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Showing posts from January, 2014

Become the disciplemaker you've longed to be...

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"I had such an incredible response to your book,  Disciplemaker ’s Guide to  Grow, Minister and Lead   from the students in my Moody leadership course . Some students in Australia needed to take a two hour independent study on Christian Education. They loved the Disciplemaker's Guide! They said the book addressed  the issues they were wrestling with in their church. Thanks for your partnership in ministry for all of these years! Thanks for all that you’ve poured into our lives! Thanks for letting me share  Cadre resources  with people around the world so that the Body of Christ can be better equipped to love and serve Jesus and the world around us! ”   —Dr. Andrew Beaty, Moody Bible Institute's Distance Learning Program CLICK HERE . "Going back to college at the young age of 58 has been quite the experience. I keep getting these funny grades I am not familiar with: "A's." I cannot say I was aware those existed in in my previous college caree

Monday Funday: Things Jesus Never Said (1)

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Get  Cup O' Joe with Bill  in your Email Inbox! Let me encourage you and make you think 2-3x a week with a virtual  Cup O' Joe with Bill  in your email inbox.  Go here and submit your email . Then check your email inbox and click the Feedburner confirmation link. Note: You can unsubscribe anytime simply by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email that comes from  Cup O' Joe with Bill.

Fun Training You Shouldn't Miss!

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When? Thursday, August 1st, 5 pm Where? Community Free Church, Mahomet, IL. What? There’s a lot of talk about disciplemaking these days. But what does that really look like in everyday real life? If you’re interested in exploring what Jesus-like disciplemaking looks like in a 21st century Western world, this training is for you! In each of the following three sessions below, we’ll look at a nonnegotiable for making disciplemakers like Jesus. Session 1 Be a Disciple Everything in life and ministry will try to pull you off the simplicity of following Jesus together. Session 2 Who Makes Disciples Following Jesus isn’t a subject to be mastered, but an infectious way of life that is lived together and shared with others. Session 3 Who Make More Disciples If those we disciple don’t make more disciples, then we haven’t made disciples like Jesus. Training Materials? Cost is $5 per person. Each person will receive a 

Why you should be careful what you wish for...

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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 Real Test of Ministry Leadership

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Business leaders hold the power of pay over employees. Educational leaders hold the power of grades over students. Parents hold the power of consequences over their kids. However, when ministry leaders work with volunteers , the power dynamics require real leadership —not mere force of power and position. That's why I contend that working with volunteers represents the real test of ministry leadership. More specifically, I contend that the real test of ministry leadership is how well volunteers  are equipped for the work of service (Ephesians 4:11-12). In the words of Don Cousins, "If you hold a leadership position but are not equipping the saints for the work of service, then you are not a leader. You may hold the position; you may have the title; you may be called a leader; but you're not a leader as the Bible defines it, because leadership means equipping." Not sure where to begin when it comes to encouraging and equipping volunteers? Start here.

Monday Funday: A true confession...

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When I was a teenager, I actually owned—and wore—this belt buckle... This is me as a teenager... I know. This picture explains everything, right? Never underestimate Jesus .

God was present, powerful, and life changing...

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I recently had the honor of speaking at the Evangelical Free Church of America's Central District Youth Conference in Coralville, IA. God was present, powerful and life-changing.   One student wrote me,  "Thank you so much for making my first year at Impact a memorable one. Last night I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Your testimony has helped me realize it. Thank you so very much."  This student is currently taking the 21 Day Challenge—studying the book of John one chapter a day for 21 days—with other students and youth leaders! We call that " Following Jesus together ." This picture above is from the first night at Impact 2013—600+ high school students and youth leaders fill the auditorium to be led in worship by The Spark . Lem was a fantastic MC—and whole lot of fun to boot. Emily, my daughter, photo bombed us. More on her later. Here's picture of a student who trusted Jesus Christ as her Savior at Impact 2013—and her very enc

It's so cold in IL it feels like WI...

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Me after I opened the garage door today. It's so cold outside, I just saw a teenage boy with his pants pulled up. I must be in WI. Somehow, this Poem seems entirely appropriate... It's winter in Wisconsin And the gentle breezes blow. Seventy-five miles an hour At thirty-five below. Oh, how I love Wisconsin When the snow's up to your butt. You take a breath of winter air And your nose gets frozen shut. Yes, the weather here is wonderful So I guess I'll hang around. I could never leave Wisconsin 'Cause I'm frozen to the ground. Poem by Linda Motley, former Wisconsinite On the other hand, I could be in Illinois. Why? It's so cold in Illinois, the politicians are putting their hands in their own pockets Get  Cup O' Joe with Bill  in your Email Inbox! Let me encourage you and make you think 2-3x a week with a virtual  Cup O' Joe with Bill  in your email inbox.  Go here and submit your email . Then check y