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Why Conferences Matter

April 23, 2013 — 3 Comments

Care About Oranges

Few people know that I was a Meeting Management Major in college. I think the name of the degree has changed somewhat, but it was essentially a tourism management degree with a special emphasis in conference, exposition, and convention management (meeting management.)

I would do internships at these big conferences where people were looking for work, philandering about with strange women, and filling up that travel expense budget for their companies. It was schmooze city.

Now I’m 37 and in spite of those experiences, I love a good conference!  In fact, I will be spending much of the next week at The Orange Conference in Atlanta. It’s called ORANGE, because we believe that if we could create rich experiences for children and students including both the family (RED) and the church (YELLOW) we would have something that reflects ORANGE. Get it?

There will be some schmoozing here, I guess; but then again there is that about anywhere you go these days. As I’ve prepared to go, and prepared to write some of my experiences, I’ve felt compelled to share why someone that doesn’t work in a church should want their church leaders to be at something like the Orange Conference.

  • It’s Different. // The music is different, the speakers are different, the ideas are different, the environment is different, and for much of us it’s a fun mixture of all the familiar and unfamiliar in one place. This is good for your leaders. They will either come back with something fresh for your church, or they come home with stronger convictions than ever that you are doing it the right way for your church.
  • It’s Fun. // It’s always fun to spend time with old friends, and make some new friends. Maybe that’s the schmoozing I wrote about earlier… It’s good for your leaders to enjoy themselves, especially with other people that think and create like they do.
  • It’s Challenging. // I can guarantee you that if you send your leaders to Orange, they will be challenged on something they’ve elevated to sacred status. This is a good thing. Sacred Cows make the best hamburgers anyways.
  • It’s Out of Town. // That’s a weird one, I know. There is something symbolic about packing that suitcase, getting in a car, waiting at an airport, and arriving somewhere unfamiliar. It lends itself to a journey, and that’s exactly what you’re asking your leaders to do, right? “Go on over there, and come back and tell us what you see.”

This may be the most unconvincing argument for letting your church leaders attend something like the Orange Conference; but take it from the sincerest parts of my heart. It’s this “getting away with other leaders” idea that could be really, really good for the local churches in all different parts of this country and beyond!

 

 

 

 

 

CPC 2013
I am so excited about some of my favorite things all coming together in January of next year. I’ve been a huge fan of all things ORANGE for years now, and an even bigger advocate of small groups and those that lead them. I’m also highly invested in making the 2013 Children’s Pastor Conference one of the best places to take your team. For those reasons, I’m thrilled to share that both CPC and Orange are coming together for a special Orange tour experience at CPC. There will be breakouts concentrating on their new Lead Small initiative and developing Small Group Leaders for children and preschool ministry.

OrangeWord

Lead Small - the key to mobilizing an authentic faith in the next generation. Every stage of life needs a unique kind of influence. So, how do we create a culture in the church where small groups can thrive? How do we coach small group leaders to embrace their role in discipling a generation? You’ll walk away from this one day pre-con experience with practical tips to help you effectively hand off a timeless mission to a new generation.
Here are the breakouts available at CPC, all being taught by Terry Scalzitti. There will be an entire team from Orange that will be there to answer any questions you have about Lead Small and all other things Orange!
5 Catalysts for Spiritual Formation
You’re invited to an interactive experience to discuss the key components on how the spiritual formation of the next generation takes place. We’ll take a look at 5 catalysts that spark transformation in a person’s life.
Lead Small 
We believe Small Group Leaders are one of the keys to a child’s spiritual formation.  Filled with practical application for small group leaders or working with small group leaders – you’ll walk away challenged, encouraged and renewed to do for a few what you wish you could do for many.
Why Structure is Important?
Groups will never work until we work like groups are important. We’ll dive into how to structure your Monday – Friday schedule to work on the things that will make your groups thrive on Sunday. This breakout is chocked full of easy, practical tips.
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Last night the Orange Conference was kicked off with a great message from Reggie Joiner about the messiness of living the Gospel in today’s world.  I know that many blog posts related to what a speaker says at a conference are just a synopsis, and that’s allright; but the message last night was something my family and I have been living through for over a year.

When we chose to live out the gospel through fostering kids in our community, we couldn’t have known then just how messy and painful it would be.  Here are thoughts and things heard last night as it relates to the Gospel and it’s messiness.

The gospel is messy and painful. What we are compelled to do, is something that is messy. Collide with humanity.

  1. I can’t do what I do, without getting messy.
  2. It’s gonna be messy, because Jesus couldn’t have done what He did without getting messy.
  3. Jesus always challenged. It made things messy.

The gospel connects us all to those who believe. (This is what makes environments like Orange such a fun place to be.)
Jesus didn’t live a sinless life to set a good example. He lived sinless, so he could die for us. // Boom!  This is really great.

  • There is no way to live the gospel without getting messy.
  • Disciples were willing to do the difficult, because they had watched Jesus get messy.
  • There is no way to make disciples without them getting messy.
  • If my kids don’t get messy, I’m not equipping them to live the gospel.
  • I’ve got to help kids see the church as much bigger and expansive than the single one we attend.

We have a Gospel that is paradoxical and mysterious. Grace and Truth. Faith and Works.
Its time to acknowledge the tension of the Gospel and Theology.

Humans are the Living Sacrifice… Because we keep crawling off the altar.

  • Trust a God bigger than our Theology. Tension is necessary. Tension creates balance.
  • Engage In a Gospel that invites us into a bigger story.
  • Gospel is messy, because the cross was messier.

If you’ve never been to the Orange Conference, than take some time and see if it’s a place you could be next year in 2013!

Today is Wednesday, and I’m heading to the Pre-Conference Breakouts for Orange Conference 2012. I’ll be presenting over in the INCM learning track, and I’m hoping to meet some great new Kidmin leaders. Yesterday I shared “What not to do”, but today I’m going to share what I WILL be doing this week at Orange 2012.

  • Listen to what others have to say || Sure, I’ll answer any questions you have for me; but I’m going to get my own questions answered.
  • Encourage whoever needs it || Every year I really do want to be an encouragement to somebody. I know that there are people at Orange that our out of work, or maybe they will soon be out of work. There are people hurting because they are the only ones in their churches that carry a daily burden for families knowing Jesus. I want to be a person God works through for them.
  • Eat || Seriously, I’m going to eat at the places I can’t back home. Doesn’t everyone do this? Don’t judge me.
  • Worship Jesus in a fresh way || Orange (and many other conferences) always presents a place that I can give my worship. I love the times of music and openness of praying for others. It’s sometimes my biggest take-away from being away from home.
  • Learn something new || I’m really hoping that this week I can walk away with something I didn’t arrive with. I’ve got to learn some things, and I know what they are, and I’m willing to seek out the methods!
  • Miss my wife and family.

If you’re going to be at the Orange Conference this week, would you come say hello? I’d love to meet you and hear what God is doing in your ministry and life. You can find me in the Bloggers Suite upstairs in the Main Arena. See you there!

All week I’ve been participating in a special look at what the Orange Conference could mean for those of us ministering to the Next Generation.  This year there are some special things Orange is doing to reach out to those working in Youth and Children’s Ministry.

We are thrilled to present TWO specialty tracks sponsored by Youth Specialties and International Network of Children’s Ministries! Our friends in ministry will be providing the speakers and content, so you are sure to hear a favorite from one of their conferences and some great content. We are proud to present these to anyone wishing for a two-conference-in-one experience.

As a great fan of both INCM (the host of CPC), and Youth Specialties; I love the reach that Orange is attempting to make for all of us working on the local church level.  So, what are you waiting for?  Visit www.theorangeconference.com today and register now!