Orange Kids Podcast

As kids ministry leaders, we’re all asking a lot of questions when it comes to health and safety. What’s our plan for hosting in-person gatherings? How do we keep our kids safe? What protocols should we put in place? This week, join us as we talk with Frank Bealer, CEO of Phase Family Center, to learn what reopening safely could look like for your ministry—whether your kids ministry is planning on gathering in-person four days from now or four months from now.

No matter where you are right now, it’s safe to say you’ve been affected by the COVID-19 crisis. We’ve experienced uncertainty and crisis like never before as we’ve navigated this pandemic in our communities. As kids ministry leaders and volunteers, we’ve pivoted to keep showing up for our kids and our volunteers—even when we can’t be “with” them. So, what now? What do we do to keep showing up for kids and volunteers as many of us near the end of sheltering-in-place to embrace a whole new normal in our world?

Welcome to the Orange Kids Podcast, where we talk about the big ideas of kids’ ministry and discuss practical solutions to our weekly challenges. This week, Amy Fenton, Orange Specialist and Executive Director of Orange VBS, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen in the second part of a discussion around key questions and ideas for churches to consider as Covid-19 restrictions begin lifting.

Welcome to the Orange Kids Podcast, where we talk about the big ideas of kids’ ministry and discuss practical solutions to our weekly challenges. This week, Amy Fenton, Orange Specialist and Executive Director of Orange VBS, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to discuss key questions and ideas for churches to consider as Covid-19 restrictions begin lifting.

This week, Adam Duckworth, volunteer coordinator at Downtown Harbor Church in Fort Lauderdale, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to discuss the thing we can’t survive without: volunteers!

This week, Brett Talley, Orange Specialist for XP3 student curriculum, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to discuss those things that every youth pastor wishes their children’s pastor knew!  

This week, Nan Britt, Director of Bethlehem Buddies at Bethlehem Church in Bethlehem, Georgia, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to discuss simple tools for starting a special needs ministry.

Easter is a huge celebration for the Church, but as we all know, Easter looks a lot different this year. In light of COVID-19, we’re all experiencing quite a bit of tension planning Easter and figuring out how to make the best of this situation we’re facing. In this episode, the Orange Kids and Orange Students teams talk about an exciting new resource to help the families in your church have an Easter that’s accessible to everyone.

This week, Allyson Evans, NextGen pastor at Life.Church in Edmonton, Oklahoma, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to discuss creative ways for ministry leaders to engage parents.

Six weeks ago, few had even heard the terms “Coronavirus” and “COVID-19.” Now it dominates the airwaves, your social media feeds, and even your casual conversations. As a ministry leader, you’re navigating big decisions about whether to meet in person, cancel activities, or continue services remotely. Even if you choose to meet, many families may be staying home. Whatever your circumstances— AT ORANGE, WE ARE HERE FOR YOU. We’ve put together some dynamic resources to help you continue connecting with your families—and connecting them to Jesus—whatever curveballs come your way.

This week Dan Scott, Curriculum Director for 252 Kids and Preteen at Orange, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen discuss the why and the how of launching a preteen ministry.

This week Cindy Fiala, family pastor and leadership coach, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen discuss healthy ways to lead up.

This week Brad and Brian Sitton, founds of Crowd Control Games, join hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen discuss the value of fun in helping spiritual principles stick.  

This week Mike Tiemann, Director of 252 Kids Large Group, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen discuss keys to setting up Large Group time for Small Group wins.

This week Kevin Litton, Global Kids Pastor at LibertyLive Church, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen discuss the WHY and the HOW of partnering with parents.

This week Tivo McCrary, NextGen pastor at Cornerstone Church in southern Illinois, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to share his experience in building a strong volunteer culture.

This week Sissy Goff, Director of Child and Adolescent Counseling at Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, Tennessee, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to share tools for helping kids process anxiety.

This week Jenny Zimmer, longtime kidmin leader and preschool teacher from So Cal, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to share ideas for showing appreciation to your volunteers during the holidays—even if you have a lack of appreciation for Pinterest!

This week Jenna Kuykendall—singer, songwriter, and worship leader based in Birmingham, Alabama—joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to share her experiences engaging kids of all ages in worship.

This week Kim Botto, Director of Kids’ Club and Student Ministries at the multi-site Crossroads Church in Ohio and Kentucky, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to share strategies for including kids who may not fit in elsewhere.

This week Carrie Hood, FX Director at Village Church in Hayesville, North Carolina, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to share her experience in launching a Jingle Jam to engage parents and kids in her community.

This week Paula Dannielle, Family Ministry Director at Forest Hill Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to share three tools that can help parents win—as well as the power of a well-placed diaper sticker.

This week Lisa Molite, stuff, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to talk five ways to prepare your environments for a Sunday morning experience.

This week Hope Cleveland, seasoned small group leader and professional educator, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to talk engaging with kids in small groups.

This week Ryan Frank, CEO of KidzMatter, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to talk burnout and staying healthy as a children’s ministry leader.

This week Andrae Jones from One Community Church in Plano, Texas, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to talk about creating a “wow” experience for first-time guests to your ministry.

This week, Alston Causey, Director of UpStreet at Gwinnett Church in north Atlanta, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to talk getting ready for your fall ministry season launch.

This week, hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen take on part two of a discussion on building authentic faith in the lives of preschool and elementary-aged kids with practical faith skills. Also: Laffy Taffy and soufflés.

This week, hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen talk spiritual growth and building authentic faith in the lives of preschool and elementary-aged kids. (Also: discover how God wrote the Bible in heaven in gold.)

This week, Meaghan Wall, Pastoral Leader of Special Needs at Stonebriar Community church in Frisco, Texas, joins hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to talk developing a special needs ministry.

This week, Dan Scott, Curriculum Director for 252 Kids and Preteen at Orange, and Brittany Compton, Director of Preschool Strategy at Orange, join hosts Mike, Gina, and Kellen to talk transitions and how to plan for moving kids from one environment to the next. (Also on the agenda: the napacinno—real or mythical?)

This week, author and volunteer-recruiting expert Christine Kreisher joins hosts Mike Clear, Gina McClain, and Kellen Moore to talk recruiting and scheduling summer volunteers.

Orange VBS Director Amy Fenton joins hosts Mike Clear, Gina McClain, and Kellen Moore talk leveraging VBS to create your Very Best Summer.

Hosts Mike Clear, Gina McClain, and Kellen Moore talk planning for Easter—including new volunteer recruitment and training, great signage, and check-in and follow-up for new families.

Hosts Gina, Mike, and Kellen share their personal experiences with handling the salvation conversation and tools for how to invite parents into the process. Also: free stuff!

Dr. Jim Burns of HomeWord ministry joins hosts Mike Clear, Gina McClain, and Kellen Moore to discuss phase-appropriate ways of introducing sexual integrity to preschool and elementary students and how to equip and support parents to have these conversations.

Aaron & Karen Collier, children’s pastor and preschool director at Piedmont Church in Marietta, Ga., visit to talk communicating with your ministry volunteers when it comes to training, vision casting, and celebration. Mike, Gina, Kellen, and the Colliers focus on the value of placing relationship before ministry role.

Pull out the party hats, noisemakers and super fancy party drinks (for those in the preschool ministry world). It’s a new year! And you’ve discovered our brand-new Orange Kids Podcast, where we talk kids’ ministry and discuss practical solutions to our weekly challenges.

Welcome to the first ever Orange Kids Podcast where we talk kids’ ministry and discuss practical solutions to our weekly challenges! You’re in on the ground floor. The birth episode. Numero cero. It’s inaugural. Premier. All delivered straight from the Orange offices where the staff dreams, ideates, delegates, debates, regulates and creates—and where, clearly, Mike makes good use of his thesaurus.