When I led a Bible study for high school girls, the blend of tech and tradition always stood out. Some brought paper Bibles, while others used their phones. Inevitably, phones became tools not just for reading but also for cross-referencing translations and taking notes. (Of course, they also occasionally Googled unrelated things that sparked unexpected conversations.) For students, their phones aren’t just tools—they’re extensions of their hands. Phones are where they connect, explore, express themselves, and, yes, get distracted. While tools like the Bible app are available, most students don’t know how to use them intentionally. So, how can we help students use this tool to grow their everyday faith?

If we want teenagers to build a personal faith beyond the walls of our ministries, we need to equip them with tools they can use every day. That’s where YouVersion comes in.

Why YouVersion Works for Teenagers

Incorporating YouVersion into your youth ministry isn’t about being trendy—it’s about meeting teenagers where they are. Digitally, developmentally, and culturally, YouVersion fits perfectly into their world. Here’s why:

1. Teenagers Crave Autonomy

Teenagers are in a stage of figuring out who they are and what they believe. This is a time of massive brain development, especially in the prefrontal cortex—the part responsible for focus, planning, and impulse control. They’re starting to take ownership of their beliefs, making this the perfect time to introduce tools that foster faith skills and independence.

YouVersion’s daily devotionals let students explore their faith on their terms, at their own pace, and in their own environments. This autonomy aligns with their developmental need for independence and is critical for spiritual growth.

2. They’re Digital Natives

Gen Z and Gen Alpha have grown up with TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram, where short, engaging content rules. They’re adaptable multitaskers, but deep focus can be a challenge. Thankfully, YouVersion is designed with these traits in mind:

• Access Anytime, Anywhere: Whether waiting for practice, riding the bus, or lying in bed, the Bible app is always available.
• Customizable Content: Many plans include videos and reflection questions. Students can explore reading plans on topics they care about—anxiety, relationships, confidence, forgiveness—and choose translations they love. They can even do plans alone or with friends, small groups, or family.
• Habit-Building Features: Tools like streaks and reminders help teenagers build consistent rhythms with God. It’s the spiritual equivalent of the Duolingo owl reminding you to practice your French.

Takeaway for leaders: Encourage students to start small. A three-day plan on a relevant topic is an easy, non-intimidating introduction.

3. It Connects to Their Emotions and Relationships

Teenagers experience intense emotions and complex social dynamics. The Bible app provides Scripture-based encouragement and wisdom to navigate these experiences. Plus, its social features—like sharing notes or completing devotionals together—create opportunities for connection. Faith isn’t just personal; it’s relational.

But… Let’s Talk Tensions

While YouVersion is an incredible tool, it’s not perfect. Here are a few challenges to consider:

• Distractions: The same phone that houses the Bible app also houses TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat. Encourage students to set aside intentional time for devotionals, perhaps using focus mode or finding a quiet space.
• Screen Fatigue: Many teens already spend hours on screens for school and entertainment. Balance is key; help them pick a time of day that isn’t surrounded by more screen-heavy activities.

Practical Ways to Use YouVersion in Your Ministry

Ready to get started? Here are some fun and creative ways to integrate YouVersion into your youth ministry:

1. Weekly Challenges

Create a weekly devotional challenge that ties into your teaching series. For example, if you’re talking about integrity, have students complete a YouVersion plan on integrity together. Use the app’s group feature so students can share thoughts and encourage each other.

2. Small Group Integration

Equip small group leaders to use YouVersion during discussions. They can:

• Quickly pull up Scripture passages.
• Share devotional plans with the group.
• Use the app’s discussion questions to spark conversations in the group chat after the gathering.

3. Partner with Parents

YouVersion isn’t just for students; it’s a great resource for parents, too. Share specific plans that align with what their teenagers are learning, giving families tools for faith conversations at home. This reinforces the idea that faith is a family journey.

4. Encourage Personal Faith Habits

Help students build routines by setting small, achievable goals, like reading one verse a day or completing a three-day plan. Features like streaks can motivate students to stay consistent.

5. Plan for Group Devotionals

Use YouVersion as part of events or retreats. Kick off a plan during the weekend and encourage students to finish it during the following week. This keeps the momentum going after the event.

Why This Matters

YouVersion isn’t just a tool; it’s an opportunity to help students integrate faith into their everyday lives. In a world of short attention spans, packed schedules, and endless distractions, the Bible app offers a way for teenagers to engage with Scripture on their terms.

And here’s the best part: It’s free! Whether you’re looking for plans that align with your curriculum (shoutout to XP3!) or want to encourage personal growth, YouVersion has countless options for every need.

Ready to Equip Your Students?

If you’re ready to incorporate YouVersion into your ministry, start small. Pick one strategy to try this month and see how your students respond. Over time, you’ll discover what works best for your group and how to make this resource a natural part of their faith journey.

As leaders, our goal is to empower teenagers to build a personal, everyday faith that goes beyond our programs. By teaching them how to use tools like YouVersion, we’re giving them a foundation that will grow with them long after they leave our ministries. Let’s help them take their faith everywhere they go—one day, one plan, one step closer to Jesus at a time.

The post Faith at Their Fingertips: Helping Students Use YouVersion to Build Everyday Faith appeared first on Think Orange.

A few years ago, a new church opened near my home in Texas. Its large and beautiful building created quite a buzz, so a few months later I went to check it out. My daughter was excited as we arrived—there were kids everywhere, and the church felt alive with people having conversations in the lobby.

I noticed signs directing us to the children’s ministry rooms, but when it came time to check her
into class, things quickly went south. Unmanned self-check-in kiosks left families fumbling with
technology that wasn’t intuitive. Two of the three tag printers weren’t working, and I couldn’t find
any help or instructions on registering as a first-time visitor.

After several frustrating attempts, I was finally directed to a separate booth for first-time visitors,
where an overwhelmed staff handled a long line. By the time I got my daughter checked in, I
had missed over half of the worship service.

This experience is a good reminder of how a poor check-in system can leave parents feeling
stressed and disconnected—when the goal is to make them feel welcome and excited to be
there.

With that in mind, check out these seven ways to ensure your church’s check-in process is a
smooth, positive experience for every family that walks through your doors. You may already be
doing some or many of these, but I hope you might find some of these tips surprisingly helpful.

1. Make Your Children’s Ministry Check-In Stations Kid-Friendly

Before you enter the front gates, everything is designed to get you excited and to want to
explore.

In a similar way, make your check-in stations welcoming with colorful signs, fun decor, and
kid-friendly designs. Think about ways to make it easy for both kids and parents to know how to
check in. For example, having clear and inviting language on signs can make a huge difference
for first-time visitors.

Bonus hack: Place kiosks in a central, easy-to-find location, but avoid setting them up in
high-traffic areas where it could get crowded. This welcoming environment can immediately set
a positive tone for families.

2. Set Up Self Check-In Kiosks with QR Codes

I grew up in a church that used printed check-ins sheets with clipboards. It was hard to track
attendance and human error in keeping tabs on who attended was common.

Self-check-in kiosks using QR codes offer a fast, secure, and contactless way for parents to
sign in their kids. These kiosks not only speed up the process but also empower families to
manage the check-in process themselves, freeing up volunteers to focus on other tasks.

Bonus hack: Be sure to have volunteers nearby. Self check-in kiosks can run into problems like
name tag printers not working, software errors, or (more commonly) user issues. Train your
volunteers to look out and fix any problems, as well as to assist new families.

3. Save Time with “Suggested Sessions”

Families don’t want to re-enter the same information every week. A smart check-in system can
remember their preferences, like which classes their kids attended previously, and suggest the
right session based on past check-ins. This speeds up the process significantly, allowing
families to check in with a few taps instead of filling out forms every time.

Subsplash Advantage: Subsplash’s check-in system does just that, with suggested sessions
that speed up check-ins. Families will appreciate how quick and seamless the process
becomes. Plus, Subsplash’s software integrates easily with your mobile app, event registration,
and payment tools, giving you a complete solution for managing church check-ins from one
platform.

4. Streamline Check-Ins with Your Church’s Mobile App

Your church’s mobile app can play a huge role in streamlining the check-in process. Allowing
parents to check their kids in ahead of time via the app means less time waiting at kiosks and
more time connecting with the church community. Imagine how much your families will love
being able to simply scan their phone upon arrival and receive a label for their child’s class.

Best Practice: Make sure your church app has a check-in feature and promote it to your
congregation. Send out reminders in advance, especially for big events or Sundays when you
expect higher attendance.

5. Keep Everyone Safe by Adding Allergy and Care Notes

Having information about food allergies and special needs quickly available is vital to keep your
people safe and secure. Train your volunteers and parents to make notes in their sign-in profile
of any special details others need to be aware of. Taking this step will help avoid physical health
emergencies or mental crises.

Safety Tips: Consider posting food allergy info in locations where food is consumed at your
church, such as a church cafe or children’s ministry rooms. When hosting parties or dinners,
consider contracting out your food services with a licensed, third-party food professional to
ensure they meet health requirements.

6. Create a Separate Volunteer Check-In System

An important part of every child, youth, and adult’s spiritual journey is learning to serve at
church. Volunteers are essential to making Sundays run smoothly, and their check-in process
should be just as organized as the kids’ check-in.
Setting up a dedicated volunteer check-in station ensures that volunteers aren’t caught in the
crowd of families checking in. You can even provide pre-printed badges or wristbands for your
volunteers, making them easy to identify and ready to serve right away.

Bonus Hack: Ensure volunteers receive necessary information at check-in, such as schedules
or important updates, so they can hit the ground running.

7. Simplify Event Check-Ins with Pre-Registration

Big events like Vacation Bible School (VBS), youth retreats, or holiday services can overwhelm
the check-in process if not handled properly. Encourage pre-registration for events and consider
sending families a QR code they can use to check in on the day of the event. This not only
speeds up check-ins but also helps you keep track of attendees and their needs.

Bonus Hack: Pre-register attendees and print badges in advance, so they just need to grab
their badge and go. This can be a lifesaver for large events where families are arriving in waves.

Turn Your Check-In Process into a Benefit, Not a Liability

Improving your church’s check-in process is more than just about efficiency—it’s about showing
families you value their time and making their experience with your church more enjoyable. As
someone who has seen countless check-in systems in action, I can assure you that investing in
a great check-in process is worth it.

Is your church’s check-in software holding you back from giving people the best experience
possible?

Join over 19,000 other churches using Subsplash and make your check-ins seamless, so you
can focus on what really matters—building meaningful connections with your congregation

The post 7 Hacks to Upgrade Your Church Check-In Experience appeared first on Think Orange.

Are you having a tough time convincing your pastor that you only need a 30-second clip of the bottom line of Sunday’s message? It can be so hard to wrap our heads around the shifts. That’s why we need a STRATEGY. Without a clear definition, vision, and purpose, we will show up inconsistently, causing frustration and possible digital burnout.

Creating a social media strategy can be very challenging. These next ten questions can help guide you as you develop a successful social media strategy for your church, organization, or ministry team.

10 Questions To Lead Your Social Media Strategy

1. What is the mission of your church?

What is the mission or vision statement that your pastors and leaders repeat over and over again? Write this at the top of the page. Everything you do on social media should filter from this vision. Stay aligned with the vision of your church as you build, create, design, write, and capture content weekly. For example, if your church’s vision is to “love others,” then your content may incorporate the community as one of its main content pieces through Facebook Groups, Broadcasts on Instagram, user-generated content, and even Instagram Lives of your small group meetings sharing content.

2. What is the purpose of posting content?

Under the vision statement, write PURPOSE! In other words, why are we posting on social media? Is it to post about the events we have coming up? Is it to reach new people in our region? Is it to inspire our church audience’s faith to grow stronger? Defining your purpose on social media will give you a place to start and a clear direction as you continue.

3. Who is your audience?

Research your church’s audience. Who is currently following you? Where do they live? What is the gender ratio? What pieces of content and what platforms do they respond to the most? Once you have this information, you will be able to determine what platforms work best for you. If your church is in a smaller town, Facebook might work great. If you’re in a bigger city or have a larger congregation, then a presence on multiple platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Threads, and Facebook might be essential to reach a diverse audience. 

For example, if you have a kids ministry social presence, the parents will be your audience since the kids are younger and don’t have social media. So, speak to your audience. Speaking to the kids would be pointless and would disregard the follower, causing your engagement to be lower. To increase engagement, think about who you are speaking to on every post. What would they want to hear? Where will they be when you post? Timing is everything to your audience. Are they driving home from work? Are they at lunch? Are they in bed scrolling? 

Pro-Tip: Orange Curriculum includes social media content that aligns with each series and Orange Membership offers social media kits for parents and volunteers!

4. Who will be managing your social platforms?

Now, we have seen an increase in social media managers being added as staff positions in churches. Still, with only one person in that role and possibly a volunteer, the demands of social media can be overwhelming. This is why having a team of contributors can be significant. Who will take photos? Who can capture quality video? Who can edit? Who can write captions and contribute to blogs? Who can design posts? With a team, creativity grows! Make this easy on yourself. Set up a project management system to drop content in, develop and build out weekly posts, and automate to be approved by the Social Media Manager. Then hit publish and relax! The best part is when your team starts contributing and planning ahead, scheduling posts becomes easier, and your strategy now works for you!

5. What are your goals?

Goal setting will set you up for success when it comes to working and adjusting your social strategy. Ensure the social goals solve challenges. For example, if one of your goals is to increase website traffic. We all know how important it is that your congregation sees the events and engages with the message. But how do you combat this challenge? Have your social team focus its goals on creating links that go directly to your website from your social presence. This will ensure more website traffic and more engagement within your church’s mission.

6. What do I do after I post?

The worst thing we can do is post and then ignore it! The first 30 minutes is usually the most engaging time of your post. Be there, ready to engage with your followers through comments, responding to DMs, and sharing to the story. Then, do a quick analysis check monthly to see what did well and what did not. Take this back to your strategy and see where the adjustments need to be made. For example, your church is experiencing high engagement with reels/videos but low engagement on events posts. Think about it like this: How can I create a reel that highlights my event and engages my audience? Measure, adjust, recreate, and repeat!

7. Do you have a content strategy?

Wondering what to post next week? We’ve all been there! Taking that route only leads to burnout and frustration. Instead of wondering what to post next, host a brainstorming session with your team to create content pillars for your church’s social presence.

For example, in the book, MetaChurch, Dave Adamson proposes three categories of content: awareness, loyalty, and advocacy. Write the content pillars under your goals and think through each post before posting. Ask yourself, does it meet our social goals, and does it fit into one of the content pillars for our audience? If not, rethink the how before hitting publish.

Here’s one method we love using to build a content strategy.

8. Where will you organize your content?

Organizing your content is easier than it sounds. Using project management systems like Trello, Monday, or Google Apps, creates a place for every action step to be added as you build each post. Create a place for each post to reside. Write the captions, add the artwork or photography, tag a team member for approval, and then load content into your social media scheduler. Don’t forget to organize a folder in your Instagram account to collaborate in. Now, your team is set up to spark new creative ideas!

9. Have you created an adjustable content calendar?

Once you have all the content organized, your next step is to create a monthly content calendar. These calendars let you know when and what your church will post monthly. Using Google Calendar is a great start, or you can find other resources such as Later, Loomly, and Social Sprout to create a working calendar for your team and staff to collaborate on. Simply add a short description of each post for each day, along with the time of your post. Remember to always think about your audience as you create your monthly content calendar.

10. Do you have buy-in from pastors and staff?

This last one is crucial to the success of your social media strategy for your church! Do your pastors and staff agree with the strategy? Do they understand the why, the goals, and the audience you currently are speaking to? Keeping everyone in the loop will ensure the strategy is set up for success! There is nothing wrong with posting about the message from Sunday or posting about an event your church is hosting, as long as it meets your audience where they are. Keep transparency and openness when working with key players on the ministry team to ensure everyone is working together to see the mission of the church mobilized.

Find Resources to Help You Share The Gospel Message

Remember during the process that your church is sharing the good news of Jesus with your followers, with new followers, and even reaching people you may never meet but can have an impact on. If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you! Let’s take this great message and share it with the world!

If you’re looking for done-for-you social media strategy and resources, Orange curriculum includes social media plans for every week of ministry. See how it can help you with social media and beyond by starting your free trial.

The post 10 Questions to Lead Your Social Media Strategy appeared first on Think Orange.

Maybe you can relate. Fortunately, Orange has an excellent quality media option that saves the day.

When is it a good idea to use the media package?

When you have multiple programming times 

Meet on Sundays and Wednesdays? Use the Bible Story video on Sundays and then recap on Wednesday nights. Depending on the media package you select, you may even have two different videos telling the same story. Use one on Sunday and the other on Wednesday.

When you have limited volunteers

We believe that the best way to impact a kid’s faith is to give them a relationship with a small group leader. Using the Bible Story video for large group allows you to invest your limited number of volunteers in building relationships. Instead of preparing to teach a lesson, they can prepare for effectively connecting with their few.

When your volunteers need a break

Even if you have a great team of large group volunteers, occasionally there will be weeks where they get sick, go on vacation, or just need a break. The Bible Story videos are great for back-up when your volunteers can’t be there, but they are also great options so you can plan a few weeks a year to give volunteers a break so they don’t burn out.

When you are a small church

As a small church, you may have a large range of ages together. It’s difficult to teach in a way that engages both kindergartners and 5th graders. You’re going to lose one end or the other. Orange has a Bible Story video that will appeal to both. Plus, you still have small group time to ensure kids at both ends capture the bottom line.

When you are a multi-site church

If you have multiple locations with various levels of skill, experience, and resources, it’s hard to ensure that every kid has a similar experience. Using the Bible Story videos provides consistency across campuses.

To provide a more inclusive environment 

Orange media packages include closed caption videos. Send the monthly worship song video home for kids to learn before Sunday. The more familiarity with the song and motions, the more likely they will be to engage during worship.

To engage families at home 

How are you engaging families beyond the walls of your building? Whether a family travels, has a sick family member, or doesn’t normally attend your church, you can share the online experience so kids and families can watch from home.

There’s so much more to the media package than the Bible Story video.

All the production files – the theme graphic, the bottom line graphic, the memory verse graphic, the worship video and the Bible Story video are all included in both a Pro Presenter and a PowerPoint file. Take your pick. It’s all there created for you, in the correct order called for in the script.

In 252 Kids Ministry Curriculum, The Get Reel videos help kids learn basic faith skills; Listen to God’s words, Dialogue with God, Articulate your faith and Worship with your life. Your Kids will love hearing the voices of other kids talking about the month’s theme and what it’s meant for their lives. Use Get Reel videos in large group, in an FX, during Kids Moment or Sunday School.

Motion graphic files can be used on TVs in hallways, at check-in, or at the entrance to your Kid’s space. They enhance the environment and help create anticipation as families arrive.

Use the customizable art files to decorate your kids’ environment.

Being able to rely on the media package for large group presentations frees me to be a more focused, relational leader with my volunteers and parents. It makes me look better as the video and graphic pieces all come together to create an engaging and fun, connected large group experience for the kids of my ministry.

Note: Media package resources vary by tier. Visit thinkorange.com to learn more about what’s included at each tier.

The post When Media is a Great Solution appeared first on Think Orange.

Faith is an inside job.

We live in a society where we outsource almost everything. We . . .

• hope our kid excels at soccer we sign them up for a team
• want them to learn how to code
• take them to coding classes
• nurture their interests by enrolling them in local classes

These are not bad things. In fact, it’s incredible to have such an array of resources available. However, for the longest time, I also thought I could outsource my child’s faith, and I think many other parents feel the same way. I brought them to church on Sundays and thought they were getting the necessary seeds planted to grow a faith of their own.

Unfortunately, it’s just not that easy. While what happens in our ministries matters, parents can’t outsource parenting, and they definitely can’t outsource faith! Let’s intentionally make our ministries a helpful resource for all parents, regardless of what phase, stage, or situation they are experiencing with their children.

I want to be intentional about my parent ministry, but where do I start?! 

Get started by deciding your win. Orange defines the win for partnering with parents as helping them become more intentional at home and more connected to a faith community. For us, our win was to be a place where parents can go to find trusted resources in any situation. We didn’t want to be viewed as a place only offering spiritual guidance, but also a safe place to come while navigating any challenge a parent might face. 

Determine the felt needs of your parents.

Do you know the families in your ministry? If you only see them at drop-off and pick-up, you are probably selling yourself short. Determining the felt needs of your parent community is paramount. When you understand WHO you are serving and their unique pain points, you will gain a clear pathway for meeting their needs. 

Here are 3 easy ways to get to know your people. 

1. Create an interactive social media group that is specifically for parents to build community.

Post a reel from last Sunday highlighting how much fun their kids had that week. Maybe even a video about something fun coming up! The goal is to create interaction and get them talking whether they are regular attenders or not. 

2. Assemble a parent panel

Invite parents who have bought into your vision and those who haven’t. Not only that, but invite parents who attend regularly and those who don’t. Maybe get a little crazy and invite parents that don’t attend your church at all. Be intentional about inviting parents who have family structures that may look different from yours. You will get a pulse on your parent community by navigating tough topics, inviting feedback, and having authentic conversations with a smaller subset of the population you serve. The goal is to get a deeper understanding of what parents are navigating and how we as the church can be a more effective resource. 

3. Start taking one parent to coffee each week

When we have one-on-one conversations with people, with no agenda other than to hear their stories and what God’s doing in their lives, people feel valued. Start now and in one year you will be amazed at how God has built a beautiful community around you where you have earned the right to have influence in their lives as well as have a strong pulse on the issues that weigh on our parents’ hearts. 

Getting to know the parents in your community personally is essential if you want to understand their felt needs.  But if you want to dive into the latest research on what parents want check out the book, What Most Parents Aren’t Telling You. This is a great place to start and can help you ask the parents in your community better questions. 

Strategize

A strategic plan will help you identify where you are and where you want to go. It will help you track your progress and tweak things along the way. A clear strategy for your parent ministry will help you keep your priorities out front and take meaningful steps towards the goals you’ve set to reach your parents. Remember, a good children’s ministry curriculum or youth ministry curriculum will empower and facilitate your strategy and remove the burden for doing it all yourself! 

Here are 4 strategic ideas for empowering parents:

1. Create a revolving parent resource wall in your ministry space

This could be stocked with helpful books, articles, and materials to give parents the information they need, when they need it, on topics that are important to them and their current needs.

2. Leverage milestone moments by making them parent-child focused!

Milestones are once-in-a-lifetime, culturally-relevant moments in the life of a child that celebrates a new season. These landmarks provide a beautiful door for the church to come alongside the family to equip, encourage, and most importantly remind parents that they are the primary spiritual influencers. They provide opportunities to help parents realign their priorities and encourage them to be the parents God has called them to be. 

3. Host a quarterly Parent Workshop

Gather all the parents in your community to discuss tough topics that will be explored with vetted, qualified experts. Sex, technology, discipline, navigating friendships, mental health, LGBTQ+, deconstruction of faith… nothing is off-limits!

4. Cue parents no matter where they spend their Sundays!

Leverage digital resources like the Parent Cues in Orange curriculum, the Parent Cue App, emails, and text messages to equip parents so they can disciple their children even when they are spending Sunday at home. 

Don’t go it alone

You may be thinking, “But I’m only one person.”

One of the hardest lessons in ministry is realizing yes, you are in fact only one person. You can’t possibly do it on your own . . . and you aren’t supposed to! That was never Jesus’ model. Jesus had his few that he poured into, they had their few, and so on and so on.

Invite people into God’s story by creating serving roles that are meaningful and impactful. Spend some time thinking about the roles that make sense for your parent ministry and the parents you serve. Create an organizational chart with job descriptions for each role. (You can check out this free job description to use as an example!)

You have to know what you are recruiting for before you can actually recruit them. The more we invite others in, the farther the ministry reaches!

Be intentional, relevant, and strategic. Invite others in

When we help parents win, the whole family wins. God has placed this vision on your heart for a reason. He is obviously up to something beautiful in your ministry! Pray about this bold vision and allow Him to work in you and through you. He will show you your next right step. Isaiah 30:21 NIV, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it’.” 

Learn more about how Orange is helping align the church and home and build stronger parent strategies.

The post How to Start a Parent Ministry in Your Church appeared first on Think Orange.

Parent Cue

A Parent Cue is a resource that we write to correspond with each monthly theme for kids and preschoolers and every series for middle schoolers and high schoolers. Every Parent Cue has the same format. In it, you’ll let parents know what you’re teaching, you’ll challenge them to think about the phase their kid is currently in, and you’ll encourage them to engage with their kids. 

The Parent Cue is meant to be sent to parents from you and your church. You can give this to parents as a printable handout or in an email, in the regular mail, through social media, or even posted on your website. That’s why it comes in different formats such as a printable PDF or an email that syncs with MailChimp. We actually recommend sharing it with families through multiple formats as every parent engages differently. 

Parent Cues By The Phases

While each Parent Cue has the same format, they are designed to equip parents to engage their kids during the times of day when they’re naturally engaged. In fact, we think parents have four different opportunities during the day to intentionally engage with their child. However, these times vary throughout the phases so Parent Cues look a little different too. Parent Cues give parents ideas to help them connect with their children during these specific times.

• Preschool: Morning Time, Drive Time, Meal Time, Cuddle Time, and Bath Time
• Elementary: Morning Time, Drive Time, Meal Time, and Bed Time
• Middle School: Morning Time, Drive Time, Meal Time, and Bed Time
• High School: Morning Time, Their Time, Meal Time, and Bed Time

Parent Cue App

We also have a free app to help you connect with parents more easily. It’s called the Parent Cue App and if you follow the recommended scope and cycle for curriculum, the app syncs with what you are teaching. While the app is free, you can even purchase the ability to customize it for your church so you can deliver weekly curriculum content, empower parents, and centralize your communication.

Social Media Plans

In First Look and 252 Kids Curriculum, we also provide a social media plan to help you engage parents. Every month we provide you with a social media plan that helps you promote the monthly theme or series and create conversation online about what you’re teaching. Just copy and paste the text into a scheduling tool like Hootsuite, and you’re all set. 

Additional Resources 

Now, when it comes to what we teach, there are some topics that need more care and more communication with parents. This is especially true in student ministry. That’s why XP3 Middle School and XP3 High School also provides you with a curated list of resources you can share with parents to equip them to have better conversations on each topic. For the extra sensitive topics, we also include a Parent Preview Video you can send to parents as a way to give them a heads up abou the conversation and build trust. 

There are also extra tools and resources that are helpful outside of curriculum. On ParentCue.Org you’ll find incredible resources, blogs, and podcasts for parents featuring people like Reggie Joiner, Kristen Ivy, Kara Powell, Dr. Chinwé Williams, Jon Acuff, and many more. It’s a great resource, and it’s also free.

One of the most important things you can do as a ministry leader is partner with every parent to influence the faith and future of the kids and teenagers. That’s why we do everything we can to give you the resources you need to do that so you can focus on what matters most–building relationships.

The post How Orange Curriculum Empowers You to Partner with Parents appeared first on Think Orange.

Not to Be a Downer . . .

Most of the time our church website was less than stellar. We paid someone to build our website but then no one updated it regularly. In fact, if I am honest, I am not sure who was supposed to keep the calendar up to date. This was just the website! Having an app for our church would have been wonderful so that families could have access to our calendar and tithing. We just didn’t have the resources to have the technology needed. Can you imagine trying to find a volunteer to keep up an app? Sometimes, in our smaller churches, technology is hard to maintain because we either don’t have skilled laborers on staff or in our pews or we don’t have the margin to recruit and empower them to serve. 

The Parent Cue App can help, but before I explain how, let’s start with what it is. 

What Does the Parent Cue App Do?

The Parent Cue app can help families in your church leverage everyday moments to build a spiritual foundation for their kids and teens. It’s a wonderful way to share bible stories at home with your kids. We all know how hard it can be to get your teenager talking about their faith but the Parent Cue app can help foster conversations. Every family can benefit from using it! 

How to Use the Parent Cue App as an Innovation Tool

In the last couple of years, our Parent Cue team has made the Parent Cue app a great resource for all kinds of churches and families. For my small church leaders, the upgrades to this app have been life-giving to our sometimes less-than-amazing church websites. 

Not only can the Parent Cue app be customized to include personal branding for your church, but it can actually do so much more. You can include your most up-to-date calendar and link to your online tithing. Your social media accounts can also be directly linked to the Parent Cue app. 

As a church leader, you are also able to see the number of families who are connecting to the app. Having that data in one place makes it very accessible! 

The best part is that you can do all of that directly from your phone. It’s incredibly easy, so you don’t have to pay or recruit someone skilled in technology to manage it. 

I know every church leader wants to increase church engagement. But not every church leader has access to the resources to do that well in our online world. But, with the Parent Cue app you can increase church engagement even with minimum resources. That means you can spend more of your energy and resources on what matters most—partnering with parents and training leaders! 

The post Using the Parent Cue App in Your Small Church appeared first on Think Orange.

Perhaps the temper tantrum in the middle of the grocery store where you deny that the child screaming on the floor is yours.

Or the snarky look your adoring teenager gives to a group of adults that makes you want to crawl under the nearest chairs.  

We often wish our kids came with an instructional manual. One that would just tell us step by step what to do. And also a 100% guarantee that they will be a kind, functioning adult one day.

As parents, we question every decision. We second guess ourselves. And sometimes, we judge the parenting skills of those around us. (Don’t lie, I know you do it.) We wish someone would just tell us we are not alone, we are doing a good job, and we’ve got this.

Nothing is harder than having our child face new situations. When my son was entering Kindergarten, as silly as it sounds, I remember being so worried about whether he could successfully carry his lunch tray to his table without spilling it all over the floor.

Then when he went to middle school, I pictured him wandering all over the cafeteria looking for a place to sit. 

We know that raising children is full of unexpected moments, but what if instead, they could be anticipated moments? 

The Truth About Unexpected Moments

While we can’t necessarily take away all the stress of encountering new situations, maybe we can be a little more prepared for them – even if the conversations don’t go as planned. 

One example is when you get ready for the dreaded “sex talk.” You literally read resources, talk to other parents, develop a plan on how you are going to initiate the conversation only for the conversation to go something like this . . . 

You’re on a simple family outing with the grandparents and your two young elementary-aged kids. Suddenly, your 7-year-old son hollers from the back, ”Hey Mom, I know all about the S word!” So, immediately you deflect by saying, “You mean like sexy, like in that song?” And in reply, he says, “Nope! Just S-E-X.”

Let’s just say I ended the conversation as quickly as possible. But not before he confirmed that he did in fact know what sex was. And of course, he had to prove it by explaining what all “the parts” did. All the while, my parents were snickering in the back seat, and I prayed this all went over my sweet little 5-year-old girl’s head!

Was this unexpected?  Absolutely. 

Was it anticipated? Sort of. 

However, that conversation led to years of conversations. Ones about dating, relationships, and respecting yourself & others.

Now as my son begins his senior year of high school, I laugh at some of my early worries as a parent. We think going from middle school to high school was hard when we were kids. But then we have kids, and the bubble we want to put them in – to protect them from all hurt – won’t quite fit through those school doors. 

We need to be reassured that we aren’t alone. And, truth be told, most of the kids in that school have a parent at home, wondering and fearing the same things. We relive the newness of each new grade transition, and what we want more than anything is to hold on a little tighter. 

And, that’s exactly where we as church leaders can show up in the lives of our parents. 

What Parents Really Care About

I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But your parents are not lying awake on a Saturday night wondering what craft you will be doing Sunday morning or whether you will go with the animal crackers or goldfish. They are not even worried about the memory verse or Bible story you are teaching. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t say they don’t care. They definitely do. But it’s not what’s keeping them awake at night. What’s keeping them awake is whether they have what it takes to raise these children God has given them. They are wondering whether they are making the right choices, dying on the right hills, being good enough for this job, and wondering if they’re alone in how they feel.

If we as leaders can come alongside parents to meet them in their everyday worry, then perhaps they’ll begin to hear the other truths we share.

The hope of Jesus and the story of redemption God is telling in each of our lives.

As Reggie puts it,“God is at work telling a story of restoration and redemption through your family. Never buy into the myth that you need to become the ‘right’ kind of parent before God can use you in your children’s lives. Instead, learn to cooperate with whatever God desires to do in your heart today so your children will have a front-row seat to the grace and goodness of God.”

So how can we practically come alongside our parents, knowing they are facing these challenges? We can equip them. As parents we don’t often know what we need until we need it. And when we need it, we are desperately scrambling to find it. As a leader, you have the opportunity to put tangible resources in your parents hands. Ones that will help them where they are and ones to utilize right when they need them. As you prepare for this school year, check out some of these resources so that you can help the parents in your church be intentional.

Parent Resources for Helping Parents Be Intentional

PARENT CUE APP

This app is by far one of the best resources we have. Part of helping resource parents is giving them what they need, when they need it. And the app is just that. It provides blogs, specific information for the phase their kid is in, and It gives them access to resources right where parents are already spending their time: their phone. 

PARENT CUE APP PROMO KIT

If you are wondering how to introduce the Parent Cue App to your families, we just so happen to have this handy dandy Parent Cue App Promo Kit . . . for FREE!

PARENT CUES

Within the Orange Curriculum, we also provide Parent Cues, so that your parents can continue the conversations at home. For more info about our curriculum, you can try it today for free!

PHASE GUIDES & Phase Starter Kit

These resources will support you in helping parents with distinctive opportunities to influence their child at every stage. They will help parents make the most of these phases. AND . . . If you are looking for a way to introduce the Phase Project to your church, we have another FREE resource to help you do just that – The Phase Starter Kit!

ORANGE LEADERS RESOURCES

If you have not looked at the resources on Orange Leaders, you are in for a treat. It’s a treasure trove full of resources to help you influence parents and impact the families at your church. Resources like Cell Phone Contracts and Mental Health Resources. We even have a resource to help your Small Group Leaders learn how to Partner with Parents.

Raising children is full of unexpected moments, but with the right resources they can become anticipated moments.

The post Helping Parents Be Intentional With Their Kids appeared first on Think Orange.

But the truth is, you’ve already been educating your child about technology and social media most of their lives — you just didn’t know it. You’ve taken pictures of birthday parties and life milestones and posted those to Facebook and Instagram. They’ve heard you tell your spouse that so-and-so commented on this or that picture.  Your kids have seen you scrolling and liking and reading posts and laughing. They’ve learned that social media is entertaining.

Your kid is also getting an education from their friends. Even if your child doesn’t have a phone or a social media account, there’s likely a child in your kid’s friend group who has one or who has access to one. Maybe these kids have gathered around an older brother’s phone to look at provocative pictures — either gruesome or sexual — and they’ve learned that social media can be used to shock and make people uncomfortable. Kids aren’t often educated about what social media’s purpose is, why it’s a popular tool for connecting, and how to participate in a social media community responsibly.

Teaching Kids About An App’s Purpose

So, let’s go there. This is going to take some effort on your part, because I want you to be educated, too. For the particular social media app you’re considering allowing your child to have an account with, type the following phrase into Google: “What is the purpose of [name of social media app]?” 

Within about a half-second, you’ll find 1.7 billion results for Facebook, and about 1.6 billion results for Instagram. These results will be more than adequate for you to learn what these applications aim to contribute to the world. From the purpose statements, think about how you can translate that purpose into how it can affect your or your child’s life. What you’re doing is educating them on participating in the community versus observing the community.

Teaching Kids that the Internet is Forever

Our kids need to understand that what they post online in any forum, on any device (even those platforms that claim their posts “disappear”) are permanent posts. Each post creates a unique web page for that entry. And though some posts disappear from apps like Instagram stories or Snapchat posts, those web pages still exist somewhere, and can be surfaced from online databases. If found, they could affect your child’s career aspirations, their reputation, and their credibility.

In fact, have you ever heard of the Wayback Machine? The Wayback Machine is a digital archive of the World Wide Web, founded by the Internet Archive, a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco. It allows the user to go “back in time” and see what websites looked like in the past. For folks who had blogs or Myspace pages back in the day? You might want to see what exists about you online.

Also, while you’re down that rabbit hole, try Googling yourself and your significant other. I can guarantee your children will — if they haven’t already. Make your online reputation and digital footprint something that won’t come back to haunt you by being thoughtful about what you decide to share.

Find Out Who Your Kids Follow on Social Media

Additionally, who your child follows on social media is just as important to their future. Naturally, your child will want to follow their friends, and for the most part, that will probably be harmless. So, until you’re given a reason to restrict which friends your kids can follow, allow them to follow their classmates and teammates. 

Aside from friends, you’ll also want to educate your child on how to identify questionable accounts. From evaluating profile pictures to gauging the use of hashtags, it’s important to guide your children toward making smart decisions about who is worth following. A general rule of thumb is:  If you don’t know them in real life, you don’t follow them online — even if this person claims they’re friends with one of your friends. 

When faced with friending someone they don’t know, or when asked to type something or send a picture they don’t want to send, make sure they understand that they can say “No” to anyone. And in doing so, they aren’t any less of a friend or student or person. This is a lesson you’ll have to repeat time and again. If you weren’t aware, sexting is the new first base. Let that sink in for a moment. Our kids are living in a whole new world, with pressures unlike those we faced as tweens and teens.

Create an Atmosphere of Communication at Home

Another way kids form their identity — which includes their online identity — is through their family. In most ways, I am who I am because of the family I came from. For better or for worse. I believe that sharing family stories with your children gives them a foundation and a history from which they can build the life they want. Again, helping a child build a strong foundation for their identity is a lesson you’ll repeat for years and decades to come.

For you, there may be other things you’d like to educate your child about before they have access to a mobile device or social media account — lessons about kindness, authenticity, gossip, and modesty. Commit to an atmosphere of communication in your home so that the family learns and grows together. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable with your children and surface mistakes you’ve made, decisions you wish you could take back, and friendships you should have avoided. Let them know that despite appearances, mom and dad are imperfect. This simple acknowledgment can help create space for more open and honest conversations.

Conversations are the key to success when it comes to technology. If you want to have better conversations around what your child is doing online then I suggest that you monitor their activity. This way, you’ll have insights into what is actually happening online and will guide your conversations to better outcomes. The best company to help you do this is Bark. Bark’s award-winning service monitors texts, emails, and 30+ of the most popular social media platforms and apps for signs of digital dangers. If something concerning is found, you’ll get an alert so you can check in and make sure everything’s okay. Sign up for a seven-day free trial at www.bark.us to see how it can help you keep your child safe online and in real life.

For more advice on this topic, check out this Parent Cue Podcast on parenting in a world of social media!

The post Learning About Social Media with Your Kids appeared first on Think Orange.

The Truth About Cyber Bullying

Here are just a few snippets we’ve found:

• Because of the COVID-19 pandemic lock downs, people worldwide, including kids, are spending 20 percent more time on social media than they were pre-pandemic.
• In another study, 70 percent of parents estimated that their kids spend at least four hours a day with screens. Before the pandemic, 60 percent of parents estimated that their kids spent three hours or less in front of screens.
• 7 out of 10 kids are cyberbullied before the age of 18.
• 7 out of 10 kids have rumors spread about them online.

Seventy percent. That’s a significant percentage. Large enough that if a child hasn’t been bullied themselves, chances are pretty high they know someone who has. And more than likely, a child who attends your weekly services is experiencing bullying of some sort.

What the Church Can Do About Cyber Bullying

As you’re continuing to reimagine what it looks like to create a safe place for kids to experience faith, here are a few things to consider.

Build a structure in your ministry that will offer support for families. 

Enlist consistent leaders.

When kids have a trusted leader who knows them and where they live, kids are more likely to be honest about what’s happening in their lives. Kids may not attend as consistently as they used to, but they’ll feel at home seeing a face they recognize when they do arrive. Consider creating virtual small groups for kids who can’t come regularly on Sundays. Every kid needs the chance to have a caring adult in their life.

Keep leaders informed.

Volunteers aren’t always aware of the warning signs that a child is being bullied. Take time to talk about cyber bullying and how to spot if a child is struggling in this area. Have a plan in place for when a child tells you that they’re being bullied. A few of the warning signs might include:

• Making excuses for not wanting to participate
• Losing interest or motivation in school
• Appearing sad, moody, or depressed for an extended time
• Showing up with unexplained scrapes or bruises
• Seeming unusually anxious
• Complaining of headaches, body aches, stomach aches
• Suffering from low self-esteem in how they talk about themselves

Partner with parents on cyber bullying. 

While there are many resources on cyber bullying, parents might feel like they’re alone. They’re not sure how to talk about it with their kids. They might not know how to reach out for help. Create a support system for parents to connect with others who can help them understand what to do when they discover that their child is being bullied or is the bully.

Use weekly programming to promote healthy relationships.

Remind kids how valuable they are. When kids show up at church, welcome them with open arms. Use words of affirmation to let them know how amazing they are. Tell them they have a purpose, and God loves them! Provide opportunities for kids to encourage each other during small group. It’s one thing for an adult to tell them they are amazing; it’s even more special to hear a peer say it.

Help kids discover how they should treat one another.

Kids are sometimes told not to bully without being taught how they should treat others. One of the reasons Orange Kids elementary curriculum is structured around “life apps” is to help kids understand how they can reflect and respond to the character of God. As you share the stories and principles from the Bible, kids will see how they can show love and compassion, kindness and peace, friendship and honor. This will give them the skills they need to respond to others well and prevent bullying in the future.

Empower kids to do the right thing.

We can teach them to stick up for one another and help them discover how God can help them find courage and confidence to do the right thing. We want to help kids know how to make wise choices to help their friends deal with bullying. Talk with them about finding a trusted adult to help. Help them discover God’s strength to do the right thing. We recently published Press Play, an interactive devotional to help kids learn more about confidence to be themselves, trust God no matter what, and stick up for others when they see someone in need.

Your church has a unique opportunity to speak truth into the lives of families in your area. Be the place where kids and families can experience God’s love and the life-changing message of Jesus. Create a safe environment where kids can be themselves, find encouragement, and know they have people in their corner beyond a shadow of a doubt.

The post Kids and Cyber Bullying appeared first on Think Orange.