October 20-21, 2008
Scarritt-Bennett Center
Nashville, TN

A Conference for Children's Ministry Leaders, Youth Pastors, Parents, Grandparents, Homeschooling Parents, and anyone who works with and seriously cares for kids.

Participation is limited to 60 participants
$149.00 per person
(Price does not include lodging)

"Toto, We're Not in Kansas Anymore!"
Audio Preview of Conference (mp3--Appr 8 minutes)
This file may take a minute or more to download.

"Teaching Them Why", Preview - Spot 1


"Teaching Them Why", Preview - Spot 2


"Teaching Them Why", Preview - Spot 3

Here's what some of the 2007 attendees had to say . . .

"Thank you for challenging me - for showing me how to think in new ways, to be open to where God wants our ministry to go..."

"We get so comfortable in our 'bubble' that we fail... to understand why we really believe what we believe... An awesome topic."

"I am a postmodern... I hope you will do this again, and soon because I've got lots of friends I want to send!”

"Wow--we all need to change how we are relating to kids! [And] not just kids."

[read more...]

Just like Dorothy and her little dog Toto in the classic film The Wizard of Oz, we step out of our homes into a new millennium which is very different from world we grew up in. Whether or not we are comfortable with it, America is now post-biblical, post-Christian, post-modern, and pluralistic.

If you are unfamiliar with the concept of pluralism, it can be summed up in 3 points:

• Different ethnic, racial, religious and social groups maintain their identity and culture within a common civilization.
• All religious teachers and traditions are considered equal.
• Tolerance and respect for others' traditions are expected.
  
  

According to church growth researcher George Barna, 9 million twenty-year-olds have made a mass exodus from the church, and Eastern religions are the growth leaders in our nation. What does this mean for children’s ministries, families, and the church? How can we equip the next generation (and ourselves) for the challenges and opportunities of our pluralistic culture?

---

Best-selling author and children’s communicator Karyn Henley has prepared a provocative 2-day seminar (Monday night–Tuesday afternoon) to help you train the next generation to proactively interface with our increasingly pluralistic society.

---

Teaching Kids Why is not your typical "feel-good" children's ministry event. Even though these sessions are designed to be an enjoyable experience, they are not for the faint-of-heart. Come prepared for a time of self-examination and perhaps some paradigm adjustment.

---

It is our hope and prayer that you will leave this event equipped with a deep personal apologetic as well as an understanding of how to communicate that apologetic not only to children and youth, but to neighbors, co-workers, and friends. You will be challenged to consider and express your faith in a way that is authentic to you, so that you can lead the children in your care to do the same.

---

(Topics and Schedule subject to modification)

• Faith-Quake: Where Are We Today?
  Radical changes. Reshaping. Redefinition. Reengineering. Revolution. These are all descriptions applied to the church in America today. We will take a look at the first piece of the puzzle--the current spiritual climate in the U.S.
  
  
• The Nuts and Bolts of Faith Development
  The second puzzle piece of the puzzle: How do kids grow mentally and morally? How does belief develop? Where does the church fit in? Where do we?
  
  
• Missing the Message
  Although we have good intentions, we often make Truth unbelievable. What are the roadblocks we inadvertently construct on our kids’ road to faith? How do we dismantle them??
  
  
• Do Our Kids Know Why They Believe?
  In our post-Christian, post-biblical, pluralistic society, we've been teaching our kids how to worship, study the Bible, memorize scripture, and become a Christian. In this session you'll explore why knowing how to be a Christian is not enough, and why an appeal to the Bible is often unconvincing.
  
  
• The World's Mall of Religions: Why Should I Buy Christianity?
  Our children are, or soon will be, making friends with people who are Buddhist, Hindu, New Age, Muslim, and other persuasions. They are discovering that many of these friends are kinder, more accepting and generous, and less judgmental than many Christians they know. "Why," they may ask, "should I be a Christian?"
  
  We will visit an imaginary mall of religions to find out what different world religions are offering and what they cost. You'll understand what all religions have in common and what makes belief in Jesus unique and supreme.
  
  
• Making It Practical
  After having taken a look at our society, at our children, and the church, you’ll formulate an age-appropriate apologetic of Perfect Love for kids, whether they are two years old or in their teens. You'll learn how to use relevant object lessons to explain the salvation message to children so they can understand why they believe in Jesus, and so they can explain their belief to others.