Plans for World Domination

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

Helping someone follow Jesus is a great first step—this is discipleship. This is addition. And this is good.

However, when we help someone follow Jesus—AND help them help someone else follow Jesus—this is disciplemaking. This is multiplication. And THIS what Jesus did.

We call it D3 disciplemaking.

Jesus-like disciplemaking requires at least three generations: us, our friends, and our friends' friends.

We think disciplemaking happens best in friendships—like Jesus and his friends—and their friends, ad infinitum.

Our plans for world domination?

To take over the world one heart at a time exactly like Jesus did—via D3 disciplemaking.

That's why we say...
We haven't made disciples like Jesus until those we disciple make more disciples.

Please let me explain further...
Best D3 story ever
World dominion one small intentional step at a time
Be a disciple who makes disciples who make more disciples
D3 Disciplemaking: Step #1
Disciplemaking Is Relationships training that comes to you

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Monday Funday: Road Rage in the Bible

Monday Funday: Church Approved Dance Moves

If video doesn't appear, God just may be protecting you. If you still insist on seeing this video, go here.

When Christianity Drifts Away from Christ

As a scholar and a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, Thomas Linacre was well versed in both Greek and Latin, but he lived before the Reformation, when the Bible was restricted to the clergy. So he had never read it in depth. One day a friend who was a priest gave him a copy of the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and he studied them in full and in the original language for the first time. Linacre thought for a while, and then handed them back to the priest with the remark, "Either these are not the Gospels, or we are not Christians."

This story raises so many pertinent questions—one of which is...
How is it possible for Christianity to morph into something so unlike Christ?

Here's a thought.

[Note: The true story of Thomas Linacre above was taken from Os Guinness' book, Renaissance: The Power of the Gospel However Dark the Times.]

Other Related Posts:
* The Rebranding of Jesus
* Remaking Jesus in our image
* The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus

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Monday Funday: Little known secret to staying warm...

Now that's punny.

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Monday Funday: True Parenting Confession...

Let's be honest.

You and I both know that I bought this game for Ivy for Christmas because I like it.

Let's have some fun with this.

True confession time: What have you bought your kids that was really for YOU?

Leave a comment. I'll publish them.

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A Fun Training Adventure, January 31, 2015, for YOU and your ministry team

How to Disciple People Without Them Knowing It

* Does disciplemaking always have to start with a formal invitation by a leader?

* What does it look like in real life to follow Jesus together as disciplemaking friends?

* Is simply getting together and socializing enough—or is there more to disciplemaking friendships?

* How can we know if our disciplemaking friendships are hitting God's bullseye?

These are some of the the questions we'll explore in our How to Disciple People Without Them Knowing It training experience.

When?

Saturday, January 31, 2015

9 AM to 12 noon

(Note: For those so inclined: From 12 noon to 1-ish pm we'll head to Pizza Ranch in Morton, IL, and continue our discussion and application there. Each person will be buy their own lunch.)

Where?

Real Life Church
106 Grant Rd
Marquette Heights, IL 61554

Who?

For anyone interested in learning how to be a disciple of Jesus who makes more disciples of Jesus. You are encouraged to bring your spouse, teenagers, staff, ministry leaders, volunteers, student leaders, etc.

Cost?

$5 per person. 

Each person will leave with the Disciplemaker's Journal: Twenty-Five Adventures in Disciplemaking with Your Friends.

How Can You Register?

Email me and with the names of those you will be bringing to the training and a phone number for contacting you.

Optional Train-the-Trainer Opportunity!

If after the training experience, you'd like to take this training back to your ministry, you'll have that opportunity. If you're interested in this option, please email me for complete details.

Additional Resources for Disciplemaking!

We'll have other resources available for sale at this training experience.

Monday Funday: A Comedy of Errors (or Bearros)

This is my last post on Da Bears for 2014. I promise.

Will you please be kind enough to let a guy grieve a little?

How bad is it?

It's so bad that I was offered two FREE tickets to Da Bear's game on December 15th, and neither I nor my son wanted to go. Since you know how die hard we are about Da Bears, that should frighten and amaze you. And the way Da Bears played that night made us both glad we didn't take the FREE tickets.

Here's a video that I think is a microcosm of Da Bears' 2014 season...

If video doesn't appear, go here.

Lamar Houston gets a great sack (finally) and injures himself in the celebration. He's out for the season.

Yep, that sums up the 2014 season pretty well.

A comedy of errors (or Bearrors)

Like I said, I'm a die-hard Bears fan. And I always will be. But this season has been particularly painful. More than any I remember in recent years. It hurts. But there's a fine line between deep pain and good comedy. Seriously. There is. To prove it, I want to use this post to have some fun with my beloved Bears. If you're a Packer's fan, consider how this is something you could never do for your team, and mourn a little for the brokenness soul.

This picture explains the two games my son and I went to this year. Yep, that one at Soldier Field and that one at Lambeau. Wow. Those hurt. For a while. But we still had a lot fun together as father and son, so we redeemed these embearassing games. Thank God I didn't pay for either game!

For most of the season, I've laid pretty low on social media. I think this picture describe how we Bear fans feel. Let's face it. As a Bears fan in 2014, I got nothing to talk smack about. Da Bears have NOT given us anything to talk smack about.

This picture is funny precisely because there is truth in it. I'm not sure WHO is to blame for 2014. Marc Trestman? Jay Cutler? Mel Tucker? The Chicago Cubs? The goat? Probably all of the above. Let me say that while I am and always will be a die-hard Bears fan, I've never been a fan of Jay Cutler. I honestly tried to like Jay. I just couldn't do it. Even when he has a great half of game. I was shocked when Da Bear's locked Cutler in with that ridiculous $127-million-dollar-seven-year contract. If I'm ever taken hostage, I want whoever negotiated Jay Cutler's contract to negotiate my release. The big problem with Jay Cutler is that his rockstar swagger is not proportionate with his pathetic performance on the field. I predict that Da Bears will never be a Superbowl contender as long as Jay Cutler is the quarterback. There. I said it.

What can I say? This picture is also funny and fitting for 2014.

Here's the only solace we have in 2014...

It's still true.

And we'll be back next year. You have been warned.

I dare you to do something different in 2015...

Are you tired of the same old mediocre spiritual life?

Would you like to make 2015 a breakout year spiritually speaking?

Not sure you even believe it can happen in your life?

This below is for you. Read on. I dare you...

Dear Bill,
This is in regard to an email you sent me last year titled, 15 Minutes a Day that Will Change Your Life Forever.

One year ago, I received this email from you and it was life-changing. 

After receiving your email, I forwarded it—and the video it contained—to friends from my church. I also printed off copies of the "guilt-free" year-long reading guide and gave them to members of our church—encouraging them to embark on this faith filled journey. A few started, some are still working on it, but two of us are finishing on December 31st (today). 

It has been an incredible journey. Tough at times. But by far the most rewarding life-changing experience for us. 

So thank you. If you had not sent the email, it probably never would of happened. I feel I have such a deeper understanding of God, Jesus, and what I should be do in doing with my life. 

This has changed me forever!!!! 

So I once again this year, we put all the information in our church newsletter—encouraging others to give it a try.

Thank you again for this life changing e-mail. Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year. 

—Robin Martinson, St. Paul, MN

If you'd like to explore WHY and HOW you and a few friends can take this life-changing adventure together, go here.

Monday Funday: Major Christmas Parenting Fail

Shortly after the birth of our first child, we, as followers of Jesus, were confronted with the challenge of celebrating Christmas accurately. We're NOT the hyper-spiritual, party-pooping kind of parents who believe that Santa is just a weird way to spell Satan. On the other hand, we really wanted our kids to celebrate the real reason for Christmas—the birth of Jesus Christ—from which we get the word Christmas.

What to do?

For the first several years, we simply focused on Jesus and his birthday—no anti-Santa stuff—and it worked great. However, Stacy and I sensed that with each passing year—as our children grew and became more inquisitive—we would have to deal with the “Santa issue.”

As the next Christmas crept up on us, we decided to research the story of Santa. Of course, we found out that Saint Nick, according to legend, was a Christian man who lived long ago—and, in short, was famous for helping the poor—get this—by sneaking into homes and leaving gifts. With this information in hand, we patiently waited for one of our brilliant kids to ask about the fat guy in the red suit.

As fate would have it, shortly after we did our research, Billy, my then 3-year-old son, asked my wife, “Is there really a Santa?”

My wife, nervous but poised for this question, launched into something just slightly less than an oral doctoral dissertation titled, “Santa: Jolly Fat Man in a Red Suit or Good Christian Man of Old?” Throughout the informative historical lecture concerning the original Saint Nick—my 3-year-old son listened the best any active little boy possibly could—which, thanks to his father's genetics, was not too good.

After Stacy's speech, Billy asked one simple question: “Is Santa still alive today?”

Stacy thought for moment and then responded, “No. But at Christmas many people dress up in honor of him and his generosity to others.”

Billy simply said, “OK.” And with that, he went off to play happily—probably torturing his one of his sisters in some creative fashion.

The next day, as my wife was Christmas shopping with our children, one of the well-meaning grandma-type clerks at Kmart approached my son and excitedly asked, “Is Santa going to bring you lots of toys this year little boy?”

To my wife's absolute horror, my son looked the clerk squarely in the eyes and adamantly said, “Santa’s dead!”

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26 FREE Gifts from Cadre!

Thanks for letting us come into your email inbox every month via Cadre Connection. It’s an honor we don’t take for granted. Many of you have been tracking with us from the very beginning. We thank God for each of you. In that spirit of gratitude, here are 26 FREE audios and PDFs for you to use and share with others in your church and ministry! Get them while you can. And Merry CHRISTmas from your disciplemaking missionaries who serve Jesus Christ with Cadre Ministries.
* Bill Allison
* Dave Garda
* Rennie Garda
* Laura Slezak
* Jennifer Kvamme

Fun Christmas Stuff to Make You Smile…
* A Satirical Christmas Letter
* Seven Christmas Gifts I Hope I Don’t Get
* Which Stage of Santa Are You In?
* A Christmas Video for Men Only
* My First Christmas Music Video

For Year End Giving to Cadre Ministries…
To support a Cadre missionary, simply attach a note with a check. To give to Cadre, just send a check to Cadre Ministries.
* Give securely online.
* Send your gift to:
     Cadre Ministries
     PO Box 278
     Sycamore, IL 60178
     * Attach a note with "Allisons"

Want to Schedule Some Cadre Training for 2015?
* Contact us.

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Monday Funday: Keeping-It-Real Allison Christmas Letter 2014

Laugh with us... or at us. We don't mind. Unlike other Christmas letters, we think you'll be very encouraged when you read how crazy and ridiculous our family really is. And that is our goal in writing the annual Keeping-It-Real Allison Family Christmas Letter. We hope to make your heart smile and that you feel better about yourself and your family when you're done reading. Honest. The best way to read this letter is to go here. Or you can click on any image to enlarge for reading. Thank you for reading Cup O' Joe with Bill and giving us the opportunity to encourage you.

We serve as disciplemaking missionaries with Cadre Ministries. If you're willing to pray our family and ministry, please email me your complete mailing address and I'll send you our family's missionary prayer card to place on your refrigerator! For more info about how you can partner with God, the Allisons, and Cadre Ministries, go here.

There. Now go enjoy the holidays with your relatively functional and normal family.

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