What God did on our 15-Day Midwest Mission Trip...

This is how our 15-Day Midwest Mission Trip started. We gathered at Camp Menno Haven in Tiskilwa, IL, with the high school and junior high school students of Grace Baptist Church, Pekin, IL. We had so much fun doing Cadre's Ministry Is Relationships training experience over three days. 

"Bill, I can’t thank you enough for the way you allowed God to use your life and ministry. To see our students pray together and desire to seek Jesus more intimately together… there is no price tag that can be put on that." —Mark Goewey, Youth Pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Pekin, IL.

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This is how we do disciplemaking training. The more people are engaged, the greater potential for life-change. When engagement is low, learning and life-change tends to be low. Our goal is create a space where participants can connect to God and each other—for God's glory!

Our next stop was the Church on the Rock in Fort Atkinson, WI. I preached from Mark 12:28-30, taught congregation the Disciplemaker's Prayer, and then I gave everyone a copy of our Disciplemaking Manifesto. It was such a joy to partner with this church because the pastor is the father is one of my dear disciplemaking friends, Jesse Bartz! We enjoyed time at Pastor Bartz's home with the legendary speaker/musician/worship leader, Mark Reed. It was great next adventure on our 15-Day Midwest Mission Trip.

Our dear and longtime friend, Pastor Brian Cole, from The Oaks Community Church in Drummond, WI, was our next stop. We gathered together to explore Disciplemaking in Everyday Life (see below).

"Another year blessed by my friend, Bill Allison. Bummer this year we didn’t get a motorcycle ride in together this time, but we finally got to meet his bride, Stacy, and one of his daughters, Ivy! Thank you for your friendship and your ministry!" —Pastor Brian and Marsha Cole

This is the training experience we did most often on our Midwest Mission Trip. Contact me if you're interested in bringing Cadre training to you and your ministry.

Our next stop was First Baptist Church, Clearbrook, MN. We did Disciplemaking in Everyday Life training. This is a new disciplemaking training experience that helps all believers explore what what "disciplemaking looks like in everyday life." It's based on our FREE Disciplemaking Manifesto.

There is no such thing as a small church. Pastor Randy Reimer and his wife, Jerri, welcomed us and encouraged us in so many ways. It was a joy to partner together for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

 

“Hey Bill, I just got done reading your book! I just want you and your wife to know that our meeting this past week was a divine appointment for me. Our conversation brought such encouragement to me and a focus back to the simple things I’ve disciple making friendships. Thank you so much Bill, and thank you Lord for being at work when we don’t see it, and providing us what we need! FYI, I have several people I'm pulling close to read through The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus together.” —Jarrod Norvold,  Youth and Worship Pastor at Calvary Church, Walker, MN

Next we partnered with Living Hope Evangelical Free Church in St. Francis, MN. Pastor Lon Bjornrud and his wife Sonya invited us to do a disciplemaking training experience as a part a picnic the church planned.

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This is what the Disciplemaking in Everyday Life training experience looks like without tech :  ) Hey, Jesus never used a laptop or projector. It was so much fun.

Our next stop was Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, MN, where we strategically gathered some of the staff and we—you guessed it—explored Jesus' disciplemaking way of life. Our dear friend, Dr. Ken Castor (immediately to my left above), made it all happen. Everyone received The Disciplemaking Genius of Jesus book for going deeper into Jesus' way of life. I was so blessed and encouraged by these folks and their heart for multiplying disciplemakers like Jesus. 

It seems fitting that we ended our 15-Day Midwest Mission Trip at Christian Free Lutheran Church in Wheatland, IA. There were at least three other ministry stops before we got to Iowa, however, we were so engaged in the friendships and conversations I forgot to take pictures! Sincere apologies to the Dwight and Lorriane Warden, the Castor family, the Kvamme family, the O'Brien family, and the Stacey family.

If you prayed for us and/or supported us on this mission trip, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! You are way more than a Cup O' Joe with Bill reader, you're a disciplemaking friend—and we thank God for you.

We're always thinking about disciplemaking and the next generations!

It's our only hope.

Let me encourage you every Monday!