Multiplying Next Generation Disciplemakers...

Your Cadre missionaries had a God-favored time of disciplemaking friendships and training with students and youth leaders from around the country (and some folks from other countries) at Challenge 2016. (Note: Click any image in this post to enlarge for viewing!)

Challenge Conference is the national student ministries conference for the Evangelical Free Church of America and was held in Louisville, KY. The only thing worth my short life is investing in the next generation and those who are investing in the next generation.

This year, the Cadre training team (me, Dave Garda, Rennie Garda, Seth Fagerland, and Nate Stenholtz) did 13 different disciplemaking training experience around the theme: Friends That Matter.  

(Note: These five disciplemaking training experiences/presentations are available here.)

Everyday of the conference we trained students and youth leaders at 1 PM and 3 PM for about 90 minutes each time. Of course, we didn't lecture for 90 minutes! That would be boring.

At least half our time in each session was devoted to helping students and youth leaders interact with God via the Bible. We call it havering.

Youth leaders and students exploring together what it means to live sent as disciplemaking friends.

We stopped our training often for times of prayer, hearing from God, and praying for each other. Hey, that's how disciplemaking friends roll.

And, everyday, in our training rooms, Ivy made new friends from around the country. I think they enjoyed her as much as she enjoyed them.

In addition to the Disciplemaking Friendship training series we did, I was also asked to do this training lab.

In between sessions, we had so much fun meeting new friends and reconnecting with old friends! Did I mention disciplemaking friendships yet?

Mornings before the conference were used for coffee and time with various youth leaders from around the country. Above: With some of our favorite disciplemaking friends from CO and IA. With these guys on this morning, we explored my favorite disciplemaking training experience for middle school and jr. high students—and how they can take it back to their ministries.

We think disciplemaking friendships are the way disciplemakers are made. Let me explain.

"Bill, Thank you for a great equipping lab at Challenge! Great training!"
—a student from TX

"I was so inspired and moved by your family and your message at Challenge that I needed to write to you while it was fresh on my heart. My name is Jasmine and I was with a group of girls from Nebraska that sat and ate before the 1:00pm session on the last day. God has placed a passion in my heart to share this message. It's such an important message and I feel like it is overlooked in my community. I love your approach and want to learn more! Thank you so much for your time and Happy Anniversary to you and your wife! It was so nice meeting you both, and Ivy as well."

—Youth leader from NE

These aren't the leaders of tomorrow. They're the leaders of today. Our desire is to encourage and equip the next generations to live and lead like Jesus—the best "leader" in the history of the world.

Thanks for your prayers and support. You make Cadre possible and powerful. To God be the glory!

Let me encourage you most Mondays!