Urgent Prayer Needed Please...

I need your prayers right now and all this week as I travel to Utah to partner with our disciplemaking friend, Derrick Smothers.

Every day this week, we're taking disciplemaking training and encouragement to pastors, church planters, and ministry leaders who are serving Jesus in Utah. Many of those we are working with are leaders of the only Gospel preaching churches and ministries for many miles around. (One of the ministries is actually located in a polygamous community that has never had a Gospel witness in it until now.)

Would you please pray for us RIGHT NOW—and throughout the week? (See schedule below)

Can YOU Help Us?

If you can help us financially with this week of equipping equippers in one of the most religious and yet lost areas of the US, it would be a huge blessing. When all is said and done, we’ll need at least $2,000 for training materials and travel to stoke the fire of disciplemaking multiplication out west. No gift is too small and every gift would be deeply appreciated—and used judiciously for Kingdom advancement in a place that desperately needs it. If your heart is willing and you're able to give, go here and mention that your gift is for UTAH.

Of course, the real beauty of this adventure is continuing the disciplemaking multiplication that we have with our friend Derrick. He and his wife live and share Jesus-like disciplemaking friendships that multiply—and they'll continue to live it with these beautiful servants of God long after I’m home. That's all the more reason we partner with them.

Thank you so much!

We really are your disciplemaking missionaries...

Bill for all of us

p.s. More about our adventures in multiplying disciplemaking friendships out west 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...

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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.
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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.

Power Connection Summer 2018

Click any image below to enlarge for viewing.

On some occasions, I'll go on a ministry adventure by myself. It's not often. But God always shows up to touch people's lives and that's why we are disciplemaking missionaries with Cadre Missionaries. However, when these two girls are with me on a ministry adventure, the fun, impact, and relationships are exponential. They have a way of connecting with people and then connecting those people to God.

Such was the case when I spoke to over 800 junior high/middle school students and youth leaders from the Reformed Church of America at Kansas State University, Kansas City, KS. This is the fourth time I've been the keynote speaker at Power Connection! I loved each time but this time was special.

Here's just one thing I love about being around the next generation: Ice cream for breakfast. This picture was taken at 8 AM. No parents or youth leaders in sight. Nice. As you can see, I'm sticking with coffee. I might reconsider if they offered coffee ice cream.

Here's another thing I love about Power Connection: Students do business with God! Many students came to Christ in our main sessions and in the small groups after the sessions. Many more opened their hearts to their youth leaders (many of whom are parents) about getting serious about following Jesus together. In the words of one youth leader: "Power Connection 2018 was life-changing. Awesome to see students connecting with youth leaders and other students about following Jesus together."

I love making disciplemakers with the next generations and those who love the next generations. One youth leader wrote to us: "I loved watching the kids we brought with us learn more about God and really want to keep learning more. One of the kids we brought along happens to be our niece and we had the privilege to witness her accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and that had to be the best moment of the whole trip." We love disciplemaking friendships—starting with our families!

One youth leader wrote: "Sitting through your three keynote sessions and then in small groups after each session, I saw the girls and myself grow closer to Jesus and each other. We all loved every minute of Power Connection. I challenged the girls to take your challenge to read the book of Proverbs for 31 days as well as read another verse that I send them daily. We had such open and honest conversations in youth group time, so we set up a group chat through text where we are going to talk about the verse I sent them and each chapter of Proverbs. My daughter was the first one to read it this morning. Please pray that the girls and I will continue to grow in their relationship with Christ and each other."

The young woman on the right is married to a youth pastor. She told us, “You were the speaker when I was in junior high and God really began to get a hold of me then.” Of course, this filled my heart with joy—to see her now investing her life in disciplemaking with the next generation. Exactly! That's how we roll as Cadre Missionaries. We aspire to make disciplemakers like Jesus did.

We've been doing ministry with the next generations for a long time with Cadre and I can honestly say that One Time Blind (pictured above) is worth contacting if you like drama that is engaging, funny and speaks the truth in a powerful way without being corny. Every time I have had the honor of working with them, there art speaks directly and powerfully to my soul.

"My love for Christ grew so much! I gave my whole heart to the Lord and was surrounded by many others doing the same." —from a student.

To God, and God alone, be all the glory! We're just thrilled to be along for the ride.

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, One-Anothering, and Living on Mission TOGETHER Wherever You Are...

Bill,

We're in the airport on our way home from ministry in Uganda. We're enjoying one more time of havering through the "one-anothers." What a gift Cadre's One Another Living Guide has been to our team. We have been equipped daily to serve King Jesus and our Ugandan family. Today we drilled down on #19: "spurring each other on to acts of love" (Heb. 10:24). A great reminder that this disciplemaking mission doesn't end when we get on a plane. We long to take what we have learned here and spur each other on to make disciples back at home, "starting with our family!"
Love you brother!

Steve 
(Also known as CPS—Crazy Pastor Steve)

But Wait! There's more! 
Everyone gets a One Another Living Guide when they participate in 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.

The first and foremost need of the day?

Instead of asking, "What does disciplemaking look like in the church?" perhaps we should start asking, "What does disciplemaking look like in my everyday life?"

Study the above diagram closely. I dare you to think this through.

Is this true? Why or why not?

What happens if you start at the top—focusing your energies on everything but developing disciplemaking men and women?

What could happen if we start at the bottom—focusing our energies first and foremost on developing disciplemaking men and women?

Now, take what you know about Jesus' life and ministry and run it through the above diagram.

Could it really be that the first and foremost need of our day is disciplemaking men and women? 

I concede that focusing on helping men and women live and share a disciplemaking way of life with others isn't as sexy or cool as say, "casting a compelling vision" for a whole community, neighborhood, or church.

But since when have the followers of Jesus been about the sexy and cool?

Instead of asking, "What does disciplemaking look like in the church?" perhaps we should start asking, "What does disciplemaking look like in my everyday life?"

Here are some further thoughts—if you dare...
Why start with disciplemaking men and women first?
What does disciplemaking look like in real life?
Where is a good place to start as a disciplemaker?
Do you need a word of encouragement about disciplemaking?
What if disciplemaking really is the main thing?
Are you at the mercy of the next cool thing?

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.