This is a picture my friend Sam Luce took last year at the Orange Conference. This may look like any other conference you have been to but it’s not. What you are looking at is an army of children’s, preschool, student, and college leaders TOGETHER. I have been thinking about how to unite family ministry teams. How do we come together in order to reach this generation. I may work with teens but I need my college pastor creating ways to help them integrate faith into life on the college campus. I may work with teens but I need my kids pastor figuring out how help preschoolers know God loves an them and made them. You may work with children but you need my to help pointing middle school students to Jesus as they navigate the storms of life they face. At some point we have to break down the walls and come together. Five years ago the Orange Conference helped our family ministry team learn, listen, worship, dream, and laugh together and our church has never been the same. We are different because we are working every week to reach the next generation together. Our student ministry team is helping our preschool environment capture the attention of kids. Our children’s ministry team is helping our college ministry staff be more structured and organized. We are fighting for each other.
If you are processing how to get your team together and on the same page them this conference might be a great place to start. Sure, you will still have questions. No, there is no magic ministry bullet. Yes, ministry is hard work. The Orange Conference will simply help you find ways to accomplish more together.