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Showing posts from November, 2014

Thanking God for what He did in Central IL...

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It was my honor to speak to about 500 students and youth leaders at the Illinois State Youth Convention for the Church of God on November 21-23, 2014 in Peoria, IL. As you scroll down to view pictures and read notes I've received from students and youth leaders, please breathe a prayer of thanksgiving to God—because He made it happen! (Click any image below to enlarge for viewing.) Citizen Way was the worship band for the weekend and they did a great job. "This weekend was a life changer! I'm so glad I came!" —a student via Twitter The theme of the conference was Jesus in 3D: Designer, Deliverer, and Defender . (Photo curtesy of Kevin DeHoff, DeHoff Photography.) "Bill, thank you for your time and testimony this weekend. God was amazing and I learned so much." —a youth leader via Facebook It was so much fun to hang out and connect with students and youth leaders from all over the state of Illinois. "I'd like to thank you for your mi

Monday Funday: What you get when you have a 3-year-old AND 13-year-old in your house

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Question: How can you tell if you have a 3-year-old in your house? Answer: You've got those goofy magnetized letters on your refrigerator. Question: How can you tell if you ALSO have a 13-year-old in your house? Answer: The goofy magnetized letters are arranged to spell the words "poop" and "fartbunz." Welcome to my twisted world.

Why Volunteers Quit...

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Ever wonder why volunteers quit? Of course, there are a multitude of reasons.  But I challenge you to consider the difference between... 1. using volunteers to build a ministry OR 2. using ministry to build volunteers.   Ponder and discuss these questions... 1. Which of those two would the volunteers who serve in ministry with you say you'd fall? Explain. 2. Which of those two would you place Jesus? Why? 3. What about Paul? Why? Why are these questions important? Most people have a pretty good boloney detector. Volunteers tend to know when they are simply being used to build a ministry.  What volunteers really crave is to be a part of a ministry community that builds them... so they can build others (aka, disciplemaking). Show me a leader who has a difficult time keeping volunteers and I'll show you a person who may be using volunteers to build a ministry—rather than using ministry to build volunteers. This is one of the primary reasons volunteer

Monday Funday: Why your evangelism isn't working

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But there is another way. A better way. A more Jesus-like way. A way that has nothing to do with ashtrays. Interested? Start here . And then go here . Respond accordingly. Get  Cup O' Joe with Bill  in your Email Inbox! Let me encourage you and make you think about 1x a week with a virtual  Cup O' Joe with Bill  in your email inbox.  1.  Go here and submit your email . 2.  Go to your email and click the Feedburner confirmation link . 

Disciplemaking should be the norm for EVERY follower of Jesus...

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(To read this passage immediately in its context, go here. ) Did you get that? The expectation is that those who are taught should teach others. If those who are taught don't teach others, something is wrong. Ever wonder why people grow old without ever growing up spiritually? Re-read Hebrews 5:12 above again. In other words... The writer of the book of Hebrews expects every follower of Jesus to grow up and become a disciplemaker. Do you? If not, why not? Seriously. Answer that. Generally, in North America, we are NOT making disciples who make more disciples . Perhaps part of the problem is that we're getting exactly what we expect—which isn't much. Ever wonder how you can swim against this current and make a difference? The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus shows us this: True leaders don't create more followers. They create more leaders . Make no mistake about it: According to the Bible, disciplemaking is the expected norm for every pe