Why We Offer a Connections Confab
[This is a modified version of a post that originally appeared on December 2, 2014]
A couple of weeks ago I announced the 2017 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 multiple emails and phone calls 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 touch points 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.
Our previous two Confabs have been more than just another series of events on the calendar. They were opportunities to reconnect with old friends, get to know some new ones, and get around a table to see what God could teach us about the people he’s bringing to our churches. The leaders he’s brought our way have been high-caliber and hungry, spanning churches from 150 years old to not-quite-launched plants, leaders with decades of experience to “Hey I just unloaded the U-Haul,” and even leaders from different ministry areas such as communications, kids, and executive-level ministries.
Our church believes in this Confab, because we believe in the work of your church. And I’d love for you to be a part of it. Applications are already rolling in, and we’ll be making the final calls over the next few weeks. The time to apply is now.
Want to know more? Check out the overview doc or apply for the Confab today!
The deets:
- The 2017 Confab will meet on February 8, March 15, May 6-7, and June 14.
- 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 or wants to know more about the connections process at their church.
- Total cost for the Confab is $850, which includes all training materials, meals on site, and a truckload of resources. Special pricing for local hotels is also available.
photo: Lindsey Wachter
