If we aren’t careful, the trap we are vulnerable to falling into is that working for God becomes a substitute for worshiping God.

Let’s talk volunteers for a moment. Now I KNOW I have your attention. Volunteers are the lifeblood of our ministry. If you are like most leaders, you spend about 80 percent of your time either actively recruiting new volunteers, praying for the right volunteers or stressing about whether your volunteers will actually show up on Sunday. […]

I don’t really believe in resolutions. Which is stressful because when January rolls around—every New Year—I feel so much pressure to conform to the trend. It’s not that I don’t think evaluating your habits is a good thing . . . I do! But let’s be honest, most resolutions are not successful in part because […]

Whether you are a coupon clipper, bargain shopper, or just plain ‘ole cheap, we understand how important it is to pinch your pennies. Proper planning will not only prevent poor performance, but it will save you a buck, or two (or more)! That’s why we want to give you plenty of time and ideas for […]

Music can communicate our message more effectively than when we just use words alone.  Today’s Friday Favs post is a compilation of music that strikes a chord with our staff members for how it communicates a message, emotion or inspires a story.  What’s your “go to” song that brings a smile to your day? Beauty […]

The kids in the Camp Kid Jam session were truly amp’d up beyond description. (It is a JAM session after all!) Each team of kids were cheering and chanting for their team color — team spirit was in the air. Feeling that the energy in the room was being channeled into the excitement of the […]

Every summer I break out all the tunes and rethink the core worship playlist I will use for the next school year. I love to make my selections now so that I can begin teaching new songs over the summer. The strategy behind that thinking is that by the time fall comes along, it won’t […]

Leaders and parents are always looking for good music with a positive message for the kids in their care. In “the Right Mix” Concentrate in the back of the Think Orange book, we highlight the different types of music we intentionally create for our curriculums to help make our message stick in fun and fresh […]

At the reception of a family wedding, I noticed that the most natural place for all different ages of people to mix and mingle was the dance floor. They were attracted by the music and the energy of classics like YMCA and the Cupid Shuffle. This can be true of the music we use in our […]

The Orange Conference is one of my most favorite times of the year. More so than the lights, incredible music, and learning — what fuels me are the people who gather there. I vividly remember my first Orange conference experience as an attender. I left a different leader than when I arrived. God had some […]