YOUR Disciplemaking Learning Community...

(Click any image to enlarge for viewing.)

"Bill, I love being a part of PALC and look forward being a part of the PALC Ongoing gatherings. PALC is the most encouraging thing in my life right now. Thanks for investing your life in pastors and ministry leaders like me."

—Pastor Joe Horn, Chillicothe Bible Church, IL.

PALC (The Peoria Area Leadership Community) is a Disciplemaking Learning Community (DLC).

Yes, that's right. PALC is a DLC. Now Try to stay with me for a minute.

What's a DLC?

I'm so glad you asked. (*Wink : )

"A DLC is a cadre of disciplemaking friends who gather regularly to study, live, and share a Jesus-like disciplemaking way of life together—and with others at least three generations deep" (The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus, page 6). We've seen God bring so much lasting fruit from our DLCs. To God be ALL the glory! And that's precisely why we'll continue to be a part of initiating DLCs for the rest of our lives. 

So how about you and your DLC?

Yes, I'm looking at YOU. (And so is God. See picture on the left.)

Your disciplemaking adventure starts with this simple but life-changing prayer. I kid you not. And I challenge to start praying it with your family and friends everyday! See what God might do.

Want to hear more true disciplemaking friendship stories? This is for you.

Want more info about DLCs? This is for you.

Finally, you might be interested in your family as a DLC.

When your pastor preaches too long...

Relax.

I'm not picking on your pastor. I'm preaching to myself here. 

If you'd like to laugh at me and my preaching, then this and this is for you. 

Enjoy!

P.S. I found the biblical precedent for the long-winded preacher:
"On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight. The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps. As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below." Acts 20:7-9

Ever wonder how Eutychus got his name? If you fell three stories to your death, you'd a cuss too.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 

Let me encourage you and make you think ONE 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. Check your email to confirm.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Let's Celebrate God Together...

Since God is really the one who makes it all happen, it seems right to celebrate what He is doing! Below you can celebrate God for...

* Students coming to Christ and being discipled

* The multiplication of disciplemakers

* Disciplemaking Learning Communities & disciplemaking friendships

* The Gospel and disciplemaking in the USA and Africa

To enlarge for viewing and reading, go here. (But, as you read, don't forget to celebrate God!)

We can't be Cadre Missionaries without friends like you.

Will you be God's wind in our disciplemaking sails?

Are you a praying friend? Would you please pray for us?

Join our twice-a-month email prayer team.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 

Let me encourage you and make you think ONE 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. Check your email to confirm.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Can you help us multiply disciplemakers in Utah?

"You're crazy Allison."

That's not the first time I've ever heard someone say that. The truth is, my wife's been saying it for years. However, this comment came from my disciplemaking friend, church planter, and long time ministry leader in Utah.

He continued, "Ministry isn't easy in Utah. It's very religious here. We rarely get anyone to come to Utah to help us."

I think that's when I fell in love with the great people serving Jesus in Utah.

The real mission of Cadre is to make disciplemakers who make more disciplemakers. We believe God wants Cadre to engage, encourage, and equip our disciplemaking friends in Utah.

So, we are.

On April 22-29, 2019, I—along with two friends—will take disciplemaking training to pastors and volunteer ministry leaders all over Utah. Often, these folks serve in churches that are the only Gospel presence in their towns—and sometimes they are the only Gospel presence in their counties. Not. Joking.

We're going to need about $2,000 for travel, expenses, and training materials.

Can you help us?

A gift of any size would be a huge encouragement and enable us to be a blessing to so many!

To give securely online, go here.
* Please note that your gift is for "Utah."

If you'd rather send a check, here's how...
Cadre Missionaries
PO Box 278
Sycamore, IL 60178
* Attach a note "Utah."

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

We really are your Cadre missionaries and we couldn't be disciplemaking missionaries without friends like you. Thank you for every prayer you breathe on our behalf and every penny you graciously give to Cadre.

Note: For some of our history in making disciplemakers in Utah, go here, here, and here.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 

Let me encourage you and make you think ONE 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. Check your email to confirm.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

How Cadre is Making Disciplemakers in Africa...

What's way better than Cadre Missionaries taking disciplemaking training to Africa?

Answer?

Cadre helping our disciplemaking friends take Cadre training to Africa! Check out this video...

(If video doesn't appear, go here)

Go and make disciples of all nations indeed!

Ever wonder how Jesus-like disciplemaking starts right where you are and spreads to the world?

Then you should read this true short story.

We're not joking when we talk about "Jesus-like disciplemaking friendships that multiply."

Interested in becoming a Jesus-like discipleMAKER? 
Check this out. 

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 

Let me encourage you and make you think ONE 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. Check your email to confirm.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Disciplemaking: App or Operating System?

Is disciplemaking just one of many different apps you choose to engage when needed—or is it your operating system—your way of life?

Think about that.

Be honest.

Your answer to that question has HUGE ramifications.

If disciplemaking is simply the flavor of the month until the next cool ministry idea comes down the pike, then it's just another cool app on the smart phone of your life.

But is that okay?

I think not.

Why?

Here's why.

If you've got the wrong operating system, then it doesn't really matter how cool your apps are.

To put it another way: To succeed at everything except disciplemaking is to fail.

If you're really interested in making disciplemaking your operating system, this is for you. I dare you.

DOUBLE BONUS:
* Don't confuse that which is sensational with that which is significant.
* More on succeeding at the wrong things.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 

Let me encourage you and make you think ONE 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. Check your email to confirm.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Disciplemaking Friendships that Multiply...

The real mission of Cadre Missionaries is to make disciplemakers who make more disciplemakers. (True confession: We totally stoled that from Jesus. And we think Jesus is totally okay with it.) Here is a short, true, disciplemaking story—all for the glory of God and the extension of His kingdom (Psalms 115:1)!

Meet my young disciplemaking friend, Ethan Smith. Ethan is part of a team of four disciplemaking missionaries (all in their late teens and early 20s) who are choosing to live in one of the most spiritually challenging rural areas in the state of Illinois—so people of that community can have a 1 Thessalonians 2:8 opportunity to find and follow Jesus. Ethan and his other three partners are in our Disciplemaking Learning Community in Central IL known as the Peoria Area Leadership Community. Would you please pray for Ethan, Braden, Clint, and Josiah right now?

If you're interested in becoming part of God's movement of making disciplemakers, perhaps a good first step might be to take a nice slow walk through this—and maybe join us for this.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 
Let me encourage you and make you think ONE 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. Check your email to confirm.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

What If Disciplemaking IS Leadership?

One of my friends who is a leader in his denomination asked me, “Do you do any leadership training?”

I said, “Yes. We call it disciplemaking training,” and then I winked at him. (We’re still good friends.)

There is so much talk about "leadership" in ministry these days—and yet, so little disciplemaking.

Here’s a crazy thought on leadership: 

What if disciplemaking is leadership? If that's true, then whoever initiates disciplemaking friendships is a leader—even if he or she doesn’t hold a “leadership” title or position. Real leaders don’t need a title or position. They just live it. It’s a way of life for them, not a job. 

While I’m jumping off a cliff, let me say this: 

All disciplemakers are leaders, but not all “leaders” are disciplemakers.

There. I said it. But before you reject it, run what I just said through your understanding of Jesus' life and ministry. Think with me: Jesus doesn't just make disciples, he makes disciplemakers. Jesus doesn't simply collect a large group of followers and call that success. No, Jesus seeks to transform every follower into a fisher.

Hence, Jesus is the ultimate "leader." But he lived as a humble servant who made disciplemakers. Pardon me, but I’m a little suspicious of any talk of “leadership” that is not centered on Jesus, humility, servanthood, and disciplemaking.

The more I study Jesus the more I question current conventional wisdom on leadership.

We really need to pause and rethink what it means to be a ministry leader or church leader in light of the biblical Jesus. I contend that making disciples like Jesus is the fullest and truest expression of what it means to be a spiritual leader. And if that’s true, then whoever initiates, lives, and shares The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus as a way of life with others is a leader. 

What if instead of defining leadership as “influence,” we defined it as initiating disciplemaking friendships that multiply? What might happen if every paid and volunteer leader in a church or ministry actually led—not just with their lips—but with their lives like this? 

I dare you to try to find out.

p.s. Maybe Jesus wasn't a "leader" after all and perhaps we should reconsider who is the real leader.

[Note: This post has been excerpted from The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus, (c) 2018 CadreMissionaries.com. Used by permission.]

Five Lunch Gatherings for Disciplemaking Friends...

(Above: The Peoria Area Leadership Ongoing PALCO)

You're invited to a "disciplemaking tune up" with some great disciplemaking friends (see pic above) over five lunch gatherings in the first half of 2019.

1. The Book

We'll be taking a slow, interactive walk through each chapter of Cadre's brand new book, The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus: Jesus-Like Disciplemaking Friendships that Multiply. For complete information about the book, go here. Whether you have a book or not, you're still welcome to be a part of this disciplemaking tune up. Can you say, "Havering"?

2. The Time

You don't have to commit to all five lunch gatherings. Come to any of the lunch dates you can make—just be sure to RSVP with me before each gathering. Can you say, "Flexibility"?

3. The Lunch

Each person pays for his/her own lunch. Can you say, "Yummy"?

4. The Friends
Seating is limited, but you may bring friends to any of these gatherings as long as there is space and and you RSVP with Bill. The sooner the better. Can you say, "Everything is better with a friend"? (See Barney video below.)

5. The Dates

Can you say, "Save these dates"?

Thursday, February 28th

11:30 AM to 1 PM

Pizza Ranch, Morton, IL

We'll explore: WHY Disciplemaking Like Jesus?

Before you come, read the Introduction and Chapter 1 (pages 1-28) in The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus book.

* Seating is limited, so RSVP with Bill ASAP!

Thursday, March 14th

11:30 AM to 1 PM

Pizza Ranch, Morton, IL

We'll explore: It All Starts with TW

Before you come, read Chapter 2 (pages 29-46) in The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus book.

* Seating is limited, so RSVP with Bill ASAP!

Thursday, March 28th

11:30 AM to 1 PM

Pizza Ranch, Morton, IL

We'll explore: Add Generous Amounts of K4

Before you come, read Chapter 3 (pages 46-68) in The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus book.

* Seating is limited, so RSVP with Bill ASAP!

Thursday, April 11th

11:30 AM to 1 PM

Pizza Ranch, Morton, IL

We'll explore: Stir It Altogether with D3

Before you come, read Chapter 4 (pages 69-88) in The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus book.

* Seating is limited, so RSVP with Bill ASAP!

Thursday, May 9th

11:30 AM to 1 PM

Pizza Ranch, Morton, IL

We'll explore: Start Here, Start Now—with PIE

Before you come, read Chapter 5 and the Conclusion (pages 89-123) in The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus book.

* Seating is limited, so RSVP with Bill ASAP!

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 

Let me encourage you and make you think ONE 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. Check your email to confirm.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Are we keeping the main thing the main thing—or are we slowly drifting away from God's true north?

(Please click the image to enlarge for viewing.)

Note: According to Barna, only 17% of churchgoers affirmed that they have heard of "The Great Commission" AND were able to articulate what it is.

Interesting. Very interesting.

I'm not married to the term, "The Great Commission." For the record, it isn't found in the Bible. Might this be a reason for the lack of clarity that shows up in the research? Is there a better question that could have been asked? I'm just thinking out loud with you here.

However, Jesus' command to "go and make disciples" IS in Bible. In fact, there are at least five very clear, diverse, and complementary disciplemaking commissions expressed by Jesus. (Hint: See the end of all four Gospels and the beginning of the book of Acts.*) All five of these disciplemaking commissions together give us a full understanding of the main mission Jesus gave to his disciples. So, sadly and ironically, Jesus couldn't be more clear about what our job is—and how to live it in our everyday life.

And yet, if this research is accurate, churchgoers seem dismally unaware and unclear.

This raises lots of questions in my mind—here are two...

* Why/how did this happen?

* And what can and should be done about it?

I'd like to use this post as a launching pad into an honest conversation amongst friends. Please click the comment link below and respond to the two questions I have posed. I'm deeply interested in your take on this. But before you respond, I encourage you to get a better understanding of the research by taking a moment to read the fuller-yet-brief Barna survey.

p.s. Still wondering about WHAT our job as disciples of Jesus is and HOW to live it out in our everyday lives? This might help you.

*BONUS for reading all the way to the end: The five recorded commissions of Jesus.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 

Let me encourage you and make you think ONE 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. Check your email to confirm.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Will you please pray for us... RIGHT NOW?

March 22, 2019...

March 24-26th

We're on a mission to have fun encouraging and equipping families who are a part of the Disciplemaking at Home Conference in Texas.

March 28th

Five lunches for disciplemaking friends (3 of 5).

April 5-6th

I'm bringing disciplemaking training to students, volunteer ministry leaders, and pastors at the Ignite Youth Leadership Conference in Des Moines, IA. Here's what I'm doing...

1. The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus

2. Why Volunteers Quit—and What You Can Do About It

3. Leading Small Groups: Disciplemaking Friendships that Multiply

This Ignite Youth Leadership Conference is a ministry of the Southern Baptist Church of America.

April 11th

Five lunches for disciplemaking friends (4 of 5).

May 9th

Five lunches for disciplemaking friends (5 of 5).

We are your Cadre Missionaries and we'd deeply appreciate your prayers to God on our behalf! Below is how you can be praying for us—as your disciplemaking missionaries—for the first quarter of 2019. If you're not already on our "knee mail" email prayer team, we'd love for you to join. All you have to do is pray "RIGHT NOW" when it hits your inbox. And if you reply to that email with your request, we'll pray "RIGHT NOW" when we receive your email. To join our "knee mail" email prayer team about 1-2 x a month, send us your email address and put "RIGHT NOW prayer team" in the subject line. 

Now on Kindle, Nook, and Apple Books!

The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus book is now digital! You can now read it right now on your iPad (Apple Books), Kindle (Amazon), or Nook (Barnes and Noble).

Just go here.

Or you can get it directly from Kindle here.
And the printed book is here.

 Cadre's Recruiting, Motivating, and Retaining Volunteers book is now digital! You can now read it right now on your iPad (Apple Books), Kindle (Amazon), or Nook (Barnes and Noble).

Just go here.

Or you can get it directly from Kindle here.
And the printed book is here.

The Teaching Genius of Jesus book is now digital! You can now read it right now on your iPad (Apple Books), Kindle (Amazon), or Nook (Barnes and Noble).

Just go here.

Or you can get it directly from Kindle here.
And the printed book is here.

You, Me, and Coffee Monday... 

Let me encourage you and make you think ONE 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. Check your email to confirm.
You can unsubscribe at any time.