Will you please pray for us this week?

Starting TODAY, we'll be on a disciplemaking mission in Utah—and we need your prayers every day for the next eight days. When I say we need your prayers, I'm not kidding. The spiritual warfare has already begun. So...

Seriously, would you please pray for us this week?

Why are we doing this?
The real mission of Cadre is to make disciplemakers who make more disciplemakers. (For more on this, go here.) So this next week is NOT just eight days of busy ministry activities, and then we come home and forget about it. No. This is way more ongoing and strategic than a "one-and-done" type of thing. My friendship with Derrick Smothers and Steve Waggoner has been and always will be about living and sharing Jesus-like disciplemaking friendships that multiply to others. This time, Steve and I have the honor of coming alongside Derrick's ongoing disciplemaking ministry in Utah—and we'll continue to encourage and equip each other long after this particular disciplemaking adventure is over.

Who should you pray for?
* Derrick Smothers, Executive Director of The E3 Connection.
   (More about Derrick here, here, and here.)
* Steve Waggoner, Senior Pastor of CrossWalk Fellowship Church.
   (More about Steve here, here, and here.)
* Me

What should you pray for?
We're on Jesus' mission of making disciplemakers—like this. If you'd PRAY THIS every day for us, we'd be so thankful!

How can you pray for us?
Here's our tentative schedule...
* Today: We travel west. Pray for safety in travel today and everyday.

* Tuesday: Hildale, UT, and La Verkin, UT. We're doing this disciplemaking training.

* Wednesday: Ivins, UT, and Las Vegas, NV. We're doing this disciplemaking training.

* Thursday: Ephraim, UT. We're doing this disciplemaking training.

* Friday: Ogden, UT. We're doing this disciplemaking training.

* Saturday: Lehi, UT. We're doing this disciplemaking training.

* Sunday: Tremonton, UT. We'll speak in a morning church service and do this disciplemaking training lab after the service.

* Monday: We come back home. Pray for safety in travel.

From our hearts to yours: THANK YOU for praying for us right now—and throughout the rest of this week. I can't wait to see what God is going to do as a result of your prayers for us!

FYI: It's not too late to be God's $ wind in our disciplemaking sails. All you have to do is go here. Every gift of any size is a huge blessing and encouragement to us! THANK YOU! We really are your disciplemaking missionaries.

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.

Why I STILL Love Being a Dad...

Here are some real texts from my six-year old (using an iPad) to my wife...

I'm pretty sure she get's that crass junior high craziness from her mom. (*wink)

More reasons why I still love being a dad 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.

True Stories of Disciplemakers Making More Disciplemakers...

Meet Curt Vanderstelt. He's in the middle wearing green. I think you can see he's a lot of fun. I've known and loved Curt since he was a teenager. Let's just say he's older now. I know. I ain't no spring chicken myself. However, all this longevity in working with the next generations has put me in a front row seat for some pretty amazing and true stories of disciplemaking life change.  Let me explain.

My good friend, Chip Hackney, was Curt's youth pastor in Michigan. That's how I got to know Curt. This picture with Curt above was taken on January 5, 2019 in Green Bay, WI, where Dave Garda (left) and I were busy being disciplemaking missionaries of encouragement and equipping with many of the 4,000 students and youth leaders in Green Bay that weekend.

A mere 36 days later, on February 10, 2019, I was speaking to 400+ students and youth leaders at Camp Timber-Lee in East Troy, WI. There I met Taylor (above). Taylor serves Jesus on staff at Timber-lee. We got to talking and I found out Curt was Taylor's youth pastor. With great joy in in his eyes, Taylor told me how much God used Curt in his life and how that disciplemaking friendship shaped his life.

It all got me thinking. 

This true disciplemaking story is too good NOT to celebrate!

So I posted on Curt's Facebook when I got home from Timber-lee—and I tagged Chip too so he'd see it.  Here's what I wrote...

Hey Curt! Last weekend I was speaking to students and youth leaders at Camp Timber-lee​. I ran into someone who is so thankful for your influence in his life—Taylor. He is now serving Jesus at Timber-lee—helping students find and follow Jesus. It made me think of Chip Hackney​'s disciplemaking friendship with you when you were a very young man. All that to say, I love that I have been around the next generations so long now that I've watched Chip disciple you, and you disciple others like Taylor, and now Taylor is passing it all on to the next generations. We call that discipleMAKING my friend. I'm giving all glory to God—and cheering you on as you continue to make disciplemkers as a way of life!

Can you count the three generations of disciplemaking friendship with me?
* Generation 1: From Chip to Curt
* Generation 2: From Curt to Taylor
* Generation 3 From Taylor to only God knows who at Timber-lee—and wherever Taylor goes the rest of his life!

Cool story, right?

But don't miss the point: Can you count at least three generations of disciplemakers flowing out of your life for God's glory?

Wondering what this way of life might look like for you? Need some help? Not sure where to start?

Start here.

p.s. We'd love to hear you three-generation disciplemaking friendship story!

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.

Sad, true, and poignantly funny...

If you didn't enjoy the humor or the point of the image above, then please do NOT click any of the links below. You have been warned.
* I'm so saved I never smile
* Millenial suntans
* Laughing at myself
* Everyone's a heretic except me 
* If you're a Packer fan 

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.

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.

Need something to help you facilitate your DLC? Try this.

Want more info about DLCs? This is for you.

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

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.

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 out west?

"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.

This Spring, 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.]