Orange
Ryan Reed
You Gotta Make It to OC17

One of the most important events on my annual professional calendar is the Orange Conference.

Why Orange? In sum, when it comes to a student ministry curriculum, I have not found one as powerful, versatile, comprehensive, and intentional as Orange. It cares for the middle school student just as much as the elderly aunt who takes care of him. Orange seeks to equip the entire family, not just the teenage kid, for both individual and familial faith. That simple.

As a user since 2011, I've continually been sold by how well it prepares me to share the Gospel with teenagers and build parent partnerships for faithful ministry in the home. 

You Gotta Make It to OC17
Leadership
Ryan Reed
The Important Role of Self Awareness in ...

This post originally appeared on the Orange Leaders Blog on June 22, 2016. 

What is the toughest question you’ve ever had to answer, and who asked it?

Given that somehow you made your way to this exceptional community called Orange Leaders, I automatically know a few things about you:

The Important Role of Self Awareness in Leadership
Leadership
Ryan Reed
Key Ingredients for a Thriving Ministry Recipe

Not long ago my wife introduced me to the best show on television... Chopped. I love it. Hands down noting beats it. A simple show in concept: four chefs compete against one another using a basket of mystery ingredients - yet so captivating!

Why? Because the ingredients equalize the playing field. Whether the chef be a novice out of culinary a school or a multi-restaurant owner veteran, each chef receives the ingredients at the same time and must respond to them. 

The ingredients are the star of the show. They call out the character of the chef. Not the other way around. It's the ingredients that define the path.

Key Ingredients for a Thriving Ministry Recipe
Church
Ryan Reed
May the Real Me Meet the Real You

Said C.S. Lewis, "The prayer that precedes all prayers is may the real me meet the real you." 

A great friend of mine from college once shared this quote with me. He and I served in Young Life together, leading high school students toward a growing relationship with Jesus. I can recall that he ended nearly every one of his ministry talks with this quote just prior to closing in prayer:

"May the real me meet the real you."

I probably listened to him share this quote with me dozens of times. I think I also used it. But quite honestly, I don't think I understood the meaning behind it until much later in life. Intellectually I understood it. It's simple in structure, but truly profound in its meaning. 

Perhaps I missed it time after time because inherent within this quote lays an assumption that you know the real you. 

May the Real Me Meet the Real You
Orange
Ryan Reed
Rethink Leadership Conference Day 2 #OC16 #RL16

CAREY NIEUWHOF INTERVIEW WITH JON ACUFF

Know your message enough to find the direction, but leave it open enough to let the Holy Spirit inspire new content. 

For humor, build the island, but then make sure that you make a sturdy bridge to and from the island. Satire is about an idea, but mockery is about an individual. We are not called to mockery.

Put handles on ideas so that we can carry them forward. We have enough ideas. Put a handle on them.  

Rethink Leadership Conference Day 2 #OC16 #RL16

orange conference

How I Became Orange

How I Became Orange

My journey with Orange began 4 years ago - at a former church in another state on the other side of the coast - leading a ministry with a staff team in a city for which I still an enormous amount of respect to this very day!

I started my employment and pastoral leadership over the Hillside Church student ministry in August 2011. Ironically, I began this journey on the same exact day that my Lead Pastor started his employment, as well. To some, this may seem so bizarre. It was for sure, but for us in our context, it was the best possible scenario, for it opened doors for both my Lead Pastor and me to explore Orange with our Family Ministry Team without any pretense or hesitation. 

See You at Orange! #OC15

See You at Orange! #OC15

In less than 24 hours, I will be touching down in Atlanta to attend the annual Orange Conference, hosted and sponsored by the reThink Group. 

I make the Orange Conference my 'must attend' conference every year. In fact, it is the only conference to which I travel (from California to Georgia), even investing my own money at times to make this trip possible. I believe in what this conference represents. It is the most comprehensive conference in Family and Next Generation ministry out there. It targets children's ministry just as well as student ministry, even creating space for special needs ministry and executive tracks for senior leadership. I have written extensively about Orange, the conference, and all of the benefits of its curriculum and community. I am sold out for Orange. I am a blogger for the organization and contribute on a monthly basis to the Orange Leaders blog. Visit my Archives Page and read all of my posts about Orange under the heading "Orange." Most important, I use it every week in my respective areas of ministry. I highly commend this organization to you. 

Just Consider the Orange Conference

Just Consider the Orange Conference

It will be worth your while. In fact, if I was independently wealthy, then I would offer a full refund to you out of my own pocket if you did not find value in it!!! Take a look at this recap video from last year's conference, and see for yourself all of the potential in store for you at #OC15 (if you are reading this from your email - thank you for subscribing - and please view the video in your web browser):

Helping High School Families Get Ready #OC14

Helping High School Families Get Ready #OC14

One of the more insightful and challenging breakout sessions on student ministry that I attended at the 2014 Orange Conference was on the topic of 'Parent Partnerships,' a topic that I've discussed numerous times on my blog and writings. I posted my notes below for you to read. 

Two esteemed and respected Pastors in the field - Doug Fields and Will Hutcherson - offered two different sides of the topic. Will started with the practical applications for why all student pastors should strive to build bridges toward parents. Then, Doug closed the session by discussing the importance of maintaining a healthy rhythm of life with your own family. Both of the presenters shared insightful, challenging - both personally and professionally, encouraging, and compelling information on the topic. 

As you work through my notes, feel free to comment at the bottom with your insights and questions on this topic. Think on this question: What kind of practical steps have you taken during this last year to make your student ministry accessible to parents and families of teenagers?

I've Got My Ticket. Do You?

I've Got My Ticket. Do You?

One of the most important events on my annual professional calendar is the Orange Conference.

I've written quite a bit on my blog about Orange, and you can read all of those posts by visiting my Archives page. Moreover, if you enjoy my posts on a general level, especially pertaining to my writings on student ministry philosophy and parent partnerships, then you may already be part of the Orange movement without even knowing it!

Why Orange? In sum...

4 Reasons Why You Need to Sign-Up for the Orange Conference

A part of me wants to say stop reading, click away from my site, and sign-up for the Orange Conference right now. But I really want you to keep reading... 

Register on Oct 10 and save $80 on the price for 1 day only. Pay only $239 per person: http://theorangeconference.com #thinkorange
 - Click to Tweet -

 

One of the many benefits of Orange - and some I listed in my post from yesterday - includes an annual conference hosted by the crew at Orange and led by Reggie Joiner, founder and guy-in-charge at Orange.