by Elle Campbell

I recently read an article from Art Markman about “the benefits of being an expert generalist.” You should really read it. Markman’s article is the inspiration for today’s blog because, I’m convinced, this “expert generalist” thing is something that we, as youth workers, could really learn from.

First, a quick summary of the original article . . .

The greatest innovators throughout human history have something in common—while they might be known for their contributions to one particular field, the greatest innovators know a lot of things about a wide variety of topics.

They are expert generalists.
People who love and are committed to learning.
People with a wide knowledge base.
People who explore and delve into many different fields of study—even those unrelated to what they do.

These “expert generalists” are often the people who are our best creators and innovators. Because they have expanded their knowledge beyond one single field of study, they are able to see connections, draw parallels, and solve problems that the rest of us simply can’t.

So, what does this have to do with youth ministry?

Take a second and think about all of the “knowledge” you consume during a typical week. Books you read. Blogs you subscribe to. Videos you watch. Podcasts you listen to.

What percentage of those books, blogs, videos, podcasts, whatever, are ministry related? Sermons, youth ministry blogs, books by your favorite theologians or ministry heroes. Chances are, for most of us, that percentage is pretty high. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Learning about ministry stuff is good. Keep it up.

But, maybe, what we can learn from this “expert generalist” thing is that we need to expand our horizons a little bit. Maybe, by seeking out knowledge in new fields—like economics or marketing or psychology or design or literature—we can actually do more for our ministries, and for ourselves, than we could by simply consuming more ministry-related knowledge.

Maybe . . .

• Staying current on new technological advances sparks an idea for better way to connect with your students outside the church walls.
• A leadership lesson from the business world helps you become a better manager of your volunteer teams.
• A novel you read helps you better empathize with the situation of one of your students.
• Studying the work of some talented designers and artists inspires you to step up the quality of what your ministry creates.
• An obscure story, fact, or historical event you’ve been studying turns out to be the perfect metaphor for that message you’re preparing.
• An article written by someone of a different theological persuasion, or a different faith altogether, opens your eyes to something you never really considered before.

As youth workers, I believe broadening the scope of the knowledge that we consume is essential. We church people have a tendency to become a little “ingrown” sometimes, both in the way we do things and in the way that we think. But by choosing to listen to new perspectives, deciding to learn new things, and being strategic about the knowledge that we consume . . .

We can become better people.
Better thinkers.
Better problem-solvers.
Better leaders of the next generation.
Better innovators.

And to get us started . . . here’s our all-time favorite places to learn about non-ministry things.

What about you? Has there been a time when something you learned outside of ministry that helped you innovate, problem solve, or create something new in ministry?

Elle is the Small Groups + Volunteer Coordinator for the Middle School Ministry of The Chapel in Buffalo NY and Co-Creator of stuffyoucanuse.org. She loves Kenny, small groups, orange, coffee, making stuff, and sharing. This post originally appeared on StuffYouCanUse.org. Used with permission.

Our friend and Orange Conference exhibitor, Jeff Shinabarger of GiftCardGiver.com and Plywood People has written a new book called More or Less: Choosing a Lifestyle of Excessive Generosity that challenges us to live a life of excessive generosity.

“Anything more than enough is excess. It’s that thing that we could give away today, and it wouldn’t change a single aspect of our tomorrow,” says Shinabarger, who is a social entrepreneur and creator of innovative giving programs such as GiftCardGiver.com. To show how living on less creates the potential to do more for others, he challenges readers to undertake a series of social experiments that illuminate the question of what is enough.

Shinabarger believes that people desire to be more generous. His theory is that when we recognize that we have more than enough, our portfolio of generosity will increase. In More or Less, he shows how to combat a culture that inflates our idea of what we need. The result is a cultural shift from feeding unnecessary desires to addressing issues of suffering in the world.

He illustrates the excess in our lives in eye-opening ways. In one “Enough Experiment” he and his wife vowed to create meals from food on hand at their house. They were able to go for seven weeks, making three meals a day. “Most of the world can’t eat one meal today, while I could eat 147 meals just on the food sitting in my kitchen,” he says.

Shinabarger introduces readers to remarkable projects that began when someone found a way to use excess or waste to fill an urgent need, such as Beltline Bike, Meals with a Mission, and Global Soap Project. Some of his own creative generosity projects include raising funds to build wells for clean water in Rwanda, using discarded billboards to start a shop that employs refugees to create messenger bags and other products, and GiftCardGiver.com, where people can turn in gift cards with any amount left on them to be distributed to charities. Through his work on GiftCardGiver.com and other projects, Shinabarger has identified six principles that inspired him to write More or Less:

• Out of our excess, we can address issues of need and suffering.
• We will be known by the problems we solve.
• Influence is gained by doing something.
• When you have a good idea, people tell you and then tell others.
• Every social innovation must learn to scale for maximum results.
• Every great idea needs a team of people to help it come to life.

More or Less presents a clear-eyed vision for how things can be made better for people in need, and a blunt challenge to each of us: “I believe there is a problem in this world that you were called to solve. It is your responsibility to find that problem and make it right,” Shinabarger says. Each chapter of the book includes a specific, practical project readers can undertake, and tips on how to develop other “Enough Experiments.”

“We will either be consumed by culture or we will choose to define enough by our conscience,” Shinabarger writes. “The good life is not found in luxury. It is found in a life that enhances the life of another human.”

More or Less released just this past week, March 1, 2013, and is available on Amazon.com. If you purchase this week and gift a book to someone, you’ll get some great perks! Take a picture of your receipt and upload it here to receive: Problem Solvers, Jeff’s new ebook; audiobook of More or Less; video of the Launch Night; and a 25 percent off coupon for PlywoodPeople.com.

Jeff is a social entrepreneur, experience designer, cofounder of the Q event, and creative director at Catalyst. He is also the founder of GiftCardGiver.com and Plywood People, an innovative community addressing social needs through creative services. He and his family live in East Atlanta Village.

by Gary Fenton

10. Initiate conversations with your pastor and begin the conversation from his perspective. Use language and concerns of his world. Usually the pastor is a generalist. He likely considers the children’s pastor or student pastor as a specialist. So, begin your discussion with how your ideas fit into the big picture.

9. Tell the pastor of at least one ministry win each month. He is already hearing problems. So, he needs to hear of your accomplishments. And most importantly, knowing your ministry wins helps him tell the church’s story. To go a step further, make a point to share ministry victories of other staff members (especially those who may be younger, newer, or intimidated by the senior pastor.)

8. Ask the pastor if there are any unintended consequences in your ministry. For example, are other ministries impacted by what’s going on in your ministry, for better or for worse? Remember your successes may complicate another staff member’s ministry.

7. Ask the pastor to walk with you through your ministry space and ask him to assess what he sees. Don’t let this be stressful, welcome his thoughts.

6. Keep the pastor informed of any changes in your ministry. Pastors do not like surprises. Even small changes not impacting the whole church are important.

5. Share trends and societal changes impacting family life. As a next generation leader (and specialist), you may be attending conferences or reading books and blogs that address culture shifts. These trends and ideas could shape the way the church does ministry in order to remain relevant. Via email, provide the pastor a brief summary of what you are learning or talk about the new ideas at a staff meeting.

4. Tell your pastor about your three favorite ministry-related websites, blogs or recently read books. Ask him to share his favorites with you. This is a great way for both of you to understand the ideas and leaders shaping your perspective. This can be done through a simple email exchange.

3. Share prayer requests for your ministry with your pastor. For example, ask the pastor to pray for you on your most difficult day of the week and explain why it is the most challenging time in your ministry or personal life.

2. Invite the pastor to visit you in your office or for a coffee break. Meeting outside his office may remove some intimidation and allow you to engage in more authentic conversation. Take advantage of opportunities to talk about ideas and issues that do not necessarily relate to your own ministry.

1. Ask the pastor at least twice a year how he feels your ministry is going. Ask if there is anything you can do to help with the big picture vision or mission for the church.

Gary Fenton is the Senior Pastor of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Gary blogs at www.CharacterPath.com and can be found at Twitter @CharacterPath.

Every children’s minister wants their ministry to grow. I believe God wants your ministry to grow as well. In order for our ministries to children to grow, we must be willing to grow in our leadership abilities. Individual growth always comes before corporate growth.

The number one key to growth as a leader is evaluation. Change will never take place without constant evaluation. If you don’t identify ways that you can grow as a leader you’ll never reach your next level. Let’s look at some areas we should evaluate on a regular basis.

First, how’s your attitude? Here are some questions I ask myself on a regular basis: Do I have the heart of a servant? Have I made my Pastor look good this week? Have I made my Pastor’s life easier this week? Am I an asset or a liability to my Pastor? Am I a team player? What is my attitude about others around me? Am I grumbling and complaining? Am I enjoying the trip? Do I have a heart after God? Am I thinking about me and my wants too much?

The second area to evaluate is your priorities. Could you make a list of the top ten priorities for your life and ministry right this moment? If you don’t have priorities you can’t keep them. Proverbs 28:2 says, “When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order.” It’s one thing to know your priorities, it’s another thing entirely to live according to those priorities.

The third area to evaluate about yourself is time management. In other words, ask yourself: How am I spending my time? Am I spending time daily with the Lord? Is my family suffering while my ministry is flourishing? Am I making time for my personal growth and development? Are you identifying the time robbers in your life?        Once you identify the areas that need improvement, you must come up with a plan to implement the needed changes. It’s your time, act like it!

The fourth area I evaluate on a regular basis is my performance. Am I being a team builder or a one-person show? What am I doing that someone else can do? Have I communicated clearly to all my workers what they are to do? Speaking of communication, am I a clear and skillful communicator? Am I skilled at solving problems? Can I be relied on to complete assignments and keep commitments? If you had to rate your level of leadership on a scale of one to 10 what would it be? Are you meeting the needs of the children and families of your church?

It’s up to you to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses on a regular basis. If you’ll make personal evaluation a habit in your life, you’ll grow as a leader!

by Sherry Surratt

I was reading a Fast Company article on Better Brainstorming and came across an interesting thought: Are our first ideas the best ones? And a second question: Are our first ideas even good ones? You have to understand that I’m an Innovation Junkie, having worked with Leadership Network for several years, helping church teams in Innovation Labs and focusing on collaboration processes. Now as the CEO of MOPS International (Moms of Preschoolers), I’m all about cutting edge ideas and the brainstorming process as it pertains to my organization. The article started with the usual steps: think widely, don’t be quick to judge ideas, follow the process, etc. But then I came across tip #5: Find the Second Right Answer.

Here’s what the author says:

Despite the old adage, sometimes it is good to beat a dead horse. You may have come to a few cursory conclusions and found some good-enough solutions, but that’s not good enough. Early solutions often aren’t the strongest—and they’ve probably been thought of before. Your job is to go deeper. Putzier calls it looking for the second right answer. “It takes a little bit of discipline because we tend to jump on the first, obvious solution to a problem.”Yorton also urges people not to quit too early. Often, when an idea session is getting a bit chaotic, things start to get good. Avoid the urge to over-manage the chaos. “Sometimes people will be on a roll and someone will change the energy and take it to a different place instead of just letting it run,” says Yorton. “You may think you got something really good, but it might be the bridge to something that is ridiculously good.”

Some great points to ponder as a leader: Are we jumping too quickly on the first good solution, and are we willing to invest the necessary time and energy to get to the second iteration? Here’s where I’ve found myself many times after a good brainstorming session: We land on some great ideas and pursue our top one or two with great energy. After several months, everybody starts to run low on steam and sometimes we come to the conclusion, “Okay, that wasn’t a good idea” and we abandon ship. But we fail to analyze if it was the idea or the execution or if perhaps the idea was a bridge we were supposed to cross to get to where God really wanted us to go. Maybe we’re supposed to stop and ask ourselves some questions here. Is there a next part to this idea we haven’t tried yet? What did we learn from this idea and where could this learning take us? I’m reminded of this verse from James 5:11: “As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.” Sometimes when God has led us to an idea, He just expects us to hang in there, be faithful and give Him time to bless it. Other times, He calls us to not just wait but dig deeper as He encourages us in Hebrews 10:36, “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”

As a team at MOPS, we’re learning to 1) go for the BIG ideas; 2) give them time to work; 3) have courage to take them one step further; and 4) not abandon them completely before we examine them for “bridge” capacity.

As a leader, here’s what I’m learning: God is the author of creativity and big ideas. He gave me a brain for thinking and dreaming and expects me to use it. He also wants me go after the ideas He gives me with passion and have the perseverance to lead my team to the next iteration.

Click here for The Second City Way of Better Brainstorming in it’s entirety.

Sherry serves as the CEO of Mothers of Preschoolers International (MOPS), where her passion for moms and helping women reach their leadership potential shines through. She joined MOPS from an extensive background in ministry, most recently helping pastors and church leaders with fresh thinking through Innovation Labs at Leadership Network. Prior to this, she served as central support pastor and children’s ministry pastor for the 13 campuses of Seacoast Church in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. She has two wonderful children, Mike and Brittany, a beautiful daughter-in-law, Hilary, and a most brilliant granddaughter Maggie Claire.

by Jennifer Cooke

My grandfather loved to fish. He knew exactly the right bait to use, where all the best fishing holes could be found and when the fish would be biting. He tried to get me to go with him on several occasions and I humored him a few times but quickly learned it wasn’t for me. I found the whole thing boring, not to mention the worms were slimy and I didn’t like baiting the hook. You sit there for literally hours at times waiting for the tiniest nibble only to have the fish get away. I determined at an early age that fishing just wasn’t for me.

That is, until I started leading in student ministry. Then, Jesus’ call to become “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19) took on whole new meaning. I had to fish for a specific type of person. I had to fish for volunteers! I needed to find people that loved the Lord and had a desire to care for and lead students. Suddenly, the techniques my grandfather used for fishing seemed much more important to me.

Know where to fish.
Volunteers are out there. They may just be hanging out in areas you haven’t discovered yet. If you continue to go to all the same places to recruit volunteers, branch out and try something new. Spend some time with adult small groups, empty nesters or singles and invite them to think about serving in student ministry. If you work with middle-schoolers, consider recruiting some mature high school students to mentor the younger students.

Know what bait to use.
Sometimes all it takes to land a great volunteer is the right bait. What might lure them in? A video that captures not just the fun but the way God is working in your ministry? A special message from your senior pastor where he champions the work you’re doing? Better yet, let some of your current volunteers share why they love student ministry and invite a friend to join them at your next event.

Know when to fish.
Fish early and fish often. You know your ministry and the seasons where you need more help. Don’t wait until the last minute to recruit. Instead, back out a month or two or more to start those conversations. When you invite people to serve, cast compelling vision so that they want to join rather than appearing frantic or desperate.

The need for student ministry volunteers is great but they are out there! Don’t give up and don’t get discouraged. If the fish aren’t biting one day, shake it off and try again the next day. Eventually, the right people will come!

Jennifer serves as the transit female group director at North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. She has spent five years on the North Point Ministry team. Before coming to North Point, she served as the youth pastor for First Colony Church in Houston, Texas, working with middle and high school students. Today, Jennifer helps create exciting and safe environments for middle school students to develop a faith of their own. She is passionate about building relationships with Small Group Leaders that build relationships with middle school students.

A big congrats to Holly at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, Janet at Christ First Baptist Church, and Dave at South Bay Church—the winners of our “How Do You Focus?” Contest! It seems you all found their thoughts and suggestions as inspirational and educational as we did. But why stop there? We received a variety of terrific ideas from you, our Orange Leader community, so we wanted to make sure you were able to read them all.

Here are excerpts from some of the other submissions because you can never have too many good suggestions on how to FOCUS. And if you have an addition, please feel free to add it to the comments section!

Tom of Country and Town Baptist Church
I found an app called 30/30 that allows me to break down all my tasks and give them each some focus time. I can choose how much time I want to dedicate to an item and then start the clock when the alarm sounds. I move on, or allow myself some additional time. This keeps me focused on one thing at a time, and I get rewarded by seeing how much I’ve completed.

Grant of Church at Rock Creek
Growing up in the Mississippi Delta of Arkansas during the 70s, life was simple. I played outside—a lot. Now that I’m in my 40s, life has gotten much more complex. So, for me, focus is all about recapturing the moments of childhood. When I need to focus, I head outside. I take a drive, or a ride, or a run. I build something (even if it’s the greatest sandwich known to man). I connect with those older than me for a new perspective on life. That is why the work I get to do with children, youth and parents is so fulfilling. I get a daily reminder of those things that matter, I’m surrounded by children who love to play, love to move, love to be noticed by those older than them, and I get to enjoy the childlike moments all over again.

Chris of Hebron Community Church
I find the best way to focus is to get enough rest and to mix up your environment. Being in the same place can bore you. Take your work or Bible to someplace new and see if that helps.

Cari of Grace Bible Church
We all have so many rolls in life. How can we even start to focus on doing our best at each role? I look at Martha in Luke 10:38-42 and see her saying the same thing to Jesus. “Look Jesus, I got the roles of friend, hostess, sister, baker, and house cleaner going on right now, HELP!” Jesus’ answer was probably exactly what she wanted to hear (hint of sarcasm right there). Jesus said, “Slow down and focus on me.” One way to focus on being your best is to not overload your plate. Learn to say “No.” It’s hard, but worth it. This year, to focus on being real in our relationships, we have eliminated some of our ministry activities. Were they bad? Not at all, but it became too much planning, too much cramming, and it produced chaos and not content. Also, focus on what Jesus was happy with—Martha’s sister, Mary, listening to Him. To stay focused in ministry, we have to be listening to Jesus. I know I can tell in my life when I am not “sitting down” with Jesus. The roles become exhausting, and stress, worry, and chaos set in. Spending time praying, reading God’s Word, being honest with my team and holding each other accountable in our walks are all things that help me stay focused on Jesus. Loving on my family, setting a free day from work and activities, and taking time to worship outside of work are key in staying focused in ministry.

Megan of West Salem Foursquare Church, Oregon
There are a few practices I keep in order to be a more effective, focused person—as well as a more joyful and loving person!

• Get Your Act Together: Keep a calendar, have a to-do list, and organize your files using a system that works for you.
• Slow Down: Being prepared is a good thing . . . except when it leads you to be so focused on the “next” that you forget about the “now.” When I slow down I have time to figure out needed balance and I have time to seek God for direction. Most of all, I have time to focus on what God has for me today.
• Remember the Why: Remembering the “why” helps me focus on what is really important—the moments of connection with people.
• Focus on Jesus: When Jesus is my main focus, everything else falls into place. I cannot focus on anything if I’m not focusing on Him.

Chip of First Church of God
How do I keep my focus in ministry? First, I realize I have spiritual astigmatism and need vision correction. Jesus has been healing vision for over 2,000 years. You must keep your eyes on Him. Checking focus must involve a spiritual eye test from time to time. I suggest, at least once a year, do an inventory of people who are an influence on you. Those people will either be pointing you to Jesus and correcting vision and thus focus, or they may be blurring your focus and making Jesus hard to see. I am currently checking my vision, and Orange has been a vision corrector as well as my brother and coworker. Spiritual astigmatism is correctable with seeing things through Christ. You don’t realize how blurred your focus is until you see through His eyes!

Vicki of Ada Bible Church
Like those of us who work in ministry, it is critical to focus, and yet, harder than ever before. So, what can you do to help stay on track and keep focused? I start every morning with a devotional and prayer. It puts everything in order to start my day and helps me let God lead.

1. Organize. I use my calendar, a weekly schedule, a daily to-do list, and I label tasks in binders or folders on my desk. I also have an old-fashioned “in” box.
2. Weekly Schedule. I have set meetings and timeframes for certain types of work to keep me on track and focused. I set my A, B, and C tasks each week.
3. Say No. I only have so many hours in my week, so I need to have the ability to say no to something without feeling guilty.
4. Use a calendar system. I have all my regular meetings on a calendar with a start and end time. I am very cautious how much of my week is spent in meetings!
5. Email. Don’t feel like you have to answer email as soon as it pops up. I answer all emails in the morning when I come in and at the end of the day.
6. Work Offsite. If it is budget time or monthly curriculum time, it may take working offsite to eliminate distractions.
7. Close your door. If I had one, I would close it from time to time to allow for quiet. Otherwise, headphones and music can be your best friend.
8. Learn from others. Take the time to connect with other ministry leaders. I also have ministry blogs for reference and I read leadership books from people in ministry.
9. Make sure to focus at work so when you
are home with your family, you can truly focus on them. That is what I call a win-win situation!

Amy of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
I am very thankful for my experiences growing up as a bassoonist in a band program. Learning about music performance taught me many, many important life skills. I have been able to apply several of the focus techniques of music performance into children’s ministry. The foundation of all performance skills in any discipline is learning how to focus for long periods of time. First and foremost, I have learned that in order to perform highly and stay focused in any discipline, you have to take care of your body. In ministry, we quickly forget to take care of ourselves, trying to take care of others first. To have long attention spans and be able to focus for a long time, you have to sleep well, eat well and exercise. Half marathons and triathlons? Bring it! In order to offer the world anything in God’s name, you have to treat yourself like you are worth something.

Kristin of Trinity Community Church
Recently my husband and I have been talking about how we get spun out of control on small details instead of focusing on the big picture, and one morning he woke up with a solution. Having lived in Oregon until recently, he has been watching the Oregon Ducks football team, and decided their team motto, “Win the Day” was one we need to embrace. “We need to Win the Day with our family too,” he explained, and this idea has taken root, and translated to how I lead in ministry as well. When I am faced with how I spend my time, or with a decision, I have to stop, slow down and ask myself, “Will this help us win the day?” If it won’t, no matter how great of an idea or a way to spend our time, I am learning to say “No.” I want to lead a ministry that wins the day, and day after day, so that one day, after many faithful days, we can hear “Well done.”

Tamara of DC Metro Church
How do I focus? The fact that I am a part-time ministry volunteer who works full-time automatically limits how much I can devote to children’s ministry. The mental battle I consistently go through on whether I am doing enough is one that gets fought often, but one I’ve now become thankful of when it happens, because only then do I grasp who really is the ultimate teacher. I have found no other way to be as effective in children’s ministry, than to be completely and utterly dependent on the Holy Spirit’s guidance. A strong and thriving relationship with God has a direct correlation on how much of an impact I can make as a teacher. My mind, will, and emotions have to be in line with the Word of God in order to impact future generations. How else are the children going to come to the realization that they need Him to be the center of their being if they don’t at least witness that in me? It motivates me to strive for excellence in my ministry; it gives me the determination that I am doing what He has called me to do, and there’s no better way to focus than on that.

by Kenny Conley

A while back, I had lunch with one of the children’s pastors on my team. He was a little frustrated about communication. We utilize a volunteer blog where we upload videos, curriculum and small group materials for all of our volunteers to prepare for their Sunday responsibilities. We communicate to our volunteers using Constant Contact every week giving them the information they need. We also maintain a ministry blog for parents, keeping them up to date with everything they need to know. We use Constant Contact to message parents every week, pointing them to the fresh content on the blog.

My children’s pastor was frustrated because he spends a lot of time developing the content, but it seemed that people just aren’t getting it. Email reports show an open rate of the volunteer emails of less than 50 percent. The parent emails open rate is less than 25 percent. This is certainly a problem worth getting frustrated by. He suggested dropping the email service and going to just mass text messaging services.

What we’re experiencing at our church isn’t very different from what others experience as well. Effective communication is one of the most important tools in a leaders tool chest. In today’s media rich and diverse platform environment, we must understand that to communicate effectively, we’re going to have to be a little more creative and work a lot harder. Email is declining. A 20 percent open rate actually isn’t bad according to industry standards. If we want to hit 70 to 80 percent, we need to expand our methods. How are we leveraging text communication which has a 90 percent-plus open rate? How are we leveraging Facebook where the average person spends about an hour each day?

Email communication is great and we’re going to continue to leverage that tool as many volunteers and parents prefer that method. However, completely depending on email is foolish. I’d be neglecting the majority of my potential audience with a tool that is becoming less relevant every year.

Chances are, you have great content. It’s likely that your issue is a delivery problem. You’re a leader and you have things to say. Your voice is significant. Be sure that the people you lead are able to hear you. Don’t expect them to conform to your method to listen, but reach out to them right where they are.

Take stock of your communication tools and resources. What’s missing? What isn’t working? Take measurements and make the appropriate changes. Understand that what worked last year may not this year just as what works now may not a year from now. Pay attention to this one area and you’ll lead better without having to change a word you say.

Kenny Conley, a 15-year veteran of children’s ministry, currently serves as the next generation pastor at Gateway Church in Austin, Texas. His passion to see the next generation come to know and follow Christ propels him to constantly rethink how the church approaches ministry to kids and their families. Kenny loves to network and collaborate with ministry leaders around the world to push ministry to new levels. He lives in Texas with his wife, Sara, and their children, Titus and Genevieve.

Start your New Year off by networking with other Orange Leaders. OC13 is still a few months away, but why wait to get together—there’s so much to talk about right now!

During February, March and April, we have 14 meet-ups scheduled in eight different states, and in two countries this time! Orange Specialists and staffers are hosting some, while some fantastic Orange partners are hosting others. Please check the schedule to find the one closest to you, and join in the fun.

These meet-ups are a great opportunity to learn from one another, get your Orange questions answered, meet others near you carrying out the Orange Strategy, swap stories, and generally talk through ministry wins and issues. Many hosts are also offering tours of their facilities, and one will be showcasing their Sunday morning programming. For complete details, please visit the website. Be sure to RSVP if you plan to attend so we can be ready for you!

We can’t imagine you need any more incentive to attend, but just to sweeten the pot we will be giving away an OC13 registration at each stop! So, mark your calendars and get ready to have a great time with other Orange Leaders near you.

We hope to see you there!

Please note that there are meet-ups scheduled in conjunction with the Northwest Ministry Conference and Children’s Pastors Conference in San Diego, so even if you don’t live in those areas you can still join us if you are attending one of those events. You do not need to attend the conferences to participate in the meet-up, though! Everyone is welcome!

Looking for a tool that will help the parents in your church engage in your children’s ministry? Suggest they download Orange’s Parent CUE App on their smartphone, available for iOS and Android.

What’s a CUE? It’s a prompt. A nudge to talk about God, faith, life or to just have fun together.

It’s a way to incorporate conversations about God and His big story into everyday moments—during mealtime, while playing a game outside, and in the car.

These CUEs will help parents do three things:

Connect to God’s story.
Uncover something about life.
Experience something together.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9 says: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

Orange’s Parent CUE App provides parents with simple cues throughout the week that remind them to pause and make the most of everyday moments. But here’s something important to remember—parents don’t have to do all of these cues.

They don’t have to do everything. How about just doing one more thing—not five more. It will make a huge difference in their lives and in the lives of their children.

Every month, this Parent CUE App will focus on one specific theme. Parents will receive prompts for videos, activities, discussion questions and more. These prompts will come in the form of “times” that are a part of everyday life. There’s even a section called ParentTime that’s filled with parent blogs, podcasts and more.

To make the most of the Parent CUE App, parents should leave push notifications on, and they will get daily prompts reminding them to connect with their child. Or, parents can set up a time when they open the app on a regular basis to take advantage of the consistently updated content.

If your church uses the First Look or 252 Basics curriculum, you’ll notice that the content in this app lines up with what the children are learning at church. It’s a great way to reinforce these great truths.