Coffee...

Is it a sign of addiction if one goes to bed thinking about how great the coffee is going to taste in the morning?

I'm not asking for me. It's for a friend.

Bonus Fun:
Question: Can you guess the name of this painting?

Answer: He brews.

We don't call it Monday Funday for nothing baby!


Get Cup O' Joe with Bill in your Email Inbox!

Let me encourage you and make you think 2-3x a week with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Go here and submit your email. Then check your email inbox and click the Feedburner confirmation link. Note: You can unsubscribe anytime simply by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email that comes from Cup O' Joe with Bill.

The 3 Things Only YOU Can Do

There are only three things you do in life that nobody else can do for you.

1.  No one else can have a relationship with God for you.

2.  No one else can be the husband/wife of your spouse.

3.  No one else can be the father/mother of your children.


Everything else you do can be done by someone else.

So how are you doing on the three things only YOU can do?


Get Cup O' Joe with Bill in your Email Inbox!

Let me encourage you and make you think 2-3x a week with a virtual Cup O' Joe with Bill in your email inbox. Go here and submit your email. Then check your email inbox and click the Feedburner confirmation link. Note: You can unsubscribe anytime simply by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email that comes from Cup O' Joe with Bill.

Monday Funday: God is NOT a Packer's Fan

It's official.

And it's on the Internet, so it has to be true.

You can read it for yourself here:
God is not a Packer's fan.

Who knew, right?

Well, 2-year-old Ivy knew. Check out the video...

If you like this post, then you'll love this one ===> Da Bears!