An Experiment in Creating Parent Small Groups
Monday November 19, 2018 | RJ GrunewaldThis fall, we launched an experiment as a NextGen team. We’ve been wrestling with what it looks like for us to better partner with parents—to move beyond handouts and to work together. For us this has resulted in a small group experiment. For the past several months, our NextGen staff has been working on a […] Read more
Why My Church is an Orange Church
Friday November 9, 2018 | Thad AndersonI remember standing in a mall bookstore looking for some new reading material to challenge me to the next level as a leader. I was drawn to the bright, strangely shaped book called, “Think Orange.” At the time, I was not a youth pastor but was serving as a young adult pastor in a very […] Read more
What You Lose When You Widen the Circle
Wednesday November 7, 2018 | Daniel De JesúsOne-on-one connection with kids about their faith is, without a doubt, my favorite part of being a kids’ pastor. It’s within these conversations where I’m given a front-row seat to God’s grace and goodness in their young lives. Now, don’t get me wrong. There are certainly days when getting a child to open up about […] Read more
Are You Using This Toolbox for Leading Small
Tuesday October 23, 2018 | Paula DannielleAbout five years ago I heard Orange had a new resource that helps train small group leaders, get them their lessons, and connect them with their few all from one phone app. Since I was spending an incredible amount of time every week editing group content, trying to find developmental materials, and trying to make […] Read more
Impacting Faith by Capturing Milestone Moments
Monday October 8, 2018 | Paula DannielleThere are moments throughout a child’s life that provide opportunities to partner with parents. These are moments of celebration that mark a child’s development. These opportunities—significant moments in the life journey of a parent and child that offer a unique opportunity to reinforce truth and celebrate a growing relationship with God—are called milestone moments (Think […] Read more
This Ministry Tool Equips and Empowers Small Group Leaders
Wednesday September 26, 2018 | Amber BakerYears in children’s ministry have taught me to always have an eye out for the best way to help volunteers succeed. Whether it be the way we set up a room, the method information is delivered, or the system of communication used, I am always looking for ways to equip and empower our volunteers. The […] Read more
5 Things Small Group Leaders Need
Friday September 21, 2018 | Orange LeadersWe were in a quiet monastery in Ohio. I held a book in my hands that became one I’d revisit every year, required reading turned manifesto. It was a small spiritual formation class during my senior year of college. We were few, but the lessons we learned were many. The book we read was called, […] Read more
3 Keys to Addressing Mental Health and Suicide in Your Ministry
Thursday September 20, 2018 | Brett TalleyIf you watch or listen to the news very often, you may realize that, sadly, suicide rates are on the rise. We could speculate all day about reasons this might be true, but regardless, one of the greatest things we can do to combat this rising trend is to create and keep the conversation going […] Read more
What We Get Wrong About Partnering With Parents
Wednesday September 19, 2018 | RJ GrunewaldWe are really good at talking about the importance of partnering with parents without actually doing it. Maybe that’s a bit harsh, but every church leader that I’ve ever met who works with kids or teenagers is “partnering with parents.” But they’re not really. Partnering with parents is the spoken value of a lot of […] Read more
How to Be a Church Where Pro-Family Equals Pro-Parent
Tuesday September 18, 2018 | Orange LeadersEvery parent—whether that person is the mother, father, stepfather, stepmother, grandparent-raising-grandkids, aunt-or-uncle-raising-niece-or-nephew, adopted or foster—wants to be the best parent. At least, that is what we choose to believe! Being pro-family requires that we are pro-parent, and that requires that we believe the best about every parent and what they want for their kid. After […] Read more
