Breaking Out at Orange

The Orange Conference is just a few months away. This week I will be joining the Orange Bloggers in sharing our hearts about the conference, curriculum,  and the strategy of Orange. You can find a list of all the bloggers at Orange Leaders.

I am super excited to be going Orange this year. The added bonus is that I will be teaming up with my Orange Blogger friends again at the conference.

There are so many fantastic breakouts this year that it was very hard to choose just one for each session.

Here are the workshops/breakouts that I will

 be attending and a bit about each one.

Pre-Conference

YOU LEAD KIDS

If you lead kids-or influence them, teach them, listen to them, talk to them and love them-this session is the best place for you to begin. We want to create a space specifically for those who lead kids. Come network and learn from others who do what you do every week. Discover the five critical areas you need to grow and develop as a leader. Practically assess where you are now, in each of these areas, and begin to create your own long-term development plan.

BUILDING A HEALTHY VOLUNTEER CULTURE [CHILDREN]

When you're constantly scrambling for volunteers, it's easy to focus on simply recruiting warm bodies to fill your quota. Okay, that's reality. But what if you could recruit leaders who love serving, who want to show up weekly, and who invite their friends to help? Idealistic? Maybe. But in this breakout we will discuss ways to recruit children's volunteers in such a way that you create something they will love . . . almost as much as you do.

STARTING A CHURCH FOR UNCHURCHED FAMILIES

You've probably figured out by now that the beliefs and values systems of an "unchurched person" are different than they were ten years ago. You also might have noticed that families in your community "aren't what they used to be." So, with all the change, how do you create a ministry to effectively reach the families in your community? In this breakout, we'll look at 12 characteristics of today's unchurched families and discuss what these characteristics mean for your ministry.

HELPING FAMILIES GO DEEPER (ELEMENTARY)

The elementary years present a unique window of opportunity for parents to engage with their children. The conversations and experiences that can happen during this life-stage will shape much of a child's identity and character. Your ability to partner with parents at this stage can build a deeper spiritual foundation for kids in your ministry.

Conference Breakouts

LIFE STAGES

Children and student pastors are age-group specialists by default. But sometimes intuition isn't enough. That's why it's helpful to understand the patterns and unique issues that affect every age group. Understanding these life stages will help you leverage your ministry to target specific age groups more effectively. It will also help your age-group staff work together better to impact kids as they transition from one ministry to another.

6 THINGS EVERY KID NEEDS

There are approximately 936 weeks from the day a child is born until they graduate from high school. If you're a parent or leader, you are running out of time and your days of influence are limited. Join us as we talk about the six things every kid needs that will transform the focus and intentionality of your ministry, and how best to weave these six essential principles through everything you do as a leader and as a parent.

WHAT I WISH I COULD TELL EVERY VOLUNTEER

We know how important volunteers are to your ministries, but sometimes we struggle to tell them just how vital they really are. Join Sue Miller to discuss how best to share with your volunteer team how instrumental they are to your ministry and the great impact that they have on the lives of the kids that they are investing in week in and week out.

GET BETTER AT WHAT YOU SAY

If you are a leader, you have an audience. You have to cast vision, explain an idea, communicate a truth to someone. Maybe your platform is a group of kids, volunteers, or just people on your team. What if there is a clear process that will ensure that your next presentation is your best one? This breakout will give you that process, so you can discover how to get better at what you say.

Have you chosen your breakouts yet?
Which ones will you be attending?

 Hope to see you there!

Blessings,