Conference

5 Tips To Prepare For A Successful Conference

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The more conferences I attend, the more I see that most people fail to prepare and therefore miss out on great opportunities at conferences. What if I told you there are 5 easy things that you can do today to set yourself up for future success at your next conference?

1. Only attend conferences that fit your mission. With hundreds of new conferences starting each year you need to make sure you attend the ones that fit your goals. Do you believe in the mission of the organization? Why do most people attend this particular event? Who do you know who has already attended this conference and what were their big takeaways?

2. Pay early and register for all activities. It’s no secret that the earlier you pay for a conference the better rate you will find. After you purchase your ticket, line up all airfare and housing arrangements. Make sure you have selected your breakouts and all events taking full advantage of the opportunities to grow.

3. Line up meetings with those who you want to learn from. A quick tweet or email to your favorite conference speakers and bloggers can land you an hour long coffee or dinner for personal coaching. Make a list of those who you want to learn from and see if they can work you into their schedule. Pay for their coffee or take them out to dinner to show appreciation for their time and come prepared with solid questions. These appointments may become the best learning opportunities for you but you need to schedule them ahead of time.

4. Write everything into your calendar. Between the thousands of people moving around and being unfamiliar with the building, conferences can be hectic. Prepare for a successful conference by writing everything into your digital calendar. While everyone else is rushing around and flipping through paperwork to figure out where to go next, you can simply glance at your smartphone or watch and head in the right direction.

5. Pack smart. Dress in layers because you will be freezing in one session and burning up in the next. Know the audience of those who will be attending the conference and dress appropriately. Leave room in your luggage for the books and resources you will be picking up and make sure to bring an external battery for your dying cell phone.

Like most things in life, with a little preparation the outcome will be more successful. Here are 5 of my tips for preparing for your next conference. Let me know in the comments what else you would add or share with me what conference you think every leader should be attending!

Will Sunday Church Matter Monday?

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Monday Is ComingWhat you do each and every Sunday morning matters. The time you invest in the kids, the effort you put into teaching God’s Word, and the connection you make with families can change a soul’s eternity forever. We pour our lives into Sunday morning to make this the best hour in every kids life but what if there is more? At this year’s Orange Conference these questions are being asked:

  • “WHAT IF what you do every Sunday could matter more if you remember what really matters to most people on Monday?”
  • “WHAT IF success is less about who comes this Sunday and more about what happens on Monday?”
  • “WHAT IF your ministry began to rethink every message, every environment, every program and every relationship through this one idea.”

Across the world, Sunday mornings are filled with Bible lessons, skits, worship songs, and small group discussions. After church, parents ask two questions to their kids. Did you have fun? What did you learn? Our hope as leaders have always been that kids will say, “YES! And I learned about…” but what if parents began asking on Monday night about how their kids applied the Bible lesson on Monday morning? What if we as leaders connected the Bible lesson on Sunday to recess on Monday, to the cafeteria on Wednesday, and math homework on Friday?

At this year’s Orange Conference we will be challenged in our thinking:

“Don’t be so Sunday minded that you’re no Monday good.” (click to tweet) 

Join me this year at the Orange Conference to take our Sunday mornings to the next level! Sign up for this year’s conference to connect with other leaders who are making a kingdom difference and lets comes together to learn how to make Sunday matter more on Monday!

Registration for #OC16 opens October 8! Save $80, plus get Insider First Access to Breakouts! TheOrangeConference.com

My First Orange Conference

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Orange Conference

Orange Conference

Next week I will be one of the 6000 Orange Leaders attending the Orange Conference in Atlanta.  Orange is a gathering of leaders who are passionate about engaging churches and families to influence the faith and character of the next generation. I believe the message that Orange preaches to leaders. They ask the question, “What if church leaders and parents synchronized their efforts to fuel wonder, discovery and passion in the next generation?” My desire has always been to come alongside of families in making disciples of their kids. The Orange strategy comes from “combining the critical influences of the light of the church (yellow) and the love of the family (red) to shows a generation who God is more effectively than either could alone.”

I am excited to find ideas, inspiration, and resources to become an Orange thinker. I desire to create new habits in ministry that encourage lasting change over time. I have anticipation to meet up with old and new kids ministry friends. And I am thrilled to wear my Bright Orange Riddler Bats Batman Big Bang Theory Sheldon Cooper Villain Superhero T-Shirt!

If you would like to join me, RSVP on the Live Stream!

And if you want to get pumped, check out this video: