Will YOU to partner with God, the Allisons, & Cadre Ministries?

What we want you to know more than anything... is that we—the entire Allison crew and Cadre Ministries—are thanking God for you and your faithful prayer and generous financial partnership. THANK YOU!

Please read the year-end ministry update below because 2009 has been OUR (that's you and us together with God) most eternally fruitful year yet! It wouldn't happen... it couldn't happen without outrageous friends like you who pray and financially partner with God in this amazing Ephesians 4:11-12 adventure we call Cadre Ministries. Please read below of YOUR 2009 ministry exploits through us for God's glory. To God... and only God... be the glory!

Click any image below to enlarge for reading. To download this two page ministry update for printing or sharing, GO HERE.


Yes, we need YOUR help!
The most frequent question we're being asked these days is, "Is Cadre feeling the effects of the economy?" The answer is "yes." We need your help to finish 2009 strong—and to launch us into the a new year of disciplemaking impact. For more information about how you can partner with God, us, and Cadre, GO HERE. To make a secure online tax-deductible donation right now, GO HERE.

What's your style of leadership?

Unfortunately many leaders focus their attention on the needs instead of the servers, and as a result, see servers as a means to an end. I call this approach “usery,” and it’s the opposite of equipping. “Usery” takes something from someone in order to accomplish something else. “Equipping” gives something to someone for the purpose of building that person up.... Jesus modeled this in his relationship with his disciples. While he did a great deal of serving of the masses (healing, feeding, teaching, etc.), He focused His time and energy on equipping His disciples. They didn’t see themselves as a means to Jesus’ end; they saw themselves as the end. They were the objects of Christ’s affection. Yes, Jesus had come to serve the whole world through the shedding of His blood, and taking that good news to the world would require a great expansion effort. Yet He focused His ministry on building into a few, knowing they would take what they’d been given and pass it on to others.

From the book, Experiencing Leadershift by Don Cousins—page 243

My Best Friend Turns the BIG 4-0 TODAY!

For the last year, I've been winking at her and saying stuff like, "You're gonna be the BIG 4-0 this year. You're getting old woman." And how does she respond? She smiles back at me in appreciation. No joke. She actually wants to look older. (One would think that her marriage to me and our six kids ages 8-18 would be enough stress to create gray hair and wrinkles... but to no avail... so far. Maybe when she gets to be 41?)

If you'd like to wish Stacy a happy 40th birthday and make her day by telling her how old she is looking, then all you have to do is GO HERE.

I invite you to join Sir Paul McCartney (who is old enough to be Stacy's dad) in the video below in celebrating the 40th birthday of the woman I love most on planet earth.

A true friend's refrigerator...

Well now you can see for yourself how I've aged over the years... and which years were more stressful than others (so far)!

All you have to do is click the picture to enlarge.

Longtime friends and ministry partners, Josh and Di Jeffrey, recently sent us this picture of their refrigerator.

Not gonna lie: It made our day... especially since we know how many times a day Josh heads toward that refrigerator. If he remembers to pray for us just 10% of the time, we'll totally be blessed!



Would you be willing to pray for us too? To get your own copy of the 2009 Allison family picture complete with magnet (perfect for putting on your fridge prompting you to pray for us), email your complete mailing info to Bill.

Note: Our latest ministry update is HERE.

The blur that was my life last week... in pictures...

It all started last Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) with a For the Win concert. They're a Ska band. Our son Bill plays guitar.

Gotta love the horn section! I do! For a video that captures the energy of a For the Win concert but not the sound quality, GO HERE.

Saturday night we had one of our Fire Pit Fridays... only it was on a Saturday. We had about 30 teenagers over... four of whom were ours.

On Sunday I spoke at CrossPoint Church in East Peoria, IL, home of two of my favorite Starbucks baristas! (Can you tell which one of them had coffee that morning?) I took this picture of them during my message... long story.

From Monday through Wednesday, I had a great three days of investing in one of my spiritual sons, Levi Carter (on the right) who is now on staff at Victory World Church. Above: Levi and Lizette.

While in Atlanta, I also invested time training and encouraging students who are in a year long discipleship ministry with the Metro Atlanta Masters Commission.

On Thursday—back in IL—our entire family was on the road by 5:15 AM to pick up grandmas and grandpa for a one day visit to Emily at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. We all crunched into this little dorm in the women's dorm... hence the sign.

While in Chicago, we took Emily and one of her friends out to eat at a long time Chicago dining establishment... where you actually pay the waiters to harass you.

Yeah, this was the blur that was my life last week. But I'm NOT complaining. I'm thrilled I have the energy to be a part of it all! Thank you God!

Okay... now what's coming this week?

Behind every successful person is...

I love this woman... my coffee partner... who turns the BIG 4-0 on December 18th!