Why You Should Take Advantage of the Connections Confab

This morning I’m gathering for the final time with a group of leaders who have become my friends. We’ve spent the last few months together looking at Connections Ministry from every possible facet. It has been a shared journey of learning and discovery, and I’ve been proud to be a part of it.

Recently I announced version 2.0 of this gathering. We call it the Connections Confab – a small gathering for guest services / assimilation geeks that is part coaching network, part learning lab, and part connections people hangout. So now you know what it is. The question: why are we offering it?

The Summit is a church that loves to invest in other churches. We believe that when the water in the harbor rises, all the boats in the harbor rise with it (you’re welcome for that random, yet obvious nautical fact). We want to be good stewards of the grace that God has given to us, and share that grace with others.

Every week, I field an email or two or twelve from guest services folks around the country. Whether it’s a random database question or a more general “I’m transitioning to a new role, what’s my first step?” inquiry, it’s a real joy for me to share what we’ve learned and maybe help others steer clear of some of our roadblocks.And those emails and phone calls and Twitter DMs will continue. I love serving folks who do what I do, and those informal touchpoints are a great way to do that. But over the last few years, our elder team has seen an increased need for a more formalized process, a way to help other churches move from point A to point B in the way they take care of guests.It’s a way that our Connections Ministry can join our church planting team, our counseling ministry, and our worship ministry in offering specific, practical helps to other local churches.

For me, the 2015 Confab is more than just another series of events on the calendar. It’s an opportunity to reconnect with old friends, get to know some new ones, and get around a table to see what God can teach us about the people he’s bringing to our churches.Want to know more?  Check out the overview doc or apply for the Confab today!

The deets:

• The 2015 Confab will meet this fall on August 20, September 16, October 10-11, and November 11.
• Some of our topics will include intentional guest services, moving guests from connected to committed, developing a healthy volunteer culture, developing leadership pipelines, protecting your DNA as a multi-site church, and many more.
• The Confab is designed for ministry leaders, administrators, senior pastors, or anyone who oversees the connections process at their church.
• Total cost for the Confab is $850, which includes personal coaching, meals on site, a truckload of resources, and other random goodies. If you need lodging (one night for each day of training), that will bump the total cost to $1500.
• All applications are due on June 30, so apply today!

(photo: Lindsey Wachter)