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The year 2020 launched a unique generation of graduates. Social distancing combined with an economic instability has impacted the normal transition students have into college and the workforce. Their future is more unpredictable than any other graduating class in recent history. Let’s explore ways to give them a renewed sense of hope and purpose in the context of a shifting culture.
Jo Saxton is an author, speaker, podcaster, and entrepreneurial coach. Born to Nigerian parents and raised in London, Jo brings a multicultural and international perspective to her leadership training for women. A sought-after speaker, Jo has a diverse calendar addressing universities, churches, national conferences, nonprofits, and corporations, including Q, Catalyst, Evereve, NoonDay Collection, LakeShore Media, and internationally in the U.K. and Australia.
How you leverage games and train leaders to play with kids will affect their relationships, their learning, their emotions, and yes, even their faith. Never apologize for being serious about having fun with kids. You not only need to prioritize for fun; you should champion the concept of fun at every level of your program. Fun over time equals connection. Kids learn from you when you like them. And they know you like them when you play with them.
Before you ask your volunteers for something else, ask yourself this question, “What do your volunteers really need from you right now?” Maybe it’s time to actually volunteer for your volunteers. There’s a possibility that the most important thing you do right now is to show them how to show up by showing up for them.
News flash: You will be talking to kids about politics in 2020. Whether you like it or not, this subject will still be around long after the November elections. How you do or don’t respond may determine how a kid or parent sees your church. It’s simply impossible to ignore the political tension that exists in families and communities around your church. When it comes to creating safe spaces to listen and understand each other, kids will take their cue from you as an adult.
Why not learn from experts on Sesame Street? For decades they have led the world in programming that inspires and educates children. If you want to know how to celebrate diversity, connect with emotions, stimulate thinking, and move kids to a better future then follow Sonia Manzano on what she learned working for over 40 years on the frontlines of this organization.
If you don’t respond to the racial injustices around you, you will forfeit influence with the faith of this generation. Simply put, kids are hungry for a version of Christianity that doesn’t discriminate. They are attracted to a style of kids ministry that not only confronts racial injustice, but consistently demonstrates the Gospel imperative to reconcile people to God and each other. It’s time for kids ministry to lead the way in influencing the ethnic IQ and empathy of a generation. How we engage with this issue will determine how every kid engages in your ministry.
It’s more important than ever to rethink HOW we disciple kids in Elementary school. It will require leaders to make radical shifts in how they see spiritual growth. If our goal is to help kids own their own faith, it may begin with a careful examination of what a dynamic faith looks like. This generation needs a fresh encounter with an authentic faith that will positively impact their sense of identity, belonging, and purpose.
So, can you actually disciple preschoolers? Leaders who work with this age know the impact you can make in shaping their faith. It’s more important than ever to rethink HOW we disciple kids in Preschool. It will require leaders to make radical shifts in how they see spiritual growth. If our goal is to help kids own their own faith, it may begin with a careful examination of what a dynamic faith looks like. This generation needs a fresh encounter with an authentic faith that will positively impact their sense of identity, belonging, and purpose.
We can’t ignore the unique impact of 2020 on special needs families. There is already crisis that exists in their world. Whenever crisis is added to an already complicated scenario, it can have an exponential affect the emotional state of a family. It’s important to understand how the normal range of issues these families are facing have been accentuated by the social, racial, and political uncertainties of our present culture.
The goal of everything you do is summed up in the word “relationship.” An effective kid’s ministry always moves kids toward a positive relationship with God and others. The reality is that you can never force a kid to have a healthy relationship with a leader, a parent or even with God. You can, however, organize your ministry to make relationships a priority. What would it look like to rethink your budget, volunteers, messages, and programs so that relationships clearly matter?
Re-imagine how to position and program your events to be adaptable to a changing culture and relevant to the needs of families. The right event at the right time is still an important catalyst for families to win relationally and spiritually. But the key to any event is how it’s leveraged to move families to what’s next. If you are going to engage parents to become more intentional at home, then your events have to be less random and more strategic.
If you want to change how your community sees your church, then maybe you should change how you use your building. There are more opportunities than ever for churches to repurpose their facilities and spaces to serve their communities. Discover how to capture the imagination of parents and kids by leveraging your spaces to help families win.
Your ability to understand grief personally affects how you lead someone else that is grieving. When adult leaders model how to deal with grief and pain, it sends a message of hope to kids and teenagers. There is no leader who is exempt from fear, anxiety, depression, or the temptation to quit. That’s why it’s actually ok for you to make your personal mental, emotional, and physical health a priority. The people around you need you to be the healthiest version of you that you can be.
We can’t ignore the unique impact of 2020 on Elementary age kids. There is already crisis that exists in every phase of a kid’s developmental life. Whenever crisis occurs in the context of unpredictable or traumatic situations, they can affect the emotional growth of the average kid in pivotal ways. It’s important for the adult community to understand how the normal range of issues kids are facing have been accentuated by the social, racial, and political uncertainties of our present culture.
We can’t ignore the unique impact of 2020 on Preschoolers. There is already crisis that exists in every phase of a preschoolers developmental life. Whenever these crisis occur in the context of unpredictable or traumatic situations, they can affect the emotional state of the average preschooler in pivotal ways. It’s important for the adult community to understand how the normal range of issues younger children are facing have been accentuated by the social, racial, and political uncertainties of our present culture.
Crystal Chiang is the Director of High School Strategy at Orange. Before that, she spent nearly 10 years as a high school Spanish teacher and student ministry leader, doing everything from small groups to speaking to curriculum design. Crystal and her husband, Tom, live in Atlanta, Georgia, with their embarrassingly ill-tempered Chihuahua, Javier.
Research suggests that there is growing mistrust from millennial parents toward the church. That’s why it is more critical than ever for kids ministries to redesign programming that is parent friendly. If you want to change how you influence students, you may have to confront the wrong assumptions you make about their parents. Until there is a shift in how your church sees and engages every parent you will limit the potential of your ministry.
Josh Griffin is one of the leading voices in youth ministry with over 20 years of experience in the trenches, most recently as the High School Pastor at Saddleback Church. He’s the co-founder of DownloadYouthMinistry.com and hosts a 300+ episode youth ministry podcast with Doug Fields. He’s created more than 50 youth ministry resources and authored several books. Josh and his wife Angela have 4 kids.
For over forty years, Sonia has inspired, educated, and delighted children and families as “Maria” on Sesame Street. Throughout her career, she has contributed to enriching diversity on television, on the stage, in the educational realm, and in her writing as an author. Her latest book, which will be released in September 2020, is called “A World Together.” Sonja is a familiar, engaging voice that brings new light to her roles and to our lives.
Diane is a disability ministry consultant, national speaker, and author of “Unbroken Faith: Spiritual Recovery for the Special-Needs Parent.” As the mother of children with multiple disabilities, including autism and ADHD, her passions include encouraging families and equipping local churches into becoming inclusive faith communities. Diane and her husband, Eddie, live in Silicon Valley with their two uniquely-abled sons. You can connect with her at dianedokkokim.com where she blogs on being, “wrecked, redeemed, and repurposed.”
Paula holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Arizona State and Emory University, respectively. She is the founder of Purpose Over Rules, a ministry development firm that helps churches create functional and fruitful family ministries. Paula serves at Forest Hill Church as the Family Ministry Director (NoDa campus). Paula is a regular speaker and writer for the reThink Group. Her favorite times are spent watching WWE and Law & Order: SVU while snuggling on the couch with her three daughters.
Carrie has been around Orange for over 10 years. Her first involvement with children’s ministry began 12 years ago with Kidstuf at Buckhead Church. Carrie currently produces Orange’s 252 Movie and is a storyteller for First Look. She is a professional actress in theatre and film/tv. She and her husband, Ryan, have two kiddos. In 2014, Carrie helped launch the first FX at Village Church, where she currently serves as the FX Director.
Brad is a New York Times bestselling author and award-winning director. He is the mind behind “Kid President,” an internet sensation, and established “Socktober,” the worldwide, annual drive connecting people with their local homeless shelters. Brad also created “Wondersparks,” free classroom resources designed to cultivate empathy and imagination. He has recently released his new book, “Becoming Better Grown-ups.” Brad and his wife Kristi operate Montague Workshop in Tennessee, where they live with their two children.
After two decades in full-time ministry, Lisette knows there’s nothing else she’d rather do! Starting in Canada and now in California, it’s been an awesome adventure. Whether it has been serving the local church, speaking at camps and conferences, ministry coaching, teaching courses or writing curriculum, Lisette does it with passion and joy. Lisette loves the journey Jesus invites us into and knows it’s only made better because she gets to live it with her husband and kids.
Heather is in her twenty-third year as the Junior High Pastor at Wooddale Church in Minnesota. She loves middle school students and people in general! Outside the walls of Wooddale, Heather spends a great deal of time and energy as a communicator at retreats, conferences, and public schools. Heather lives in a suburb of Minneapolis with her husband, Chad, and their two St. Bernards.
Kara is the executive director of the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) and a faculty member at Fuller Theological Seminary. Named by Christianity Today as one of “50 Women to Watch,” she serves as a youth and family strategist for Orange and also speaks regularly at parenting and leadership conferences. Kara is the author or co-author of a number of books including “Faith in an Anxious World” and “The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family.”
Trey is a visionary leader, host, and communicator with an intense passion for life, for people, and for inspiring life change in people. He has worked in student ministry for more than 16 years, including 4 years leading student teams and volunteers within North Point Ministries. He is the COO and Camp Director at Bigstuf Ministries, connecting with and reaching thousands of students and youth leaders across the country. Trey lives in North Atlanta with his lovely wife, Jamie, and their two boys, Mason and Rowen.
Doug is a veteran of over 30 years of church-based youth ministry. He’s the co-founder of Downloadyouthministry.com, an author of 50+ books, a speaker, consultant, and Family/Parenting/Marriage-ministry leader for both HomeWord and Orange.
Ryan is the Young Adults Director at Covenant Church in Dallas, Texas. He also consults with churches in the areas of media and staffing. Ryan made headlines for getting engaged and married on the same day to his now wife, Amanda, in a wedding he secretly planned for two years. The entire day was captured on film and the video quickly went viral. Ryan and his wife speak around the country encouraging healthy relationships.
Virginia is the Director of Leadership and Mentored Ministry Initiatives for Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Boston Campus. She also serves as a pastor at the Abundant Life Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where her husband, Lawrence Ward, is the lead pastor. Together they formed a consulting company, Wards of Wisdom, to support urban ministries seeking change. Pastor Virginia and her husband of 32 years reside in Boston, Massachusetts, and have two adult sons.
Gerald is an Atlanta-based communicator with a passion for inspiring students to have an active faith. He’s spoken to students at camps and conferences across the country including North Point Ministries, Bigstuf, and Orange Conference. Gerald is the author of “Before You Go”. Prior to being an itinerate preacher, Gerald was a student pastor at Browns Bridge Church. Gerald is married to Kiley and spends his free time cheering on Lebron James and browsing the SNKRS app.
Stuart serves as the Director of Student Leadership for Orange, provides vision and leadership for INFLUNSR and CAPTNS, and speaks to thousands of students, leaders, coaches and parents each year. He has authored three books and hopes to author one or two more. Stuart laughs incessantly, serves as a volunteer high school varsity girls’ basketball coach, relishes being dad to three young adult children, and loves his wife, Kellee, with every fiber of his being.
TBD
Creativity thrives in crisis. That’s why now is such an incredible opportunity to experiment and discover new ways of doing what you do. You not only need permission to rethink everything, but you may need to jumpstart your creative process. Learn how to collaborate and ideate in a way that gives new energy to your message and programs.
Youth ministry is certainly more than fun and games … but the use of games/fun is also a super-important instrument in an effective youth worker’s toolbelt. If you’re simply looking for game ideas, searching for ways to engage your students (in person or online) or wanting to infuse a bit of laughter and energy into your next youth program, you’re in the right workshop! Laughter builds relationships, fun unlocks students’ hearts and even games can open the door for deeper interaction.
Just because young people are stuck at home doesn’t mean they have any less to offer. If you’re wondering how to raise up leaders who are ready to get in the game and play, this breakout teaches the core principles and practices of passing the keys of leadership to today’s young people.
Digital discipleship will continue to be an ongoing topic in the future of youth ministry. There are more possibilities than ever before to leverage social media tools and platforms to inspire faith in this generation. This shift in how we connect to a generation cannot be ignored. If we are going to influence faith in a positive way going forward it will require a radical shift in how we manage content and relationships.
Developing your ethnic intelligence as a white youth leader is more important than you realize. Many of the students who don’t look like you have a unique set of questions and concerns that they are not verbalizing. Here’s a chance to learn from diverse leaders about how to lead in way that shows dignity and respect to students who are marginalized in your ministry. When you understand and champion the perspectives of people who are different, it will have a lasting impact on your personal faith.
What does it look like for Christian leaders to lead the way in loving a community that has historically felt rejected by the church? We believe it’s possible to “love your neighbor” regardless of your theological or doctrinal positions. The posture that your youth ministry takes regarding people in the LGBTQ community will ultimately determine how a generation views the church.
Ok. Don’t let the term “pastor” throw you if it’s not officially in your title. We are not trying to start a theological debate about what you are allowed to be officially called. But we do hope to help you clarify what you do. If you are leading a youth ministry, whether you are paid, part-time, full-time, or incognito, it is time to make an emphatic statement about why this role is so important. At a time when it easy to have an identity crisis as a youth leader, let’s spend some time crafting a clear job description so everyone knows why what you do matters.
It was complicated enough to figure out how to connect with teenagers when you could show up in the same room. If you are volunteering in youth ministry you may be having an identity crisis. How do you build relationships in a social distancing world? How do you help students grow spiritually in a zoom meeting? What does it look like to win as a volunteer with teenagers right now? There is a way forward, if we remember why we started volunteering to do this in the first place.
There may be more homes with special needs in your community than you ever imagined. That’s because the everyday complications these families face tend to keep them isolated and invisible to our ministry. That’s why churches who rethink their programming with special needs in mind will provide an oasis to so many homes. If you want to change the way these parents see your church, change the way you support their families.
As a youth worker you are one of the most strategic relationships in a student’s life. You may be the best chance for a teenager to find a safe place. That’s why it’s important to understand how to read the signs when a student may be in trouble. Discover the steps that need to be taken so you are prepared to become an effective advocate to protect someone from abusive behaviors.
The rules keep changing in how we do events for teenagers. Although there will never be a substitute for the dynamic that happens when students gather, we have to be more strategic than ever about how we gather. The role of camps, retreats, and events are as important as ever. Events are catalytic opportunities to jumpstart relationships and faith. That’s why we have to adjust how we program and produce gatherings so this generation continues to experience the power collective faith has to impact their future.
We don’t need to look far to see that both before, during, and likely after this pandemic, young people navigate unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and suicide. This breakout equips you with practical answers to the pressing questions of why we’re seeing this surge and how your team can offer the hope and help students and families need.
You can’t force teenagers to grow in their relationships with God or anyone else. It’s just another indicator that much of youth ministry is out of your control. But there is something you can keep improving. How you create experiences that are inviting and engaging will always be core to your strategy. What does it look like to become more intentional about creating the kind experiences that move toward embracing healthy relationships and life-changing truths?
Research suggests that there is growing mistrust from millennial parents toward the church. That’s why it is more critical than ever for youth ministries to redesign programming that is parent friendly. If you want to change how you influence students, you may have to confront the wrong assumptions you make about their parents. Until there is a shift in how your church sees and engages every parent you will limit the potential of your ministry.
Teenagers are a different breed of listenersm. Anyone who speaks consistently to this audience feels the tension between keeping their attention and actually teaching them something meaningful. One of the most important principles in communicating to teenagers is the audience gets to vote. If we want them to vote to listen, we have to take seriously the task of engagement. This seminar will offer a way of constructing your speaking to maximize their hearing.
Before you ask your volunteers for something else, ask yourself this question, “What do your volunteers really need from you right now?” Maybe it’s time to actually volunteer for your volunteers. There’s a possibility that the most important thing you do right now is to show them how to show up by showing up for them.
News flash: You will be talking to students about politics in 2020. Whether you like it or not this subject will still be around long after the November elections. How you do or don’t respond may determine how a student or parent sees your church. It’s simply impossible to ignore the political tension that exists in families and communities around your church. When it comes to creating safe spaces to listen and understand each other, students will take their cue from you as an adult.
It’s a question that is being asked more frequently than you may realize. It’s more important than ever to rethink HOW we disciple students in High School. It will require leaders to make radical shifts in how they actually see spiritual growth. If our goal is to help students own their own faith, it may begin with a careful examination of what a dynamic faith actually looks like. This generation needs a fresh encounter with an authentic faith that will make a positive impact in their sense of identity, belonging, and purpose.
We don’t need to look far to see that both before, during, and likely after this pandemic, young people navigate unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and suicide. This breakout equips you with practical answers to the pressing questions of why we’re seeing this surge and how your team can offer the hope and help students and families need.
Digital discipleship will continue to be an ongoing topic in the future of kids ministry. There are more possibilities than ever before to leverage social media tools and platforms to inspire faith in this generation. This shift in how we connect to a generation cannot be ignored. If we are going to influence faith in a positive way going forward, it will require a radical shift in how we manage content and relationships.
The process of creating a safe place for kids has radically changed over this past year. There are a number of best practices that can give your parents and volunteers the confidence that their health and safety is a priority to you. What if you take your cue from leaders in education and professional child-care facilities on how to win at implementing better procedures. You will walk away with a checklist of practical ideas to implement when families show up to your ministry.
There may be more homes with special needs in your community than you ever imagined. That’s because the everyday complications these families face tend to keep them isolated and invisible to our ministry. That’s why churches who rethink their programming with special needs in mind will provide an oasis to so many homes. If you want to change the way these parents see your church, change the way you support their families.
It was complicated enough to figure out how to connect with kids when you could show up in the same room. If you are volunteering in kids ministry, you may be having an identity crisis. How do you build relationships in a social distancing world? How do you help kids grow spiritually in a zoom meeting? What does it look like to win as a volunteer with kids right now? There is a way forward if we remember why we started volunteering to do this in the first place.
Ok. Don’t let the term “pastor” throw you if it’s not officially in your title. We are not trying to start a theological debate about what you are allowed to be officially called. But we do hope to help you clarify what you do. If you are leading a kids ministry, whether you are paid, part-time, full-time, or incognito, it is time to make an emphatic statement about why this role is so important. At a time when it’s easy to have an identity crisis as a kids leader, let’s spend some time crafting a clear job description, so everyone knows why what you do matters.
Sometimes it’s counterintuitive to put your personal relationships before your personal ministry. That’s why you have to be intentional about establishing your health, family, and friends as your primary ministry. Making your personal life a priority isn’t selfish, it’s actually smart. What would it look like if you started giving yourself permission to guard your relationships more than you try to build your ministry?
Leading kids to value the racial, cultural and personal differences in those around them will change how they see God and themselves. Values like respect, compassion, forgiveness, and empathy are never automatic. They should be woven into every aspect of our programs and modeled by the adults we recruit to lead them.
The concept of helping preschoolers grow in their relationships with God or anyone else can be tricky. It’s just another indicator of how preschool ministry is out of your control. But there is something you can keep improving. How you create experiences that are inviting and engaging will always be core to your strategy. What does it look like to become more intentional about creating the kind of experiences that move toward embracing healthy relationships and understanding basic concepts about God?
It’s a question that is being asked more frequently than you may realize. It’s more important than ever to rethink HOW we disciple students in Middle School. It will require leaders to make radical shifts in how they actually see spiritual growth. If our goal is to help students own their own faith, it may begin with a careful examination of what a dynamic faith actually looks like. This generation needs a fresh encounter with an authentic faith that will make a positive impact in their sense of identity, belonging, and purpose.
How you create environments for kids is one thing that is tangible in your ministry. The concept of helping kids grow in their relationships with God or anyone else can be abstract. But there is something you can keep improving. How you create inviting and engaging environments should always be core to your strategy. What does it look like to become more intentional about creating the kind of experiences that move kids toward embracing healthy relationships with others and with God?
We can’t ignore the unique impact of 2020 on Middle Schoolers. There is already crisis that exists in every phase of a student’s developmental life. Whenever these crisis occur in the context of unpredictable or traumatic situations, they can affect the emotional growth of the average Middle School student in pivotal ways. It’s important for the adult community to understand how the normal range of issues teenagers are facing have been accentuated by the social, racial, and political uncertainties of our present culture.
We can’t ignore the unique impact of 2020 on High Schoolers. There is already crisis that exists in every phase of a student’s developmental life. Whenever crisis occurs in the context of unpredictable or traumatic situations, they can affect the emotional growth of the average High School student in pivotal ways. It’s important for the adult community to understand how the normal range of issues teenagers are facing have been accentuated by the social, racial, and political uncertainties of our present culture.
The shape of youth ministry is shifting faster than any other time in history. Our willingness to experiment with HOW we do what we do and learn from each other is a key to making disciples in this next decade. That’s why we need to sharpen our skills to innovate and leverage collective learning that will redefine youth ministry culture.
Building an effective youth ministry isn’t possible without having an effective team of caring volunteer leaders. You’ll learn the best practices that have been proven to find, develop and sustain healthy volunteers. It’s time to transition from the desperate search for more leaders to an intentional approach that understands and values volunteer development. The results are too important for your teenagers to not get this right.
The goal of everything you do is summed up in the word “relationship.” An effective youth ministry always moves teenagers toward a positive relationship with God and others. The reality is that you can never force a teenager to have a healthy relationship with a leader, a parent or even with God. You can, however, organize your ministry to make relationships a priority. What would it look like to rethink your budget, volunteers, messages, and programs so that relationships clearly matter?
Reggie is the founder and CEO of Orange, a non-profit organization whose purpose is to influence those who influence the next generation. Prior to Orange, Reggie co-founded North Point Community Church with Andy Stanley. He has authored several books including Think Orange, Seven Practices of Effective Ministry, and Parenting Beyond Your Capacity. He and his wife Debbie have four grown children and a growing number of grandchildren.