Orange is in. Everyone must have it in their wardrobe, refer to it regularly, and show it off whenever possible. Nowhere is this more true, than in the church.
The concept of Think Orange, a book written by Reggie Joiner, states the influence of the church and family working together makes a greater impact than those same two influences can have individually. This ministry philosophy seeks to unite family and church to have a stronger spiritual impact on children and adolescents.
Orange is the topic of many sermons, and many are attending the conferences. Many churches are changing the titles of their pastors (to include the word family), but…
does it go any deeper?
I fear that many churches have added an orange outfit to their closet, just in case they need it. They have bought the book, know the bullet points, and spout off the right answers when the topic is discussed. However, Reggie writes, “Family ministry should not be another program you add to your list of programs. It should be the filter you use to create and evaluate what you do to influence children and teenagers.” (Think Orange, 83)
We have to move orange beyond fad, and into practice.
In order to accomplish this…
- We must value the unity of the body, and destroy ageism within the church.
- We must advocate for parents and empower them to lead spiritually-connected families.
- We must fight for intergenerational unity and diversity.
- We must explore new paths towards long-lasting fruit in youth and emerging adult ministry.
As a youthworker, I know you are overwhelmed. It is hard to evaluate when you have several families in crisis and another program to prepare for in just a few hours. However, a time of reflection and evaluation is always worth the effort.
If you are interested in an overhaul, and don’t know where to begin, contact David at gdavid@earesources.org.
