Disciplemaking Adventures June 2013

This disciplemaking adventure began when we left the Tremont Turkey Festival in Central IL (can you say "the best turkey sandwiches and strawberry shortcake ever"?) for Frankfort, IN, to work with Antioch Church. Our dear friends, Dave and Linda Klipp serve at this church. (Note: Click any image below to enlarge for viewing.)

Stacy, Sadey, and Ivy took the almost 1,000 mile round trip drive with me from IL, to IN, to WI. Loved having them with me. And so did people at each place along the way.

First stop: I did Cadre's Evangelism Is Relationships training experience in Frankfort, IN. This group of senior saints asked for training so they could learn to reach out to their friends. These are my kind of senior saints: fun, eager, and in short, juicy and fresh.

After our Saturday morning EIR training in Frankfort, IN, we heading out to Green Bay, WI. On Saturday night, we enjoyed dinner with the Bill Van Kirk, the youth pastor of Spring Lake Church and his wife, Erica, and their two small beautiful kids. It was a great time of family, fun, and food (a.k.a., disicplemaking as a way of life). And maybe a little frozen yogurt at the Smart Cow. Maybe. I'm not saying for sure.

On Sunday morning, I spoke in two morning services at Spring Lake Church.

Wherever I do ministry in WI, these types always seem to show up in their Packer jerseys. They are out to get me! The irony that I, a crazy Bear's fan, am often in WI, doesn't escape me... nor my friends who live in WI. Despite the fact that opening kick off is over 85 days away, these beloved cheese heads came to church wearing their green and gold proudly—just to taunt me while I preached. All I have to say about all this is two words: Da Bears! I love this fun rivalry.

After the second service, we ate pizza and I did a 90 minute disciplemaking training lab experience that served as a part 2 to my morning messages for those who wanted more. And guess what? People wanted more! 

The services were great, but this training and equipping time around tables in groups of 6 or 7 was very powerful—fit beautifully with the theme of the morning message. The place was filled with energy. And lots of laughter and learning. But that's what happens when we start following Jesus together.

On the way home from Green Bay, we stopped in Appleton, WI, to encourage and coach Jed and Kendra Haas. Jed and Kendra are planting a church in Appleton. While our kids played together at the play place in the mall, we sipped Orange Julius and shared some life together. Like we always say, we (the Allisons) are your missionaries of encouragement. And we mean it.

We got back on the road thanking God for the honor of partnering with Him and what He is doing in this world. But we stopped one last time in WI before getting home. Why? Who can resist The World's Largest Culvers? Seriously. Not me. Nor my kids.

If you've read this far, thank you. You're special. And we appreciate you. We couldn't be disciplemaking missionaries of encouragement—spreading Jesus-like disciplemaking every where we go like an infectious disease—without praying friends and financial partners like you. THANK YOU!