Ministry Monday: Why go to Conferences?

Why go to a conference? Seriously. I think you really have to ask yourself this question. Is it to network with other people? Is it to gain information that you wouldn't have reading books, blogs, and magazines? Is it to experience something out of the ordinary? Or is it simply for a break so that you can recharge? What is your answer? Why do you go to conferences?

In 2009 I will be going to 2 conferences. One is a local conference put on by Group Publishing. It is called the How2 conference. If you live anywhere near Cincinnati, OH I would encourage you to attend. Here is the info on the conference.

your bigger, brighter children's ministry starts here At the ALL-NEW, HOW2 Children's Ministry Conference! It's the only place you'll... Develop a one-year, dream blueprint for ministry. Renovate your ministry with proven solutions. Discover your church's unique strengths and opportunities. Network with children's leaders in your region. Get a year's worth of training resources. (Video clips, PowerPoint slides, and more!) Have the time of your life! This conference is for Children’s Ministry leaders, Sunday School directors, Christian Education board members, Department leaders, VBS and Midweek leaders, Ministry coordinators, and Your entire leadership team! Visit group.com/how2 for more details, location, and registration information!

Why am I going to this one? It is local. I don't have to spend the night away from my family. It is hands on. I don't have to just sit and listen but I get to do activities and I learn better that way. Budgets are tight. For $199 I can swing this one and not have to break the bank.

The second one that I am attending is the Orange Conference. Here is info from their site http://www.theorangeconference.com.

What is Orange?

The Orange Conference is an opportunity for churches to have their key leaders in a room together being challenged about what it means and what it takes to reach the next generation. It's not a children's ministry conference. It's not a youth ministry conference. It's the only place that a senior pastor, student pastor, children's pastor and volunteers that work within these ministries can learn together and begin formulating a strategy to impact the lives of the people in your congregation by...

...creating a plan for handing off kids from preschool ministry to children's ministry; from children's ministry to student ministry; from student ministry into college ministry - a plan that works among these age groups to build a strong foundation of faith, grow it, challenge it and mature it before students leave your ministry to become independent adults in this world.

...equipping parents with kids at every age level to become the primary spiritual leader for their kids - to partner with them so that the one hour the church has with kids each week is multiplied at home.

...creating opportunities for families to invite their neighbors to a relevant and engaging environment at your church - to see what happens to their own faith when they begin investing in those around them.

So why go to this conference? 1. This is to get away from Cincinnati. Sometimes when you leave your environment things change. You have to look at things differently. You have to adjust and in doing so you learn something new. 2. My team is also going with me. This is a time to connect with key staff members. Relationships are built upon doing. It's not built on meetings, agendas, or e-mail. 3. This subject is vital. Learning how to do ministry that is targeted for the whole family is a huge step for churches all over the world. Church can't just be about Children's Ministry or Youth Ministry or even Adult Ministry. We have to figure out a way to impact the whole family. I hope to gain some insights.

There you have it. Those are the conferences that I am attending. Which ones are you going to? Why?