I’m starting to get really excited about Open Grand Rapids, the one-day open-source youth ministry training event… and, since it’s being held on February 22nd, I thought I’d make a list of 22 reasons you should attend. So, here it goes, in no particular order:
- It’s trendy. But seriously, it is. It’s cool to be open source, and what youth minister doesn’t need a shot in the arm of trendy every now and then?
- There’s a killer lineup of presenters. And I’m not just saying that because I’m on it. The idea of OpenYM is that it brings together ordinary people who are thinking a lot about how and why we do youth ministry to share their thoughts. These guys don’t just talk about student ministry, they do it.
- It will help your Klout score. Because you’ll be live-tweeting and instagraming the entire experience, and (if you’re lucky) your candid shot of Adam McLane on snapchat will go viral.
- It’s being held in the greatest city on earth. At least, that’s what everyone from Grand Rapids will tell you. Who can pass up an opportunity to go to GR?
- Networking. You may feel like the only person in your church that cares about students, but you’re not.
- It’s FREE for youth ministry students. True story. If you’re studying youth ministry at the undergrad or graduate level, this event is totally free for you. You just have to pre-register at http://theyouthcartel.com/opgrstudents. And, if you’re not a student, don’t cheat.
- It’s only $25 for everyone else. That’s a great deal. But you’ve got to register by February 15, so register now.
- I’m finding it harder than I imagined coming up with a list of 22 of anything.
- Cool swag. I’m not entirely sure what’ll be in your gift bag, but I can guarantee you the “regionally appropriate swag” will include a swatch of Mark Oestreicher’s beard. You’ll need a good beard to keep your face warm in this climate.
- There is a manifesto. It says there’s something wrong with a world that says only certain people can share their ideas. You can read it here: http://openym.org/manifesto/.
- Did I mention it’s only $25? Register now.
- You’ll get exposed to some great new ideas. Yah, I get it. There’s nothing new under the sun. But, personally, I can’t wait to hear what Matt Laidlaw, Director of Kids and Students Ministries at Mars Hill Bible Church has to say about “An Age-Appropriate Narrative Hermeneutic.”
- It’s fast-paced. Sessions are only 40 minutes long, so you’ll get to hear from six different people in one day. Check out the schedule here.
- Open is proven. In fact, they’re proving it again today in Boston… and hundreds of youth ministers have already come together for incredible one-day Open events in Paris, Seattle and the Bay Area.
- You need to learn too. As a youth pastor, you spend yourself teaching others all the time. This day is about learning.
- It’s being held at Cornerstone University. Cornerstone is a fantastic place, offering us use of their incredible facilities at no cost… because they love youth ministry just as much as we do.
- It won’t kill your entire annual budget. Some of the other youth ministry training events are expensive (worth it, but expensive). This one’s different. It’s worth it, and not expensive.
- This event is locally-organized and locally focused. Most of our presenters are from right here in Michigan, and the ones that aren’t have been invited to share because their content is relevant here too. You won’t sit through a single session thinking, sounds great, if I lived in [insert name of some far-away city here].
- It promotes collaboration. Even our organizing team brings together people from lots of backgrounds (Catholic, evangelical, liberal and conservative). If we can work together, so can you.
- We’ve got great sponsors. With sponsors like ymLaunch and World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine, you know you’ll be taken care of and have the opportunity to learn about great resources that can help you do ministry better.
- It’s not just for paid youth pastors. That’s right, whether you’re a youth ministry student, volunteer, or a senior pastor interested in helping students walk closer with Christ, this event has something for you.
- It’s fun. This is like Comic-Con for youth workers… so wear your gorilla costume. You won’t be the only one.
See you there!