4 Ways to Welcome New Families to Church on Easter

1. Create an Inviting Experience

The experience starts long before families step through your doors. Here’s how to set the stage:

• Update Your Online Presence: Spruce up your website and social media with a friendly “What to Expect” guide for first-time visitors. Clear, welcoming information helps families feel prepared.
• Clear Signage: Ensure directional signs are easy to read and welcoming—no one likes feeling lost on their first visit.
• Warm Greetings: Station volunteers in the parking lot to greet families and guide them to the right spot. First impressions matter, and a friendly face makes all the difference.
• Streamlined Check-In: Make check-in simple, secure, and efficient. A “New Family Check-In” station with smiling volunteers and fun “First Day” stickers adds a personal touch.
• Personal Engagement: Train your team to engage with families authentically. Get on kids’ level and let them know they’re truly welcome.

2. Make it Fun for the Kids

Easter should be exciting—especially for kids! Create an environment that feels special and welcoming:

• Easter-Themed Activities: Provide fun items like stickers, coloring sheets, or small giveaways to make kids feel at ease.
• Quick Family Tours: Offer short tours so parents can see where their kids will be during the service. Building confidence is key to making families comfortable.

3. Go Beyond “Hi, Nice to Meet You”

Walking into a new church can be intimidating. Help your team go the extra mile with these tips to welcome new families to church:

• Meaningful Conversations: Train volunteers to ask open-ended questions like, “What brings you to church this Easter?” or “How old are your kids?”
• Intentional Connections: Assign volunteers to introduce new families to others with similar-aged kids or ministry leaders who can follow up later. These personal touches foster belonging.

A great free resource for your volunteers is A Kids Ministry Volunteer’s Guide to Easter. This simple, two-sided conversation guide made for volunteers can be a great companion as they prepare for both the expected – and unexpected – conversations they’ll be facilitating at church this Easter. 

4. Follow Up Like a Pro

Don’t let Easter Sunday be the last time families hear from you! A thoughtful follow-up plan shows that you care:

• Timely Contact: Reach out within 48 hours. A simple, personalized postcard can leave a lasting impression. Bonus points if it’s handwritten by the Kids Pastor!

Bonus Idea: Host an Easter Jam

Looking for an extra way to create a welcoming space? Host an Easter Jam! This high-energy, interactive experience brings families together to celebrate Easter. Here’s what it includes:

• Engaging Storytelling: Share the message of Jesus’ resurrection in a fun, relatable way.
• Games, Music, and Laughter: Create shared memories that leave families excited to return.
• Family Connection: Partner with parents by creating an event that’s both entertaining and meaningful.

Easter Jam is a fantastic way to communicate the hope of Easter and show families that your church is a place to belong and grow in faith together. Did we mention this event kit is free? Download now to have an egg-cellent experience at your church for welcoming new families this Easter.

Here’s the Why

When you create a welcoming environment, fun experiences, and intentional connections, you’re helping families take their first step toward becoming part of your church community.

This Easter, let’s make it a day families will never forget—for all the right reasons. With a little intentionality and a lot of heart, you can help them see your church as a place where they belong. You’ve got this! Let’s roll out the red carpet and make Easter unforgettable.

The post 4 Ways to Welcome New Families to Church on Easter appeared first on Think Orange.

Awkward. 

And, this isn’t a judgment, but instead an acknowledgement that kids in sixth through eighth grade are navigating a lot of new experiences and changes. 

New schools

New friends

New hormones

New activities

New feelings 

New everything. 

When basically everything feels new, of course navigating those changes will be a little (or a lot) awkward. 

But, the middle school phase isn’t just full of awkward experiences. It’s also full of potential. 

How we as leaders and parents engage the unique opportunities of this phase has the potential to make a huge difference in the faith and future of preteens and teenagers. 

So, what do we need to know about the middle school phase? 

Let’s start with a few things you may notice about middle schoolers. 

Sixth Grade

No phase has less consistency than sixth grade.

Some sixth graders still sleep with stuffed animals and some want to sleep with their new cell phone. Most sixth graders are alternately one and then the other on any given day—or any given hour. They may appear sloppy and unkempt one moment and preppy and overdressed the next. That’s what makes every day a new day to discover who this growing person really is.

In these 52 weeks, a kid may grow three inches and gain ten pounds.

If you’re a parent, the place you’re most likely to notice the growth is in your grocery bill. Keep the pantry stocked. If you are leading sixth graders, bring french fries. Ultimate mic drop. Win.

During this year, there will be tears (both yours and theirs).

Doors will slam. Drama will happen. Hormones will soar. Friends will break up. Abnormal has become the norm. But amid all the ups and downs, in these changing tides of emotions, now is the time to lean in even more closely. When they push, prove you can’t be pushed away.

When they change, prove you will love them consistently.

When they break your trust, prove you are someone who can be trusted.

It may seem challenging, but keep up the chase so in this phase there’s never any reason to wonder, “Who cares?”

Seventh and Eighth Grade

You’ll begin to realize how embarrassing you really are.

If you are a parent of middle schoolers, you know that figuring out the new rules for your social behavior can be intimidating. When is it acceptable to “like” their Instagram post, and when are you allowed to openly comment? When are you expected to show up to the game, and whose parents are you not supposed to talk to? When are you supposed to dress up and be impressive, and when are you supposed to just be casual? Even when you aren’t a parent, the middle schoolers in your ministry may waiver between thinking you are the coolest person in the room or the person they don’t want to be seen with.

Insecurity is an unspoken force that keeps this phase wonderfully awkward.

Even the most confident seventh grader may choose a “group” Halloween costume. (“Let’s go together as rock, paper, scissors!”) They walk the hall in pairs. They go to the mall with a herd. They build unfathomably large social media platforms. The name of the game is to never be caught alone and to always associate with the coolest crowd possible.

You may be surprised at how smart they really are.

In fact, there may be no phase quite as smart as this one—just ask them. Being so much smarter than everyone else can really become a burden. Sometimes the patience just runs out, and they simply can’t explain it to you one more time. The important thing will be what they know, and how they begin to personalize it in this phase.

If you are a parent, days with your “kid” are over, because now–as they’ll remind you–they’re teenagers ready to make the world their own. So, look for ways to encourage their process (just remember that it’s their process, and they know it).

So, how are middle schoolers changing?

How Middle Schoolers are Changing Mentally

Middle Schoolers Think Like Engineers 

Like their physical bodies, there is a “growth spurt” in the brain of a middle schooler. The brain overproduces neurons and synapses similar to the growing brain of a toddler. This period of rapid growth accounts for a middle schooler’s ability to think more abstractly, to understand multiple perspectives, and to think critically about themselves and others. It also means that instructions need to be simple and clear if you hope to be heard. Like an engineer, they learn best when they personalize an idea by connecting pieces of information. That’s why puzzles, patterns, and codes can be helpful for learning in this phase.

How Middle Schoolers are Changing Relationally 

In middle school, a preteen challenges authority and personalizes what they believe. The way a middle schooler resolves the “Who” questions of life determines the framework for their relational stability. It affects the way they see themselves, the way they see the world, and the way they see themselves in the world. In these phases, the relational questions shift from black-and-white to grey. The answers are no longer the same for every kid, so they need to be personalized. The best way to resolve a middle schooler’s relational questions is to AFFIRM their personal journey. 

Specifically, sixth graders are asking, 

“Who do I like?” 

“Who likes me?” 

Sixth graders need an overdose of acceptance to combat the storm of changes. When adults recruit other encouraging and affirming leaders and peers, kids gain stability. 

When it comes to kids in seventh and eighth grade, they are asking, 

“Who am I?” 

Seventh and eighth graders are increasingly self-aware and self-conscious. When adults acknowledge positive qualities and strengths, kids discover uniqueness.

Here are a few things you’ll start to discover about kids in their seventh and eighth grade years:

Middle schoolers aren’t just asking relational questions and changing how they relate to adults, they are also changing how they relate to God. 

How Middle Schoolers are Changing Spiritually 

Middle schoolers need to know that God can rebuild their story-even when things haven’t gone according to plan. They relate to a God who overcomes impossible odds to rebuild what is broken, build stability, restore peace, resolve doubt, give hope and redeem everyone. 

When you affirm their personal journey you help a middle schooler own their own faith and value a faith community. 

So, what does this look like practically? 

Here are three ideas to help middle schoolers mature in their relationship with God: 

1. Connect the dots.
   
   This is the phase when a kid begins connecting the information they learned in childhood to see how it works together. That means this is the best phase to connect the overarching narrative of Scripture. There is incredible potential to re-engage their sense of wonder about the Bible when their eyes are open to the masterful way the story connects not only from Genesis to Revelation, but with their own life as well.
   
2. Expect a crisis.
   
   As middle schoolers connect the dots they may also discover that they believe a lot of things that don’t easily fit together. They may ask how an all-powerful God allows bad things to happen. You won’t know all the answers, so don’t act like you do. Just affirm what you do know. Help them anchor their faith to what is constant.
   
3. Be consistent. 
   
   Speaking of constant, you may never have a phase where predictability matters more. Practice making regular promises and following through in simple ways to prove you can be trusted. It may seem like they are testing you. They are. Absolutely nothing you say will matter for a middle schooler unless you say it with the credibility you earn simply by showing up in their world to prove you care.

How Middle Schoolers are Changing Morally 

Middle school can be impulsive and intense. Whatever they feel they feel with passion—even if they may change their mind tomorrow. They have a unique blend of confidence and insecurity unlike any other phase. So you have to AFFIRM their personal journey. Middle schoolers are primarily motivated by acceptance. If you try to motivate a preteen through shame or embarrassment, it may work against their primary motive and lead to defiant and defensive behavior. But when you respond to them in a loving manner, you learn to listen more often, encourage more specifically, and guide more patiently. Then you influence them to stop and think rationally before they respond in the moment.

A few things to know related to how middle schoolers are changing in their moral development: 

Sixth Grade: 

• Expands black and white thinking to consider notice
• Expands empathy beyond just people they know 
• Understands complex emotions, but desires to shut them out in order to fit in

Seventh & Eighth Grade:

• The most deceitful age–they will lie
• Begins to integrate reason and emotions 
• Able to self-reflect and evaluate 
• Tends to be preoccupied with ability (or lack of it) and undervalue effort

When we understand how kids and teenagers are changing, we are able to more effectively engage them. If you want to learn more about how to create a ministry informed by child development, check out the Phase Starter Kit today! 

To help you and the parents in your ministry navigate these unique phases, check out the Phase Guides. These 18 guides provide essential insights and practical advice tailored to each phase of a child’s life. Equip your team and parents by exploring the Phase Guides today.

The post Middle School: Understanding This Wonderfully Awkward Phase appeared first on Think Orange.

You know that preschool ministry is so much more than childcare; it’s helping kids develop a foundation of faith. That’s why you spend a lot of creating environments, training volunteers, and planning lessons to help kids grow in their everyday faith. 

Because you are a smart leader, you also know that preschoolers don’t learn the same way adults do and they certainly don’t enjoy the same things adults do. (Cue Baby Shark as proof.) 

But, isn’t it easy to forget that is the case? 

Maybe that’s why sometimes . . . 

We try to explain big theological concepts to preschoolers that were transformative for us, but too abstract for them to understand. 

We play worship songs that are a bit graphic for little ears. 

We expect kids to sit still for a really long lesson when even the adults around the room are bored. 

We have all been there. That’s because there are two mistakes leaders tend to make when it comes to engaging kids: 

1. Adults tend to assume, “They are like me now.” 
   
   Now, none of us would say that out loud, but it can be easy to act that way. We can get so excited about what God is teaching us personally that we want to teach the same exact thing to them. Or, we expect them to be able to behave like an adult. Not only is that rarely effective, we also miss out
   what we can learn from engaging their perspective. 
   
2. Adults tend to assume, “They are like I used to be.” 
   
   Sometimes, we forget how much the world has changed since we were kids. We forget that kids are living in a world with smart phones, social media, and YouTube. Not to mention they are being raised by a generation that may have different parenting styles and values than the ones that influenced us. 
   
   That’s why if we want to engage the next generation effectively, we think there is one idea that has the potential to transform everything: phase. 

Phase Defined: A time frame in a kid’s life when you can leverage distinctive opportunities to influence their future.

When churches become intentional about understanding and leveraging what is actually happening in the stages of a kid’s life, it changes how they . . .

Partner with families at pivotal transitions.
Teach comprehensively from preschool through college.
Train leaders how to work with specific age groups. 
Improve dialogue and cooperation between ministries.
Resource parents to interact with kids in the home.

Every kid at every phase is changing in six ways: physically, mentally, relationally, culturally, emotionally, and morally.

So, what do we need to know about phase in order to engage preschoolers effectively? 

Phase Defined: A time frame in a kid’s life when you can leverage distinctive opportunities to influence their future.

• The phase that should matter most to you is the phase they are in now.
• The phase that matters most happens before or after this phase.
• Adults tend to assume, “They are like me now.”
• Adults tend to assume, “They are like I used to be.”
• Every kid at every phase is changing in six ways: physically, mentally, relationally, culturally, emotionally, and morally.

Your Role | Embrace Their Physical Needs

Read Their Mind…

So kids in the three phases of preschool will believe they can win.

• Know what can be expected of them and know how they think so they will hear what you say and know what to do.
• BIG IDEA: Preschoolers think like an artist.
• Preschoolers blend reality with imagination and learn best through their senses.

“Children are most like adults in their feelings. They are least like adults in their thinking. More information does not make them think like us.”

— Catherine Stonehouse

Discover Their World…

So kids in the three phases of preschool will feel they belong.

Zero to One: 

Kids in this phase are asking, “Am I safe?” 

In the first year of life, a baby needs to know they are safe. When adults consistently respond to a baby’s needs, babies establish trust. 

One & Two: 

Toddlers in this phase are asking, “Am I able?”

When a toddler is one and two years old, they discover new abilities. When adults patiently allow toddlers to try new things, they develop confidence. 

Three & Four:

Preschoolers in this phase are asking, “Am I okay?”

When a preschooler is three or four, they learn a few rules and expectations. When adults set boundaries and discipline with love, preschoolers cultivate self-control.

DON’T MISS THIS: The buffer in every crisis is love.

Interpret Their Motives…

So kids in the three phases of preschool will discern what they should do.

• Moral emotions are instinctive. Moral development is not.
• If you want to help a preschooler develop a moral conscience, you have to interpret and influence their motive.
• The ultimate motive is love.
• Preschoolers are motivated most by safety.

Play To Your Audience…

So kids in the three phases of preschool will discover how to relate to God.

• How preschoolers relate to God: God’s story is my story.
• When you embrace their physical needs you help a preschool know God’s love and meet God’s family.

Three Ideas to Help Preschoolers Mature in their Relationship with God.

Ignite their imagination. Build their confidence in a really big God.
Activate their senses. Help them see, feel, hear, and taste.
Structure their experience. Have a predictable schedule.

How Understanding the Elementary Phase Changes Your Ministry 

When we are intentional about engaging elementary kids and creating developmentally appropriate ministries, it changes everything-definitely more than what can fit in a blog. But, here are a few ways understanding the preschool phase changes what you do in your ministry and how you partner with other life-stage ministries. 

Ministry Strategy 

When you understand how kids learn and grow, it will change how you partner across life-stage ministries. As a preschool ministry leader, you will partner differently with the elementary preschool ministry leader because you know that what you teach in your preschool ministry will provide a foundation for what they learn next. You will also deepen your partnership with middle school ministry leaders because you care about how you move kids to what is next. 

When every life-stage ministry works together, you increase momentum for next gen ministry as a whole. 

Ministry Programming 

When you know preschoolers learn best through experiences, you will incorporate activities that engage all five senses. When you know preschoolers think like an artist, you will leverage movement, music, and art in your preschool ministry environment. When you understand that preschoolers are wired to experience wonder, it will change how you tell Bible stories to incite wonder for a big God. 

Phase changes everything when it comes to how you teach and what you teach in your preschool ministry. That’s why First Look Curriculum is designed to be both theologically sound and developmentally appropriate. 

Training Leaders 

Volunteers sign up to serve because they care about the faith and future of preschoolers, too. 

But, if they don’t understand phase, they may . . . 

Get frustrated when preschoolers have short attention spans. 
Ask kids questions in small group they don’t understand. 
Or, not understand why there are so many songs and art activities in your ministry. 

At the same time, when you understand phase, you know that you need to recruit consistent volunteers because preschoolers can be terrified by an unfamiliar face. You also know that who you recruit to volunteer matters, too. 

Partnering With Parents 

When you understand that every year comes with unique opportunities to leverage to influence a kid’s faith and future, you will also equip parents to understand those opportunities. You will cue parents to have more intentional conversations at home and lean into important conversations differently at each life-stage. 

If you want to learn more about how to integrate Phase strategy into your ministry, check out the Phase Starter Kit today!

To help you and the parents in your ministry navigate these unique phases, check out the Phase Guides. These 18 guides provide essential insights and practical advice tailored to each phase of a child’s life. Equip your team and parents by exploring the Phase Guides today.

The post Navigating the Three Phases of Preschool Ministry appeared first on Think Orange.

And as a leader, you need to calculate what you are going to do with those 40. 

On the other hand, when you calculate the number of waking hours parents have with their kids, the answer is 3,000. 

So when you look at the 40 hours you have in contrast to the 3,000 hours parents have, doesn’t it make logical sense to engage parents?

If you want to make a difference and have a lasting impact on the life of a kid, you need to think in terms of how to partner with parents. More specifically you need to engage every parent to win. 

What it Means to Engage Every Parent

When we say every parent we mean every . . .

Parent.
Guardian.
Parent of kids with special needs.
Foster parent.
Single parent.
Gay parent.
Parent outside the walls of your church.

We mean every human who has a parental role. 

You see, “every” requires you to understand individual parents.
Every enables you to do more than what you would usually do.
It requires you to think outside the content of parents you see every week.
Every requires you to think about the parents you don’t have a relationship with.
Ministry leader, every requires you to think about the parents you don’t see.

Because here’s what is true… 

Every Parent Wants To Be A Better Parent

If you act like every parent wants to be a better parent, then you’ll do more than you would have done before. Because with this mindset, you’ll give parents more potential, credit, and actually respect them more. 

But what does engage parents actually mean? 

We simply mean to engage parents with their families, friends, kids and teenagers.

Engage parents with a community that will actually support them in winning and what they do as a parent. So that one day when their kids grow up and become adults, they’ll still be friends. 

Engage every parent is such an important strategy because we want to connect parents to something that will help them win at home. 

What Partnering with Parents Looks Like in Your Ministry

So what does that look like in your ministry? 

We actually did a research project where we met with leaders all around the country and asked how they knew they were winning when it came to partnering with parents. 

Essentially, what does a win look like? 

All of the ideas kind of came down to these two concepts: 

• Help parents become more intentional at home and more connected to a community. 
• That means if we want to help parents, we need to measure the win by what happens in the walls of their house and how they are connected to a community. 

We all want to make a lasting difference in the lives of the kids and teenagers in our community. But that requires us to do more than the 40 hours. We have to make sure we are leveraging the 3,000 to influence the future of a child. 

Learn more about what it looks like to partner with parents, and how Orange can help along the way.

The post Why Every Ministry Leader Should Partner With Parents appeared first on Think Orange.

The post 5 Easter Activities For Families This Year appeared first on Think Orange.

For Volunteers

Seen – Do you sense the students you serve might be struggling with something, but you just can’t put it into words? This book contains essential information about the dynamics of despair in teens in a clear and understandable way, plus practical tools to help leaders give kids and teens hope. Give your leaders the gift of understanding your students in a deeper way.

“Every Morning” Amber Mug – Affirm your leaders who are doing the work of not just being there but are showing up for the kids and teens in your ministry.

Becoming Better Grown-Ups – This book is a beautiful reminder of why listening to the people and world around us can remind us of the child-like joy that lives in every corner of our lives. Your leaders will love the fun illustrations and how playful this book is. This is the perfect gift that should make it to the top of anyone’s To Be Read stack.

Be Human Sweater – This sweatshirt is so cozy, but it also carries a great reminder to be human. Being human means that we see our neighbors and are for them. Your leaders will love this physical reminder that they are loving well in the spaces where they lead. 

What Most Parents Aren’t Telling You – For years, we have made assumptions about our parents’ needs. We finally have real data showing us the concerns parents carry with them. This book will give your leaders insight and equip them to communicate better with the families they serve. 

For Kids/Teenagers

How To See God – I have given this book to all of my nieces, and they have loved it. It is written so that every teen can engage with it easily! Helping teenagers to see God in their everyday context can help them build a faith that goes with them everywhere. 

How To See God Playing Cards – Playing cards is a core memory I have with my girls. We have loved to play games together! Each card in this 52-card deck has a unique way for your teen to discover God in their everyday life. 

Know God – One of the very best things we can do for the kids in our care is to give them opportunities to make faith their own at their own pace. This 4-week devotional for elementary-age kids lays a foundation for beginning their faith journey and allows them to write their own thoughts, prayers, and questions about God.

Starting Now – One of life’s biggest transitions is going to college after high school. It is such a big life change that, as a parent, we want to help them navigate it with confidence. This book can be incredibly helpful to walk with your teenager through this exciting but scary time. One of the best parts is onmyteam.org, where people who love and care for your teenager can sign up and be cued throughout the year on when they may need a little encouragement during their freshman year. 

Your New Playlist – I think all of us can be guilty of negative self-talk. This is especially true for teenagers. This book is written by teenagers who understand what it’s like to want to change their internal playlist and choose more positive and helpful thoughts. Give your students the gift of a reminder that new thoughts can lead to new actions that can help them navigate life in a more positive way.

Ollie and So & So Show Merch – If you’ve been around Orange for a while, you have probably heard the names Ollie, Jon, and Brandon (likely through the screams of toddlers or 10-year-old boys). Gifts like an Ollie plush, Ollie bandages, or a So & So Show notebook, or dodgeball create a unique, personal connection to your ministry and remind them that your church is both a place to feel safe and have fun.

For Parents

Let’s be honest. If you are a parent, you want to be the best parent possible, but sometimes, we just don’t know what to do. It is also hard to admit that because doesn’t that mean we are saying with a megaphone that we don’t know what we are doing? In those moments, I try to find all the resources to read and listen to in order to feel more confident in my conversations with my teenager! Here are some great resources to help you be the parent you want to be! They are also great options, if you want to give them to parents in your community!

Beyond The Spiral – We have heard all the data that is coming out about our kid’s generation. The world keeps saying they are the most “anxious generation,” and as a parent, that can feel incredibly hard. Most of us are not trained professionals in this area, but we do want to understand more so that we can support our kids. Beyond the Spiral will equip a teenager on how best to stop the anxiety cycle from taking over their life. I love this book (along with Seen) because it is written in a way that I can easily understand abstract concepts and put some action steps into place.

Letter to Parents Mug – Everyone needs a pep talk or a word of encouragement! When I put my morning coffee in this mug, it is a fun reminder that I am doing my best, this phase is going to end sooner rather than later, and I need to pause. Take time to enjoy where your kid or teenager is today! Plus, it is more fun to drink out of your favorite mug.

3 Big Questions That Change Every Teenager – All of our kids are thinking about who they are, where they fit in, and what they are going to do with their life. Identity, purpose, and belonging are at the heart of most conversations, and the best thing we can do as parents is to understand how to begin to give some answers to these critical questions.

Raising Couragous Humans Sweater – A cozy sweatshirt with a beautiful message makes this the best gift for any parent! This sweatshirt has a companion shirt for your entire family.

Undistracted – Our attention spans are smaller than ever! This book was a reminder that joy and purpose surround us every day; we are just too distracted to slow down long enough to see it. This book is full of fun storytelling that makes it an easy read! I believe we all want authentic connection and undistracted love.

Many of the selections above are a part of our 2023 Holiday collection that we’ve curated for your volunteers, kids, students, parents—and some just for YOU! Head over to the Orange Store and use code HOLIDAY2023 at checkout to get 20% OFF until December 31!

The post The Ministry Leader’s Ultimate Gift Guide appeared first on Think Orange.

The Parent Cue App has been a game-changer for me as a parent. 

Like most new parents, I felt clueless about anything regarding parenting and raising children, despite my professional experience in family ministry. I truly believe that until you have your own children, parenting is hard to understand and relate to. That’s why I love the resources from Parent Cue-especially the Parent Cue App. The Parent Cue app is a tool that Parent Cue offers for free that equips parents to be the parents we want to be. Currently, I use the app on a weekly basis to get an encouraging message that gives me hope as I parent. I use the app because I get to learn about where my children are developmentally as they grow and there are resources like daily devotionals and curriculum to help them build spiritual habits. They even have activity suggestions for when children are out of school or can’t go outside. I also love the countdown feature because it allows me to see how much time I have left to pour into my children while they are in my home. It’s a great reminder that time does truly fly as a parent, and 18 years goes by so fast. So, we must make the most of the time we have with our children. I also use the app to find resources and articles to help navigate parenting in the specific season of parenting that I am in. I love that the articles are on relevant topics and are written by real people and real parents. Plus, when I read them, it makes me feel like there is a village cheering me on. Don’t all parents need that? All of these resources help me be more intentional in my parenting, and I love that it is all in one place. 

The Parent Cue App was also a game-changer for me as a ministry leader. 

Because I loved Parent Cue as a parent, when I discovered it, I wanted to wrap up as many of the resources I could to gift it to all of the parents I knew. I was so grateful for the wealth of information on parenting in one spot. Coming from a church in which parent ministry or parent strategies were not always prioritized, I saw it as an incredible resource that could change the lives of families in my congregation. 

The Parent Cue app is a great tool for churches of any size and can help them stay connected with the parents they serve. Not only that, but it can also be one part of an intentional parent strategy by putting resources in the hands of busy parents that helps them reinforce what their kids or students learn on a Sunday. Plus, if a family misses a Sunday, it is a great way to stay connected with them as they are on the go. This is all about the church partnering with parents and helping them be the best parents they can be with tools and resources to support their efforts.

Finally, the app also includes a Shop, which is full of fun apparel for parents and for their kids as well as books and resources to help parents at all stages. It’s a great place to shop! 

The Parent Cue app is one-of-a-kind, and there doesn’t seem to be anything out there that can compare. This unique resource puts parenting back in the hands of parents and gives us a wealth of resources and the spiritual guidance to be encouraged day to day in this lifelong journey.  It is an impactful tool for any parent trying to influence their children for the good and for any church trying to serve and encourage parents everywhere. If you want to learn more about the Parent Cue App or try customization free for 30 days check out parentcueapp.church.

The post Why I Use the Parent Cue App and Why Churches Should, Too. appeared first on Think Orange.

Several years ago, when I was both a Kids Pastor and a husband with small kids, I thought I had many things figured out. . . including the most effective ways to partner with the parents in my ministry. As a proud parent, married for over a decade, and leading a large children’s ministry, who else would know better, right?

During those years, I attended every Orange event and had the best resources available to me to engage the parents in my ministry, providing weekly take-home resources and offering the most dynamic family experiences, parenting classes, and milestone Sundays. 

But becoming a single parent changed everything. 

Suddenly, I began to pay less attention to what the Church was handing me. I temporarily lost my desire to attend gatherings with other families. And I became increasingly aware of the words that were used to describe families. . . particularly the families that looked like mine now.

While providing resources and experiences for families is surely an important part of partnering with parents, becoming a single parent taught me that the true value of this concept was in something else. 

Partnering with parents has less to do with what the Church can provide every parent and more to do with how the Church can build trust with every parent.

In other words, before you . . .

acknowledge and celebrate milestones in the lives of their children. . .

create environments that afford them opportunities to connect without distraction. . .

provide a consistent team of volunteers who are intentional about building authentic relationships with every kid. . .

meet with parents regularly to give voice to what matters to them most. . .

. . .consider first how you think and talk about parents.

The words we use are a reflection of our beliefs and core values. They can tell someone a lot about the experiences and perspectives that have shaped us. They can also unintentionally reveal gaps in our search for understanding. 

What does it mean to build real trust in your relationships with every parent in your church?

Trust can be defined as the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. So what would it look like to believe in every parent in such a way that it transforms the way they see your church …and maybe even themselves?  

As a single dad, here are three things I wish your church believed about every parent and how your language could be adjusted as a result.

Every Parent Wants To Be Reliable

Parents will trust you more when you believe in their reliability. 

In a world where “busy” is often celebrated and families are juggling multiple commitments, it’s no wonder some parents struggle with showing up when you want them to. I know first-hand how often this leads to a church leader’s disappointment. But because we are the Church (and not their place of work, their child’s school, the PTA, etc.), you have a unique opportunity as ministry leaders to remind parents of who they are capable of being rather than of where they are falling short.  I’m already battling with comparison and the “not enough” monster. You can build trust with me by choosing curiosity and grace instead of guilt and disappointment.

When parents show up late to the program you spent months planning or don’t show up at all to serve on their assigned Sunday, believe they are still capable of being reliable and do not give up on them.  Believe that they wanted to show up even if it isn’t immediately clear. 

Let go of:

• “You’re late again?”
• “Your inconsistency has made it difficult for us to plan.”
• “We miss you when you’re not here.”

Instead, try:

• “We’re so glad you made it.”
• “Thanks for letting us know! Is there anything we can do to help?”
• “You have a place here no matter what.”
• “We know it took a lot for you to commit to this. Thank you.”
  
  

Every Parent Wants to Be Enough

Parents will trust you more when you see them the way God sees them.

This is not about elevating any one family structure, rather, it’s about affirming the beloved identity of all. Families who do not look like what the Church has often defined as the “traditional” family are described as broken or dysfunctional–whether they are actually struggling or not. At the same time, calling a family broken or dysfunctional is generally unhelpful, no matter what they are struggling with.  

The truth is not every family looks the same. Not every parent would define their family the same way nor have the same desires and goals for their future. But every parent wants their family, just as they are, to be seen as enough. And every family and parent is made in the image of God with the capacity to pursue wholeness. Our job as ministry leaders is to remind them how valuable they are and support them as they pursue health, not be another person telling them they don’t measure up. (By the way, how you define wholeness matters a lot too.) 

Consider this: According to the latest Census data, one in four parents is a single parent. Alternative living situations are at an all-time high, with many millennials waiting longer to marry, and the overall marriage rate is dropping. 

25% of millennials live with other family members due to increased housing costs.  With this in mind, be careful not to elevate the perfect picture of the nuclear family above all others, especially in your communication and media.

Let go of: 

• “God can still use your broken/fractured/dysfunctional family.”
• The “s” in “ parents” when referring to a child’s family if it’s not needed.
• Using the single mom in every example of someone who may need help
• Using step-parents as the example of someone a kid may disagree with

Instead, try:

• “Your family’s story isn’t finished.”
• “If you feel your situation is broken, know that God can make it beautiful.” 
• Use correct terms when describing a family’s make-up. Are they blended or extended? Inter-racial or multi-racial? 
• Use the words “parent or guardian or caretaker” when making general announcements. 
• Encouraging and affirming individual parents as often as you can. 

When you take the initiative to learn what’s true of my family’s identity and choose to view us through a lens of wholeness instead of brokenness, you earn trust. 

Every Parent Wants to Feel Significant

Parents will trust you more when you believe in their abilities. 

More times than not, leaders are tempted to build volunteer teams based on the holes they have to fill rather than the skills and abilities of the people available to them.  Job title aside, your parents have gifts in interpersonal communication, language, leadership, and problem-solving that could greatly benefit your church, not just your specific ministry, if there were a place for them to exercise them. 

One of the greatest opportunities you have as a ministry leader is to remind every parent of their strengths and their significance, not just because of their ability to care for tiny humans but primarily because they were created in God’s image with a unique purpose.

Let go of:

• “We need your help, or Sunday won’t happen.”
• “Since you’re a school teacher, I think working with kids would be perfect for you.”
• “If you have a student in our ministry, serving here is a requirement.”

Instead, try:

• “We invite you to serve where you see yourself adding value.”
• “Considering your weekday schedule, what kind of role would energize you for ministry?”
• “What do you think might be missing from the overall Sunday experience?”

Help Every Parent Be The Parent They Want To Be.

The truth is no parent needs help doubting themselves. The unique experience of parenthood can be full of enough disappointment and unmet expectations. It’s also true that not every parent will desire these things. The goal, however, is to shift your mindset to believing the best in parents so you do more for them than you would have done before. 

When you talk and act like every parent wants to be a better parent, you’ll be more likely to see their potential, give them more credit, and respect them more, regardless of what makes each family different or the unique challenges they face. This mindset creates an opportunity for every parent to be the kind of parent they truly want to be.

The post Three Things A Single Dad Wishes Your Church Knew appeared first on Think Orange.

So. . . 

We send emails. We have parent meetings. We send more emails. We call/text/DM parents nearly every day. 

And while all of the communication is good, it can also feel overwhelming—like maybe we need more of a strategy or a plan for how we do things and how we keep parents engaged. 

Maybe that’s why so many seasoned ministry leaders create a parent engagement strategy. And, whether you’re new to this concept or rethinking it for your ministry context, we have some questions we think might be helpful you think about parents in your ministry context. 

Why should we engage parents? 

Sure,  we all want parents to be on time for pick-up, read our emails, or come to our events, but we also know their influence is bigger than that.

In fact, nobody has more influence over a kid or a teenager than their parent. 

After all, kids will spend less than 40 hours in our ministries every year (if they show up every single week), but they will spend over 3,000 with their parents. So it just makes sense that if we want to influence the faith of the next generation, we need to partner with the people who have the most influence in their lives: their parents. This idea is the basis of the Orange strategy and philosophy. We believe two combined influences can make a greater impact than just two separate influences. When you combine the light of the church (yellow) plus the heart of the home (red) you get a stronger, more vibrant impact in the life of a kid or teenager (orange). 

First, who are the parents? 

The answer to that may seem obvious, but how we answer that question will actually determine whether or not our strategy to engage parents is effective. At Orange, we define the term “parent” as any adult who is consistently tasked with the responsibility of raising a young person.

So, when we talk about “parents” we are talking about parents and caregivers. 

Every parent and caregiver. 

Every grandparent. 

Every guardian.

Every single parent.

Every gay parent. 

Every step-parent. 

Every divorced parent.

Every foster parent.

Every adoptive parent.

Every parent or caregiver. 

This is a really important idea because, as ministry leaders, we have a tendency to disqualify and judge parents instead of engaging them. Even as you read that list, you may have been thinking, “What about the  _______ parent?” 

But, instead of asking that question, we think there is one idea that has the power to change how we engage parents: 

Every parent wants to be a better parent. 

When we truly believe that and stop disqualifying parents, it will change the way we engage parents because they will know we believe in them. 

What is the win for engaging parents? 

Before you can create a strategy or plan to engage parents, you first need to define the win. After all, how will you know if your strategy is working if you don’t know what to measure? 

Based on the fact that kids will spend 3,000 hours with their parents every year versus 40 hours in our program, we think what happens at home is more important than what happens at church. So, it just makes sense that the win would be to help parents win at home. 

What does that look like? 

Years ago, we did a national ministry survey and asked ministry leaders what it looks like to help parents win at home. All of the answers fell into two big categories: 

• More intentional at home 
• More connected to a faith community

So what if we helped parents do those two things? What if we help parents win by helping them be more intentional at home and more connected to a faith community?

Engage Every Parent Everywhere 

Let’s be honest. Engaging parents looks different after 2020 than it did before. For many of our churches, attendance is still not where it was before the pandemic. If we were extra honest, even before the pandemic, many families were not coming to our churches. 

That’s why we think our strategy to engage parents has to include both parents who spend their Sundays at church and parents who spend their Sundays at home (or anywhere else). 

This requires us to leverage digital platforms to reach parents where they are instead of only reaching parents who attend our programs and events. When we serve not just parents who come to our programming but every parent, we have the opportunity to change how a generation sees the church because of how well we love their parents. 

How To Engage Parents

At this point, you may have a few questions. 

Questions like, 

“How do we actually do this?” 

“How do we innovate our existing strategies to reach more parents?”

“Where do I start?” 

Just like every church is different, every strategy to engage parents will look a little different. However, we think there are a few good places to start, and we have resources to help. 

Listen to Parents 

Parents are the experts on their experiences–that includes what they need to win. So, before we create a strategy or give out resources, we need to listen to what they actually want and need. 

That’s why Orange and Parent Cue partnered with Arbor Research to conduct a series of studies to better understand the realities of parents and their relationships with faith communities. We sought out to learn what parents want, what parents fear, how parents feel, and where parents go for help and share those insights with ministry leaders in our book, What Most Parents Aren’t Telling You. 

We hope the research we share in the book can help you better understand parents, but if you really want to understand parents in your community, you need to listen to them. You can do this by creating focus groups, doing parent surveys, and creating systems for feedback. Just remember that it’s easy to listen to the parents who are engaged and are the loudest, but it may take a little extra effort if you want to truly learn from every parent. 

Empower Leaders to Engage Parents 

As a ministry leader, your to-do list is a mile long, and while engaging parents should be a top priority on that list, you shouldn’t try to engage parents alone. Instead, empower other parents and leaders to engage parents. 

That can include hiring someone or recruiting a volunteer to lead your parent engagement strategy. You can also create a parent engagement team. Either way, one of the best things you can do is train small group leaders to engage parents. 

Cue Parents 

Most parents aren’t looking for a training seminar or a huge resource book. That’s daunting. Often, what parents need are small cues that will move them to connect relationally with their kid or with their teenager this week so that they can create a relational rhythm in their homes. 

That’s why we created the Parent Cue App. It comes pre-loaded with cues every week for kids from birth through 18, just to help parents create that relational rhythm so that they can speak encouraging words to their kid every morning so that they can rediscover their kid as they travel along the road together, to elevate their conversations at mealtime, and to connect with the heart. Plus, your church can customize the app, so you can leverage it to communicate with parents about what is happening in your ministry and provide discipleship content so parents can disciple their kids even if they spend Sundays at home. We think the Parent Cue App has the potential to help you not just cue parents but actually change the way you partner with every parent in your community. 

Align the Church and the Home

Finally, one of the best ways you can help parents be more intentional at home is by helping them have faith conversations with their kids. That’s why Orange Curriculum provides resources to help you empower parents to have conversations with their kids and teenagers about what they are learning at church. Because every phase is different, each life-stage curriculum offers different resources to best serve the needs of parents. 

In every curriculum, we provide parent emails and Parent Cues to help you (and your volunteers) keep parents up-to-day on what their kids are learning. Parent Cues align with the monthly theme or series so parents know what you are teaching, and they provide ideas to help them engage with their kids. In First Look Preschool Ministry Curriculum and 252 Kids and Preteen Curriculum, we also provide social media plans you can use to engage parents on your ministry’s social media channels. In XP3 Middle School and XP3 High School, we provide additional resources for many series and parent preview videos on sensitive topics to help you build trust with parents. 

Additionally, if you follow the recommended scope and cycle (or teaching calendar) for each curriculum, the Parent Cue App syncs automatically with what you are teaching so parents can access all of these resources in one easy place. 

We want to make it as easy as possible for you to engage every parent and align what happens at church and what happens at home so you can make a bigger impact in the life of the kids and teenagers in your community.

The post The Complete Strategy for Parent Ministry appeared first on Think Orange.

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States. This month is an opportunity to specifically learn from the experiences of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and to honor their contributions to our communities and the United States. 

As we honor this month, it’s crucial to remember that  ‘Asian American’ and ‘Pacific Islander’ are umbrella terms that encompass diverse cultures and experiences. Asian Americans can trace their roots to places like East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, while Pacific Islanders hail from regions like Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. Native Hawaiians are considered Pacific Islanders, as Hawaii was settled by Polynesians centuries ago; but they have a unique identity as they created and forged their own culture. This rich tapestry underscores that the AANHPI community is not a monolith but a vibrant collection of unique identities and experiences. 

This month, we encourage you to celebrate our AANHPI family, learn more about their experiences, and listen to their stories. The following are a few ideas on how!

Celebrate

One of the most fun ways to honor this month is by trying new things, engaging in art and music, and participating in cultural events. 

Here are some ideas for how to celebrate this month:

• Look for festivals, events, and museum exhibits celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and/or Pacific Islander cultures and artists in your community. 
• Try a new restaurant with Asian, Hawaiian, or Pacific Island cuisine. Bonus if it’s owned and operated by people from the AANHPI community!
• Watch a movie, listen to music, or read a book by Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, or Pacific Islanders. 

Here are some books we love for kids and teens: 

• Ohana Means Family 
• Anni Dreams of Biryani 
• Cora Cooks Pancit 
• The Name Jar 
• Lupe Wong Won’t Dance 
• Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim 
• Amazing: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Inspire Us All 

Learn 

One of the ways we can honor this month is through learning more about the histories of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. During heritage months, it’s important to learn not just from history that highlights resilience in the face of oppression, but also excellence, achievement, and the ways that the people we are honoring have contributed good to our world. 

Take time to learn more about the history and heritage of the AANHPI community. Pay attention to their unique mark on history, as well as the current and past systems of oppression that we can continue to challenge and change in our world today. 

Here are some resources to check out: 

• List of Famous Asian and Pacific Islander Immigrants
• The Making of Asian America
• Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning
• The Latinos of Asia: How Filipino Americans Break the Rules of Race
• Nisei Daughter
• Hawai’i’s Story by Hawai’i’s Queen
• Proclamation from The White House of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Listen 

Any month is a good month to listen to the stories of others and learn from their experiences. This month, in particular, is a great opportunity to listen to the stories of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, not only to learn more about their ‘third culture’ experiences, but also what they have brought and continue to bring to the Church.  

Here are some resources that highlight the stories of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, specifically as it relates to faith and the Church: 

• The Asian American Christian Collaborative
  • Reclaim Digital Magazine 
  • The Reclaim Podcast 
• Be The Bridge Podcast: Ep 266 | AANHPI Heritage Month: Reclaiming History with Pastor Raymond Chang
• Blog: The Napkin Hoarder
• Blog: Hawai’i Appleseed
• Seminary Now: Intersections of Asian American Identity and the Church Live Event

In the midst of the rightful feelings of invisibility by the AANHPI community, this month and every month is a good time to be intentional about celebrating the impact, learning about the histories, and listening to the experiences of the AANHPI community. 

The post Three Ways to Honor Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month appeared first on Think Orange.