What Exactly Is NextGen?
Monday October 3, 2016 | Kenny ConleySure, it sounds like a subgenre of science fiction novels or a creative rebrand of a student ministry. But NextGen isn’t really about spaceships or youth ministry terminology. It’s far more strategic than that. Actually, NextGen is one of the fastest growing ministry movements in the local church today. NextGen is simply about the Next […] Read more
Your Talk Doesn’t Matter (Does It?)
Tuesday September 6, 2016 | Brett TalleyDiscouragement has been a far too familiar friend to me throughout the last 11 years I’ve been in full time ministry. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you can’t (good for you). For me, it often comes from my constant battle of negative self-talk that I wrestle to overcome. One of those sources of discouragement often […] Read more
When Something Doesn’t Quite Feel Right
Tuesday August 9, 2016 | Brett TalleyHave you ever attended a group gathering (concert, work, church, school recital, etc) where you are haunted by the energy in the room? You are sitting there, trying to engage, but constantly distracted by the feeling of “this just doesn’t seem right.” This awkwardness often causes us to disengage, almost giving the same knee-jerk response […] Read more
FX Checklist
Wednesday July 6, 2016 | Greg PayneJuly – Now is the summer of our discontent. Vacations, work trips, parties, camps… It’s tough to get anything consistent at church during the summer. FX is no exception. In fact, FX is probably the toughest place to coordinate leaders, presenters, families, tech teams …There are a lot of moving parts to try to mesh […] Read more
4 Tips for Welcoming Parents to Your Environment
Wednesday April 20, 2016 | Orange KidsPartnering with parents is a key factor of the Orange Strategy. We recognize what happens at home is more important than what happens at church. So, as ministry leaders, we want to build a relationship with parents to help influence what happens at home. Parents initiate the relationship when they bring their kiddos to our […] Read more
Defining the Small Win for Your Small Group Leaders
Tuesday April 19, 2016 | CJ PalmerMost small group leaders have big wins in mind for their small group. They anticipate the big, pivotal, fulfilling moments that remind them why they’re leading a group in the first place – moments like leading a student to Christ or watching a student get baptized. But if big moments are the only wins your leaders are shooting for, they’re going […] Read more
6 Tips for Organizing and Storing Supplies
Wednesday April 13, 2016 | Elloa Davis“We have stuff EVERYWHERE!” “I know I bought a multi-pack of masking tape rolls last week … now where ARE they?” After opening a door and everything falls out: “Maybe we should organize this closet …” If any of that sounds familiar, then this post is for you! We know you have 14,683 things to […] Read more
It’s Not Babysitting! It’s a Foundation!
Wednesday April 13, 2016 | Gay TucciaroneBaby sitting, child care, day care, watching kids…. If you’ve been in the world of early childhood ministry very long, you’ve heard all of these, not very complimentary tags applied to what you know is actually creating a generation of kids that will know that God loves them, God made them and Jesus wants to […] Read more
They’re Just Playing
Wednesday February 24, 2016 | Deb Springer“Children learn through play” is an accepted principle of child development. Or, maybe not. In our world of technology, internet access and software aimed at 2-year-olds, structured sport leagues for preschoolers and LOTS of screen time, do we still believe this to be undeniably true? My first and still favorite textbook as an early childhood […] Read more
The Christmas Story Retold By Children
Friday December 18, 2015 | Orange LeadersRediscover the Christmas story from Luke 1 and 2 with this telling through the eyes of children. Joseph shepherds Mary through the backwoods in a red wagon, an angel sweeps in on a tire swing and wise men celebrate with sparklers. Kids and parents alike will connect with the beauty and mystery of the first […] Read more
