By now, you have probably read via emails, Twitter and maybe even a few pieces of mail about The Orange Conference. It’s kind of a big deal to us. Well, actually, not just to us—last year we had over 4,000 people at Orange.

So, you may be wondering, “Why should someone who works in college ministry come to Orange?” After all, most people think of family ministry—preschool, children’s and student ministries—when they think Orange.

For many student ministries, the “end in mind” is graduation. However, the reality is that the “end” is not graduation. That’s not the finish line. The finish line is having a college-age person (18-25) who feels connected and integrated into a church body. That’s the heart behind our XP3 College Conversation Guides, which are intended to connect generations through dialogs that bring generations together to learn from one another and build relationship.

It’s also the reason we are providing four different breakouts at The Orange Conference that are key discussions for anyone involved with college-age people. We would love for you to be there and be a part of the conversation. Here are the four breakouts:

• “Worlds Apart” by Chuck Bomar – If you haven’t checked out Chuck’s book with the same title, I highly recommend it. It’s a great read.

• “XP3 College Unpacked” by Chuck Bomar and Abbie Smith – Find out how this very different resource shifts the way we connect college-age people with the church, and the church with college-age people.

• “Why They Leave” by Jared Herd – Jared wrote a great book this past year called More Lost Than Found, and this breakout will build on that conversation.

• “Protecting our Investment in Kids” by Chuck Bomar – What happens to that high school senior after graduation? Do we simply turn them loose? Or do we find a way to continue walking with them through the big transitions that lie ahead?

In addition to these four college-specific breakouts, there are also some great opportunities for you to be encouraged personally with breakouts like Doug Fields’ “The Private Life of a Public Leader” and Carey Nieuwhof’s “Renewing the Leader’s Heart.”

And if you register before March 15, 2012, you can save $20 off the regular registration rates AND $30 off preconference! The prices haven’t been this low since the summer, so it’s a great time to take advantage of this offer. For more information about The Orange Conference, including a listing of all the incredible breakouts and speakers, visit www.TheOrangeConference.com.

So, don’t miss out on this year’s conference. It should be a great opportunity to learn, to connect and to dialog.