A new way to think about kidmin conferences

Over 6,600 passionate kidmin leaders and volunteers recently attended the Orange conference in Atlanta, Georgia. I so wanted to join their ranks. Did you, too? But there may be others who just can't justify the outlay of time and it's hard, too, when every cent of your ministry and personal budget is stretched to the limit.

There may be others, like me, who live on another continent. Attending such conferences is beyond consideration. Still, as others have noted, we can read. We can buy books and materials to inform and inspire.

So.... are we really missing out? What value do conferences such as Orange's, 'It's just a phase,' hold for us and particularly for those who can't attend?

Well, let's take a look.......

Who was there?
First, there were a lot of great speakers and presenters: Kristen Ivy, Kara Powell, Trip & Tyler, Ryan Leak, Virginia Ward, Sam Collier, Sofia Dickens, Perry Noble, Caz McCaslin, Adam Duckworth, Jim Burns, Doug Fields, Jud Wilhite and more. Each of these educators, authors, counselors or entertainers recognise the importance of each life stage. And more, they realised what it means to create influence in every phase.

Was the content relevant?
They are on the same page as each one of us who seeks to develop their ability to reach and connect with kids and families. Their aim for the conference was to help you clarify, adjust and refocus. That is, clarify your message; make critical ministry adjustments; refocus on the task of building your team; connecting with parents and helping kids from getting stuck in whatever phase of life they're in.

Perhaps one of the most inspiring aspects of such conferences is the celebration with others. They provide opportunities to share in the ways that God is using us to impact the lives of kids and families for Him.

If you can't attend the conference live, well yes, it's a little disappointing. Fortunately, many conferences now provide Live Streaming. Yes... you'll have to watch any time differences and maybe watch in the early hours of the morning. But.. it's worth it! And.. you can get so much more from these conferences by following the social media posted throughout.

Here's a brief overview of the Orange conference...

I've also created a short slideshow of just some of the great takeaways from the conference. 
You'll find much more on the Orange Facebook page.

And, in case that's not enough, The Sketch Effect created a visual of each presenter's message. You can find a couple of samples below, but more can be found on the Orange Facebook page.

Finally, Orange group has prepared a run-down of suggestions following the conference. Don't just absorb the ideas, information, atmosphere and inspiration from the time at the conference and forget about it. Act on some the ideas you can find here....

So.... what was the best part of the conference from your perspective? What really resonated with you?

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POST SUMMARY- in brief