Get ready—Orange Tour hits the road this week! We’ll be gathering with approximately 10,000 church leaders across the country over the next three months to discuss family ministry and partnering with parents to influence the faith of the next generation.
SAY YES TO THE NEXT GENERATION
When you say yes to the next generation, it means you…
Say yes to tension.
Say yes to collaboration.
Say yes to debate.
It means you say yes to wrestling with questions like…
Should secular leaders influence your ministry strategy?
Is your ministry really pro-family?
Does your church make kids and teenagers feel like they have a place to belong?
Are you losing or gaining momentum in your community?
Should you teach kids the Bible or help them develop character?
Is the culture of your ministry attracting the right kind of volunteers and leaders?
How you answer these questions matters.
It matters for the momentum of your ministry.
It matters for the effectiveness of your strategy.
It mattters for the faith of the next generation.
But just because the questions matter doesn’t mean the answers are simple. In fact, many of the questions you face in ministry are tricky to navigate. Sometimes there are truths that seem to contradict each other. Sometimes two people with the same goal don’t always agree. Sometimes there’s tension.
So every week you have to decide. You can make a statement or manage an ongoing conversation. You can take a side or fight for the tension.
Join us at this year’s Orange Tour and discover the best way to answer these questions.
We’ll be in 13 cities this fall:
Atlanta, GA: September 5
Minneapolis, MN: September 12
Seattle, WA: September 19
Wildomar, CA: September 23
Lancaster, PA: October 7
Washington, DC: October 10
Detroit, MI: October 14
Indianapolis, IN: October 17
Kansas City, KS: October 21
Charlotte, NC: October 28
Austin, TX: November 4
Dallas, TX: November 7
Tampa, FL: November 11
I’ll be at Atlanta, Seattle, Wildomar, Detroit and Indy doing social media, and would love to meet you!
Over 6,000 of you will be joining us in Atlanta next week! And while we’d love for everyone reading this to be here in person, we realize that’s not always possible. So, we’d like to offer you the next best thing: tune in online! FOR FREE! You’ll be able to see on- and off-stage action, including session streaming, speaker interviews, mayhem and hi-jinx, resource updates and giveaways—and maybe even win a ticket to OC15!
Be sure to RSVP for the Live Stream to receive additional information and special offers. We will not spam you, or sell your info. That’s just rude.
And don’t forget to invite your friends to watch with you!
A full Live Stream schedule will be posted just prior to the conference on this blog.
And if you’re super excited about the Live Stream, but tend to get a little distracted, text “LIVE” to 404-445-2198. We’ll send you text updates about what’s happening, reminders and important info. But we promise not to message you like a sixth grade girl at a One Direction concert.
The Orange Conference, a conference for entire family ministry teams, will be held April 30–May 2, 2014, in Atlanta. Over 5,000 key influencers—senior, next gen, student, children’s and preschool leaders—will gather to experience the power of “Yes,” and learn new insights into influencing the faith and character of the next generation. For more information, please visit www.TheOrangeConference.com.
The past few months I’ve been reading my favorite part of the Bible, Exodus through Joshua. I am slightly obsessed with the Israelites’ journey out of Egypt, to their wandering in the wilderness and then long-awaited entrance into the Promised Land. It’s been quite a comfort to me over the years, as I draw so many parallels to my own life. I am following a reading plan, but I find myself skipping days just to intentionally draw out my time with these books. I sort of drink them in, dragging through the Introductions, skimming through all the footnotes, and re-reading certain sections. It may seem strange, as most Christians are drawn to the New Testament with Jesus’ teaching and Paul’s great work. Maybe I’m just old school. 😉
In fact, a couple of young Jehovah’s Witness boys knocked on my door last summer, and tried to talk to me about Jesus. I told them I was a Christian and followed Jesus. I’m sure people use all sort of methods to cut the conversation short, including that one. But they persisted a bit, asking me my favorite book of the Bible. I don’t know if they were testing my resolve or just curious, but when I told them Exodus, they didn’t really know what to do next. They stood there for a minute and then said goodbye. True story.
But it’s true. I think it probably is my favorite book. Moses is my hero. He’s flawed and he’s perfect. I began reading that portion of the Bible during one of the hardest periods of my life, and I kept thinking of how much I was like the Israelites, quick to complain and in need of guidance. I found myself on a similar journey of both wondering and wandering, and completely dependent on the Lord for guidance and provision.
“When Pharoah finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, ‘If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.” (Exodus 13: 17-18a NLT)
There are so many ways God shows His love for me daily. But it was a revelation when I read that passage and really let it sink in. At that point in my life, and every time I’ve read it since, I realized how frustrated I can get with my own wondering.
I wonder when my time will come.
I wonder when my circumstance will change.
I wonder what’s next.
I wonder why someone has it better than me.
I wonder when it’ll get easier.
I wonder. I wonder. I wonder.
And in the process, I wander.
It is a clear demonstration of God’s patience and unfailing love for Him to lead me the roundabout way. It takes time. It takes sacrifice. It takes forgiveness—lots of forgiveness. And, knowing myself, I probably wouldn’t handle the shortest route all that well. I need time to be molded and shaped, as much as I love to jump in with both feet. So, once again, I realize that His timing is perfect despite my ability to see it at work most of the time.
When I stop to reflect and see how much I’ve changed over the years, I still feel sometimes that I am in the infant stages of development. I still see how far I have to go. I think, “Yes, exactly, how can I be ready for that? I’m not yet who I need to be.” And realistically, I know that will always be the case. I hope I never stop growing and learning. But it’s those times that put the wondering in perspective.
“The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and He provided light at night with a pillar of fire.” (Exodus 13: 21)
Goodness knows I wish I had a pillar. And I’ll admit to praying for neon signs. I’m just afraid sometimes I might miss the whisper. But that’s because I can sometimes forget that I do indeed have a pillar: Jesus. He is my guidepost. He is my light in the darkness. He goes ahead of me. I may not be able to speak face-to-face with Him, as Moses did with God, but His Word clearly communicates His character. As I wander, I have the time to discern His will. And I feel His love, through His people and the Bible.
We all have at least one Egypt. I have a bunch of them myself. I have those places and things that I’ve allowed to enslave me, despite the fact that I am a captive who has been set free. Some of them are a daily battle, some were left on the battlefield a long time ago. Some are yet to come. But I am not alone. I am never alone. He has promised to take this journey with me.
This Easter, as many others do, I reflect on Jesus and what He’s done for me. Every day I have the opportunity to open up the gifts of grace, mercy, love and salvation. They are my manna. They are what God provides to sustain me in my wandering. But there are some days that I feel more like a kid hunting for Easter eggs, not sure where to look but overjoyed in the discovery. And honestly, I’m thankful for both. One is ever-present and one is a genuine delight. Luckily, Jesus is so much more than one thing.
Right now, I’m in Deuteronomy, Moses’ last hurrah. He’s speaking to a new generation of Israelites, because the older died in the desert. So, he has to remind them of where they came from, tell them about where they’re going, and explain to them their lasting covenant with God. It reminds me of Easter. This weekend, from Good Friday to Resurrection Sunday, communicates all three of those things. The person of Jesus, the Son of God, is the culmination of those things.
And despite who He is and what He’s already done, He’s still willing to lead me the roundabout way. I matter. Little ol’ me. He saved the world. He saved generations. And He saves me daily.
I need to remember that what Easter symbolizes can’t be confined to a day, or even a weekend. It’s a life-long journey. And it’s my privilege.
So, if you’re looking for me, I’m taking the long way around. I wonder where it’ll take me next.
Last month, I attended a nifty new conference called Social Ecclesia with a few of my co-workers. The premise of the event is to help churches with their social media strategy. I think it’s a pretty great idea. These one-day mico-conferences are being held several times per year right now, and are well worth your time and effort if you are a church leader looking to learn more about developing a social approach to sharing the hope of the gospel.
Here are some of the notes I took away from the day.
Authority in the social media age is determined by “who’s around” not “top down”
Media is interactive. It’s relational. Engage.
Just because people are seeing content doesn’t mean it’s working.
A new media culture values customization (iTunes, Netflix, DVR, Twitter, FB, etc.). You can tell when you put content in front of them that they don’t want. They check out.
Offline and online is blurred. Teens see social media as a regular part of life.
Social media is the new greeter at your church.
The FB generation doesn’t want to go to a church that works like a corporation. They want a flexible, interactive community with a cause.
13 hour sof video uploaded every minute on YouTube
100K YouTube videos viewed per day
3 million Tweets per day
5 million minutes per day spent on FB
Saddleback social media strategy: Connect. Teach. Share.
Engage with the people you care about first. Educate community with great content from teachers and speaking pastors. Expose the community to ministry opps.
Follow your followers!
Go above and beyond when you can. (Disney does this well.)
Keep a pulse on the heartbeat of your community.
Empower others to be your advocates.
5 Steps in 5 Minutes
1. Identify a social media champion for your church.
Last week I attended The Justice Conference in Los Angeles. It was my first time attending this conference, and I was super excited. I’ve attended a lot of conferences, but this was really my first big one on social justice issues, which is such a huge part of my heart. The speakers did not disappoint. Really good stuff. I wanted to share some of my favorite thoughts with you. Hopefully they’ll inspire you as well, as you pursue the work of justice.
Innovation and Creativity in the Church
Ken Wytsma, Founder of The Justice Conference and author of Pursing Justice
Charles Lee, author of Great Idea, Now What and founder of Ideation Camp
Innovation is problem-solving. Creativity is how you get there.
The idea you start with is rarely the idea you end with.
Sometimes you just push through the work even if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Ideas are impotent without action.
Talking about something tricks your brain into thinking you’re actually doing something.
Get out of your own circles to get new ideas.
Being in the right place at the right time is most important. (Be present)
Unplug and reflect regularly.
“We need to be a tangible expression of good to the world.” – Charles Lee
We make time for things we value.
How do we make time? 1. Prioritize. 2. Let others participate. 3. Incremental execution. 4. Resist the urge to listen to irrational voice. 5. Take your own advice. 6. We veil our laziness with too many meetings and coffees; just get moving. 7. Be prepared to fail gloriously.
Justice and The Gospel
Ken Wystma, Founder of The Justice Conference and author of Pursing Justice
The gospel and justice aren’t two separate conversations.
Justice and “good works” aren’t the same thing.
The dictionary defines justice as: a right relationship with God, self, others and creation.
Justice structures a society. Justice and righteousness used to be synonyms, but justice has taken on new meaning.
Truth corresponds to what is. Justice corresponds to what ought to be.
Restorative Justice tries to bring things back to alignment. Helping put things back into alignment is part of being a Christian. It is tied to our flourishing.
Justice becomes a theological necessity. We learn about God through justice.
Jesus’ coming was Restorative Justice. That’s the Gospel.
Restorative Justice is a means to the end—the relationship.
We can’t understand the Gospel without justice.
It’s not Jesus or justice. It’s both. They are the same.
Jesus IS the justice of God come down to earth.
Justice is a defining characteristic of Jesus.
There has never been a time when you had Jesus and not justice.
The essence of America is the economy. It’s the freedom to shop. People want to keep the money in their pockets and use it how they see fit. It is rooted in individualism. 70% of economy in the buying and selling of goods.
The most important shift in suburban society with washing machine. It went from 8 hours to 4 hours of cleaning clothes from start to finish. Advertising soon followed with wants versus needs.
Paradox of Choice – a book that demonstrates when we have an over abundance of choice, we don’t even choose. We are overwhelmed.
Biblical concept of benevolence (Mark 14:7) ,”The poor you will always have with you,and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me.”
How do we treat the widow, orphan or sojourner? That answer is a reflection of a society.
Us vs. Them. The way you treat your budgets are a reflection of your values.
A lot of people will not be with you. They will support you at a distance.
Is caring for the poor an add-on to your life or part of who you are?
Unfinished: The Pursuit of Justice Around the World
World Vision Panel: Rich Sterns, Mae Cannon and Romanita Hairston
Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
“There are many things that can only been seen by the eyes of those who have cried.” – Oscar Romero
Jesus didn’t tie up everything with a bow when he left. He gave us the Great Commission.
The Great Commission and the Greatest Command pretty much sum up our mission. Jesus hasn’t come back because the mission isn’t finished.
40% of the world hasn’t heard the Gospel.
1 in 5 children live below the poverty line in the US.
NGOs and governments’s are mostly caring for the justice efforts. The Church needs to step up to the plate. There are 340K churches in the US.
Think not about programs but people.
To decide how you feel about immigration, meet an immigrant. To decide how you feel about Title 1 schools, meet families and teachers there. Don’t just stand at a distance or take the word of someone else, even the news.
“Talk to me about Jesus because you love me; not because you need me.” – Jewish lady in Israel
Palestinians see Americans as people who make weapons against them.
Palestinian Christians wish US Christians would remember them. They exist.
Lead with love. It’s attractive.
Church should be a verb as well.
Our solution is often in the places that we don’t go, or are hard for us to go. Be in the difficult places. We are challenged there, and forced to ask ourselves hard questions.
Justice is the job of the church.
Putting Flesh to Your Vision
Eugene Cho, Founder of Quest Church and charity One Day’s Wages
God is still speaking to the world today. Do we have the discipline and courage to hear and obey?
Everyone has a theology. Our theology informs and drives our calling.
1. Shut Up and Pray. Our culture elevates acting quickly. Jesus withdraws, even at the height of His popularity, when He needed to. Nehemiah did this for several months, probably 4-6 months. We tend to speak and act from an emotional response only.
2. Ask the Hard Questions. Have people who can do this and be trusted. Do this for yourself. We sometimes are tempted to start things for the wrong motivation. We tend to elevate entrepreneurs. Check your motivation.
3. Get Smart. You need to be committed to being an expert in your calling. Your emotional conviction can’t be enough. Intelligence isn’t the antithesis of faith.
4. Discern Your Passion, Mission and Vision. Passion is important, but not everything. Your Mission asks WHAT do you want to accomplish. Your Vision asks HOW do you want to accomplish your mission.
5. Identify Who’s On Your Team. God never speaks His vision in isolation. Get excited about the prospect of who you might work with. Collaboration should be your best friend. You need a support network for the hard times.
6. Have a Strategic Plan. Strategy is not the enemy of faith. If it has value to you, do the work. Be flexible because your plans will change.
7. Funding. Social capital is your greatest resource.
So, that was the Pre-Conference. Pretty awesome, huh? Stay tuned for notes from the main event!
Mental Post-Its 