Reggie Joiner's Blog, page 4

Embracing Gratitude In A Difficult Year

This time of the year is a little weird, isn’t it? We run at a rapid pace all year long, dealing with whatever life has thrown our way, and then, for the last two months, we’re challenged to be thankful and joyful. 

Some years, that’s an easier ask than others. 

Maybe this was the year . . .
Someone close to you died.
A job you love ended.
Ministry left some unexpected wounds.
You are expected to do so much more with so much less.
Your child went through something that affected your whole family...

Creating Experiences for Kids When Resources Are Limited

When it comes to creating experiences for kids, if you are a small church ministry leader or even just a leader whose budget has been cut in the last year, when you read things like . . . 

Lights
Screens
Decorations
Transitions

You might get a little anxious. 

Maybe your palms start to sweat as your brain is flooded with money signs and all of the things your ministry can’t afford. 

Or maybe you get annoyed. Maybe you feel like the ideas you are reading about aren’t for you and won’t work in you...

Give A Shout-Out to Your Volunteers This Season

I don’t know about you, but this is one of my very favorite times of year! Pumpkin spice everything, cozy candles, football, and thankfulness! 

Truly, we try to teach our kids to be thankful all year round.  We are constantly reminding them to say thank you for the snack, say thank you for the present, and say thank you to the bus driver. But this time of year, the volume really gets turned up as we reflect on the gifts God has given us.

This November, we are diving into an exciting month of cur...

Why I Use the Parent Cue App and Why Churches Should, Too.

I became a parent in the middle of COVID. Trying to navigate first-time parenthood as well as a worldwide pandemic was a challenge, to say the least. I was constantly looking for resources and activities while at home with my babies. And because I wasn’t working as much due to the environment we were all living in, parenting was a full-time job. I was at home. . . every single day. . .with my babies. During that season, I was also serving as a full-time Childrens & Youth Pastor and was always th...

The Importance of Blending Theology and Psychology

When it comes to communicating with kid and teenagers, adults often assume two things:

First, they assume that kids and teenagers think like we do now.
Second, they assume that kids and teenagers think like we did when we were their age.

Neither of which is true.

The truth is that kids and teenagers don’t process information like we do as adults. Teenagers process information more similarly to adults, but still, there is a vast difference in not only what they can understand but also how they le...

5 Christmas Activities For Families This Year

While you’re planning how you will come alongside the families in your church this Christmas, here are some ways to help families celebrate together, build connection, have intentional faith conversations, and create memories that will have a lasting impact this holiday season:

Advent Experience Box

This box makes the countdown to Christmas something families will never forget. The Advent Experience Box helps families celebrate the true meaning of the season in a way that matters most. Each box ...

Three Budget-Friendly Christmas Party Ideas

It’s hard to believe that time of year is almost upon us. And for all of you ministry leaders, you’ve probably had Christmas on your mind for several weeks now! The holidays are the perfect time to wrap up the year with joy and get your students excited for the new year to come. And what better way to pump students up for your new ministry year than a party?!

This year, we’ve come up with a “5 Golden Rings” Party Plan for you. A theme that incorporates all the best Olympic ideas in the games and...

The Best Kept Secret at Orange

If you’ve been leading a ministry for more than a week, you’ve likely been hit with the sobering reality that if you don’t become an expert delegator, your chances of burnout will probably triple. You have a job description quite like no other (and if you weren’t given a job description, just use this one!) From week to week, you’re faced with not only pulling off engaging programming so kids and teenagers grow in their everyday faith, but also . . . 

Training and appreciating your volunteersE...

Your Orange Conference Pitch Kit: Getting Buy-In for Your Training Experience

Why Orange Conference?

 

Attending a conference is a real investment. Tickets, travel, and lodging all add up. Plus, with Sunday always around the corner — you count every. day. out of the office. 

 

So why invest in a conference?

 

For kids ministry and youth ministry leaders, the Orange Conference is their secret to momentum each year. 

 

Yes, it’s about taking home new practical strategies and ideas and making new connections with future-thinking leaders. But more than anything, attendees ex...

Hispanic Heritage Month: A Call to Embrace and Understand for the Sake of Tomorrow

I have never felt more Mexican than I have in the years since moving to Georgia.

Part of this is because I have felt more empowered to embrace and celebrate my heritage due to the cultural conversations about race that have erupted over the last few years. There is another reason, though…

I grew up in the East Valley of the Phoenix, Arizona metro area. Just by proximity to the border, you can imagine how both Mexican culture and residents of Mexican heritage were abundant. This meant incredible ...