We are hard at work planning Conspire 2009 which will take place March 18-20.

To be sure that you have the most time to register at the very lowest price, we've extended the In-Conference deadline until July 1, 2008.

Be sure to check out conspireconference.com sign up before then!

Calling all artistic children's ministry leaders!

We're planning to attend the Arise Arts Conference this week.

If you are a children's ministry leader attending the conference in order to develop your creative gifts through music, drama, dance, tech or teaching - be sure to join us for lunch. We're planning a casual lunch gathering for all children's ministry leaders attending the conference. Just pick up your lunch and meet us in the atrium at Willow Creek Church near the far windows. You'll see us with Conspire red balloons.

We'll connect with each other and discuss using the arts in children's ministry. Todd and Sean from Timbuktoons will be joining us as well! No registration needed, just casual, fun and of course - we'll bring some free stuff to give away!

See you Wednesday - June 11 at 12:30 PM!

We believe that Conspire is much more than an event, more than a one-time gathering of Children's ministry leaders and volunteers - the essence of Conspire is that together we would impact the children in our churches so that they would choose to follow Jesus for a lifetime.

Over the next couple of weeks - we plan to highlight churches who are taking Conspire back to their churches - stories of children's who are applying what they learned at Conspire to their own children's ministries so that together we can learn from each other.

Enjoy this first post from Jill Nelson at Morning Star Church in Salem, Oregon

We've started experimenting...

In the past, our fourth and fifth graders have been in a learning environment that spanned from kindergarten to fifth grade. For years we've felt like we weren't reaching our oldest elementary kids in the way they needed, but haven't known how to make a change. One year we had the fifth graders leave the room after worship and spend the rest of the service in small groups. The teaching came completely from their small group leader. While our leaders were amazing and did a great job with the kids, something was still missing for the fourth graders. This year we had the fourth and fifth graders be a part of worship and large group, but went to a different room for small group time (that way they'd feel recognized for their age and maturity). It's worked well on the small group side of things, but in regards to the teaching--in order to reach the kindergartners we miss the fourth and fifth graders, and in order to reach the fourth and fifth graders, we miss the kindergarten and first graders.

At the Conspire Conference this year, Aaron Reynolds talked about what it really means to know your audience while teaching, and to enter the world of your kids. It was convicting to be reminded of how much we're not doing for our older kids. But we knew we didn't have the resources or the people to pull off another program. I went to the workshop titled, "The Fourth Fifth Experiment." They talked about doing things differently--to really think out of the box when approaching the older elementary kids. David Rausch said, "The answer is not more, but different. Break our current thinking and look at it differently." He talked about how fourth and fifth graders are in an age of self discovery. They are tired of people talking at them and want to discover truth for themselves.

Mindy Stoms explained their new approach to our "tweeners," "What if, instead of stories, we taught them skills for reading the Bible? We don't want to give them a fish, we want to teach them to fish."

We left Chicago knowing we can create a ministry just for our fourth and fifth graders, and we can do it this fall. We're in the process of creating Bridge 45--our late elementary ministry. We'll be posting what we learn, what we try and the details of our experiment. We're excited!

I am completely overwhelmed by all that God did last week while we were together at Conspire. Our team knew from the very beginning that God was up to something – that His plans were bigger than we could imagine or dream. It felt like together we were creating a new movement in children’s ministry – a movement that says – The days of ministering to children alone are over, a new day has come – a day in which we reach children and families with innovative ways that are created as we collaborate and work together. I’m interested in that movement!

Here are some of the highlights for me:

Session 1: I just loved Christine’s honesty and powerful reminder to erase our fears!

Session 2: I really connected with David and Jon’s powerful worship as they encouraged us to stay connected to the vine.

Session 3: How exciting to imagine a new way for reaching families – I appreciated Kurt, John and Pat’s honesty as they explained what they had been learning.

Session 4: What a treat to hear from Glen, Rick and Aaron all in one session. I had goose bumps the entire time Glen was talking about his faith story.

The highlight of Conspire for me personally was the Point Leader Summit on Thursday.
Our team had hoped that 200 Children’s Directors would attend who  could be built into and trained in advanced skill development. We were shocked to find out that 300 Children’s Directors had actually attended and that we had maxed out the room! What a privilege it was for me to watch as so many directors spoke encouragement to each other and shared learnings from their own experiences.  I had the opportunity to pray over many leaders who were feeling tired and uninspired, and I had the joy of watching those same leaders walk out of the room with a new bounce and joy in their step.

And finally – Friday! What a great day!

Session 5: David Stall and the Promiseland team brought us great inspiration around the idea of owning your burden and loving one another. Very powerful!

Session 6: What a joy to hear Phil Vischer’s story – I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room when Phil talked about Thomas’ story.

Those are my thoughts – please continue to share with us your experience!

Amy Dolan


We’ve already received dozens of emails and phone calls about how great Conspire was for your personally. Keep the notes coming!

And ... be sure to visit our new Childrens Ministry Forum . 

Buck Denver interviews Agnes and Winnifred

Jon Klinepeter

Rock of My Salvation
Joyful, Joyful

Phil Vischer

Your ministry to kids doesn't start with an X-box and a big screen TV. It doesn't start with a job description written by a senior pastor. It doesn't start with facilities and a budget. It
doesn't even start with a great conference filled with tips and "best practices."
Your ministry to kids starts with God's love. Not his love for kids - his love for you.
Christ is calling to you - to "all you who are weary and burdened." Bring your burdens to the cross - and lay them down. Let them go. Then stay there - at the cross - resting in God's love. Not his "love for the world" in abstract, but his very real love for YOU.

"Water & Waves"
from Jumping Into God's Story, Promiseland's Preschool Curriculum





















What If?"















David Staal






Make no mistake, my fellow children’s ministry friends…Heaven invites you on a journey. A divine journey that’s already taking place. So in response to that invitation, stand strong on your commitment to Own a Burden; stand strong on your commitment to Love One Another—knowing that it’s all for Jesus, the One who really makes the great stuff in ministry happen. And when you do stand strong on both, it will be as though your life, yes your life, sings a song to the King that says “You can count on me: my ‘within us’ is all Yours!” Because what if… What if God is ready, ready right now on His journey, to do something in your ministry, in your church, in your kids, something immeasurably more than anyone has asked for or imagined—


















Love God, Love All"

Promiseland Outloud Worship





Sing to the King
Never Gonna Let Me Go
I Wanna Shine
Everything Glorious
Sing to the King

Disney Trivia




 



"For nearly 85 years, The Walt Disney Company has been in a unique position to reach millions of people around the world.  We’re fortunate to work with the best filmmakers, the top talent and the most creative people, but in the end, it all comes down to the one element that holds everything else together:  a great story."

"One of the keys to Disney’s success over the years, has been its ability to populate our stories with fun and interesting characters and put them in a believable and exciting environment.  It’s been my privilege to ensure that the Disney characters, and the worlds they live in, are preserved throughout the company – Whether it be filmed entertainment or in a foreign language, in our theme parks or an interactive game…It’s my responsibility to develop and preserve characters that consistently entertain audiences from project to project and generation to generation."

"So by telling stories that have biblical and spiritual truth in them, we are essentially imitating the way Christ taught His followers while He was here on Earth.   Subsequently, our kids should be able to draw spiritual truths and life application from the stories we tell."