Archives For orange2011

5 Things Orange

May 2, 2011 — 6 Comments

I had a great time at the Orange Conference last week.  It was my 4th time to attend, but the first time I’ve taken my entire team along for the experience.  I was abel to make the normal Orange Conference connections that I’ve made each year, meeting new friends and reuniting with old ones.  Because these Internets love a good list, I’m going with a top 5 things I took away from this years Orange Conference:

  1. The Team: Taking my senior pastor, executive pastor, college pastor, student ministry pastor, and connections pastor was quite the experience.  When you add me to the mix, that creates 6 different personalities living within close proximity with each other for 5 days.  I’m proud to say that nobody was killed.  :)
    • They all had different takeaways from the conference, and I’m looking forward to reaping a harvest of action from all the ideas planted within them.
  2. The Friends: I had breakfast each morning with some serious Family Ministry big-timers.  It was a great experience to get up early so I could eat, talk, dream, and pray with those that I share my life with.  Easily one of the best takeaway experiences of the entire conference, was the breakfast me and some others had with Jim Wideman.  I realize I don’t have enough Jim’s in my life right now, and the time I had with him; and the answers to my questions that he had were a blessing to me.
    • <rant beginning> And if you attended this conference or any other conference, and don’t make the time to connect with those that don’t work at your church…then you are missing it in a serious way.  Build it into your schedule to take someone from another church out to dinner, breakfast, or coffee when you have them in your view.  Don’t think they have the time?  Well, maybe you just haven’t asked yet. <rant over>
  3. The Word: Listening to Andy Stanley, Jud Wilhite, Perry Noble, Gordon MacDonald, and Doug Fields speak in the Main General Sessions were life changing.  I was recapping some of what they had to say to a friend this morning, and I realize that the words from those brothers in Christ were just what I needed to hear.  Love the time I have to experience the teaching of God’s Word when in the company of like-minded people!
  4. The Breakouts: Breakouts are a tricky thing.  Will you get some great content, but a bad presenter?  Or will you get some great humorous person with great delivery that doesn’t really say anything of value?  It’s sort of a crapshoot.  This year I batted about .900 in picking breakouts; and it may be the best year yet for me.  Easily the most inspiring one was from Chap Clark on turning a church Orange.  Listening to him give a church history lesson on the use of overhead projectors, was insightful and challenging.  This is the one breakout that I wish everyone in my team had been in on!
  5. The Sleep:  Oh wait, there wasn’t any.  Every year I go to Orange I tell myself that I’m going to sleep more than the previous year, and yet every year I stay up til 1am, and find myself waking up at 5am to head out to breakfast somewhere.

It was a great year at Orange, and if you were there would you do me a favor?  Leave me a comment and say hello.  I miss you already!

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Free iPad Giveway at Orange Conference

April 28, 2011 — 2 Comments

This week I’m blogging from a Sweet Suite at the Gwinnett Arena.  If you’re at the Orange Conference, you should come see us in Suite 29 & 30.  In fact, if you do the Suite Sponsor, MinisterSearch is giving away a FREE iPad 2.  Did you read that, a FREE iPad!  All you have to do is come visit me, and in Suite 29 & 30, and sign yourself up for a chance to win the drawing.

But you ask, “Who would do such a thing?” Easy.  David Lyons from MinisterSearch is doing this for all the Orange attendees.  If you’re at the Orange Conference, then this means you!

A few things about MinisterSearch ( www.MinisterSearch.com )

  • Through a very in-depth process, they connect ministries with ministry leaders.
  • After doing this for more than a decade now, they’ve learned how important it is to make sure churches and pastors know as much as possible about each other to insure longevity and effectiveness in ministry.
  • They prayerfully guide churches and candidates through the process of learning about each other believing that’s the best way to discern the leading of God through the process.

David is one blessed man as he has 5 kiddos ranging from 3-9 yrs old (so ORANGE is VERY important to him!!!)  He has been on staff and served in multiple lay-leadership roles in the local church and started MinisterSearch after working for a great Information Technology Search firm.

So come visit me and David, find out a little more about MinisterSearch and sign up for a chance for a FREE iPad!

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Orange First Day

April 27, 2011 — Leave a comment

Spent a great morning, afternoon, and evening with my friends and church staff at the Orange Conference. I bounced around a little between pre-conference breakouts and other somesuch. Here is the Official Wednesday breakdown:

  • Had breakfast with friends Sam Luce, Kenny Conley, Gina McClain, and Matt McKee. My evening schedule is pretty packed, but it was great to get together over coffee, eggs, toast, bacon, and more coffee.
  • Pre-Conference Breakout #1: How to Mobilize Kids and Youth to Lead // The awesome Joy Bowen shared a vision for connecting into the lives of our teenagers by encouraging, trusting, equipping, coaching, and celebrating acts of service in our ministry areas. Joy has a passion for this, and it came across brilliantly. However, I was hoping it would cover more of how to use children as cheap and easy labor in my nursery areas. Maybe next year… :)
  • Pre-Conference Breakout #2: Leading a Family Ministry Meeting // Mike Clear from Discovery Church walked us through the Orange-O-Meter test in the Orange Leaders Handbook. It was quick, and full of content. Mike had some great ideas for how to use the Orange Leaders Handbook in staff ministry meetings. However, I was really excited to learn that Mike’s wife’s name is Crystal. This is all kinds of cool.
  • Pre-Conference Breakout #3: Get More Done in a Day // Jim Wideman taught some great life lessons. Jim leads from the front in the area’s of time management and organizing your day. He had some great things to say about How to get More from your 24. Personally, I would rename this breakout “How to make your day longer.” I’m not saying it works, I just think it’s funnier.
  • Pre-Conference Breakout #4: Social Networking Something or Another // I was the emergency text-question answerer for this breakout. Kenny and Matt brought the heat, and throughly confused those not on social networking sights; yet at the same time encouraged them to take that next step and engage our parents in this new arena and new way. I may have not answered the questions in a perfect way, but it was fun. Put those 120-word a minute typing skills to serious use. Yikes!
  • Opening General Session: After some great music, watching bad dancers in the audience dance, hearing great stories of people moving in God’s Direction towards a hurting world. Then Andy Stanley took the stage, and here are a few of his thoughts and words:
    • “Early Christians captured the imagination of the Romans because of their compassion and generosity.”
    • “Early Christians annoyed society, because they were benevolent!”
    • “Early Christians exposed the lack of government help in society.”
    • Our foundation of Christian faith has opened doors for us to shine this light in the world.
    • Sacrificing your marriage, forsaking your children, and dismissing your brother is paganism – chasing after those things is Christ
    • The church is more important than you will ever imagine.
    • The overflow of the church on mission is a force that nothing can stand against.
    • We are stewards of the message of eternal life…and we are stewards of the message of there is a better life.

I’m now totally exhausted, yet I’m really looking forward to this entire week, and promise to update every evening…or very early each morning.

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Backstage at Orange

April 27, 2011 — Leave a comment

Once again, the Orange Conference 2011 is bringing you back-stage access all week long, and the entire Opening Session is available online as well!  They will be broadcasting LIVE from The Orange Conference throughout the entire event. You’ll get to watch the opening session, meet our speakers, see some odd things that happen backstage, AND you’ll get in on some pretty cool offerings-just by watching the live stream.

So this week, if you’re not able to be in Atlanta for the Orange Conference check it all out at www.orangeleaders.com to see the what’s what.

 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011 (all times are Eastern Daylight Savings):
7:15 p.m. Welcome to The Orange Conference 2011 & Opening Session
THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2011 (all times are Eastern Daylight Savings):
11:00 a.m. Jeff Manion
11:15 a.m. To Be Announced
11:35 a.m. Taylor Royle
11:25 a.m. Yancy
12:00 p.m. Dan Webster
12:15 p.m. Jim Wideman
12:35 p.m. Joel Manby
12:45 p.m. Mark Matlock
1:00 p.m. Jeanne Stevens
1:15 p.m. Craig Jutila
1:35 p.m. Chuck Bomar
1:50 p.m. Ted Lowe
2:05 p.m. Adam Duckworth
2:20 p.m. Sue Miller
2:35 p.m. Greg Bradford
2:50 p.m. Gordon MacDonald
3:05 p.m. Jud Wilhite
3:20 p.m. Carey Nieuwhof
3:35 p.m. Christine Kreisher
3:50 p.m. Brian White
4:05 p.m. Nina Schmidgall
FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2011 (all times are Eastern Daylight Savings):
11:00 a.m. Kara Powell
11:15 a.m. Eric Draper
11:30 a.m. TBA
11:45 a.m. Tom Shefchunas
12:00 p.m. TBA
12:15 p.m. David Kinnaman
12:35 p.m. Julio Gonzolez
12:45 p.m. Amy Fenton Lee
1:00 p.m. Jeff Shinabarger
1:15 p.m. Bubba Thurman
1:35 p.m. Ronda Malin & Sarah Lee
1:50 p.m. Caz McCaslin
2:05 p.m. Doug Fields
2:20 p.m. Don Jacobson
2:35 p.m. Brad Lomenick
2:50 p.m. Scott Williams
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What You Will See at Orange 2011

April 26, 2011 — 2 Comments

Tonight I’m here in Atlanta, and gearing up for a full-day of Pre-Conference breakouts all week long.  It’s going to be a blast all week long, and I’ll be bringing you updated throughout.  But after 3 years of attending here are a few things I can guarantee you that I will see this week.  If you’re here, keep your eyes peeled for the following:

  • Pasty skinned northerners laid out like beached whales soaking in the 75 degree Spring weather.  Every year, without fail there are 100′s of northerner’s that find themselves thawing out from there snowed in winters.  Welcome to warm weather my friends.  Take off those shoes and enjoy the warmness, but I warn you.  If you come back in 3 months it’ll be 105 degrees and you’ll melt.
  • The shock and horror in peoples eyes when they see how large Kenny Conley is.  He’s like a Jolly Orange giant.  I have proof, look at this picture of him towering over my tree back in Lubbock.  He’s a giant people, prepare yourself for it.
  • The anger those up north have towards Chik-Fil-A for not having stores up north.  It’s like they love their southern visit to the Christian Chicken, but still harbor bitterness that they can’t get that sweet tea in New York.
  • The shock in peoples eyes when they see how short Gina McClain is.  She’s like a Orange smurf.  But have no fear, she won’t bite your ankles.  Just go ahead and approach carefully, carrying a gift of coffee and your first meeting should go well.
  • Me sleeping in the Bloggers Lounge on Friday afternoon, after having tried unsuccessfully to keep up with Kenny Conley and Sam Luce all week long.  Those guys are un-human, and I struggle every year to keep their schedule.
  • Matt McKee will launch the next great business idea for Orange.  I’ve got my money on a Prayer Kittens app.  Something that allows you to prayer for a person while laying hands on a kitten, then mailing the kitten to that friend.  It’s still in development, but Matt will take this idea and make it awesome.  Wait and watch the magic!
  • Michael Bayne will drink his own body weight in Diet Mountain Dew.  I didn’t know there was such a drink until last year, but as the empty bottles piled up in the Bloggers Lounge I followed their waste trail to one Michael Bayne.
  • Dan Scott will climb some unforeseen structure somewhere in the Gwinnett Center and make like Spider-Man.  Hopefully he doesn’t try one of those upside down kisses with his wife.  That would be gross.  Not because it’s gross to kiss your wife, but because wouldn’t you be looking up their nose while kissing upside down?  Think about that one for a while Dan.

And last but not least…you will see dreams being birthed, plans being made, and ministries being inspired to reach the family with the Gospel of Jesus.

So did I forget something?  Anything else you expect to see while at the Orange Conference this year?

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