I’m excited to share with you about a new Youth Ministry Conference called Scribble Sessions.

I will be going to Scribble Sessions so I’m looking forward to meeting any that may also be attending this event. I believe it will be one of the best youth ministry conferences this year!

I spoke with Chris Ball who is helping to coordinate Scribble Sessions and I wanted to share with you about what it will be about. I want to apologize first because I wanted to write about this last month, but I have been swamped trying to move to my new position in Poteau, Oklahoma so I’m just now getting to it.

This is straight from Chris Ball:

I have been doing youth ministry for ten years now.  Over the past ten years, I have been to plenty of the big youth ministry shows.  I have seen the crowds, the lights, and I have heard the redneck jokes.  All great stuff, but it’s a new day.  Please let me explain why we are doing Scribble:

1.  We are living in a recession and many churches are cutting back on their conference budgets.  We want to offer a quality affordable one day experience for youth ministers.

2.  Scribble is about Jesus and great ideas.  Students are processing information at an alarming rate.  Much of it is done through networking and a more concentrated focus on information.  Look at Myspace vs. Facebook vs. Twitter.  It’s getting smaller and faster not fatter and louder.  Scribble is about deflating the four day conference and getting down to the nuts and bolts of key youth ministry ideas. Scribble will offer 8 great ideas from 8 great youth ministry minds in one day.

3.  We have an unbelievable speaking lineup.  We have been really blessed to have guys jump in who want to speak into the lives of youth ministers.  They all come from different arenas of life and they may even disagree on certain issues but we know they all have something important to say and a deep passion to see students connect deeply to Jesus.

4.  Louisville is a perfect location.  It is less than three hours from Cincinnati, Nashville, and Indianapolis. Afterwards you can stop by 4th Street and have a look around, hang at Waterfront park, catch a Bats game, or check out the Louisville Slugger Museum.

5.  Ultimately we love Jesus and want to serve the church.  Over the years I have been honored to link arms with other guys whose blood, sweat, and tears go into youth ministry.  It is a world few people understand.  For one day, we don’t want to link arms with you, we want to lift your arms up and pour into you.  We appreciate you and are praying for you.  We are also looking forward to scribbling with you.

See you in October,

Chris Ball

The Event is coming very quickly (again apologize on the lateness, but it’s not too late to register) October 9th is the day of the event and it’s held at Northside Christian Church Louisville, Kentucky. The cost of the conference is $129.

See you there!

Here are the 8 Youth Ministry Minds:

		Duffy Robbins is a twenty-seven year veteran of youth ministry, having gained extensive experience as a youth minister in both para-church and local parish positions. He currently is an associate staff member at Youth Specialities, speaking across the country at many gatherings for youth. Duffy is the author of numerous books, as well as curriculum for youth ministers around the world.
		Steve Argue is the Life Development Director at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, MI. His role involves thinking through formation development children and student ministries. In addition, he also teaches youth ministry at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary; and is the co-founder of Intersect, a non-profit dedicated to innovative training and consulting for emerging leaders.
		Joe Myers is a multiprenuer, interventionist, conversationalist, author, and thinker. He has spent the last several years in study and research discovering how language influences community development. His consulting firm, FrontPorch, specializes in creating conversations that promote and develop community. He is a founding partner of a communication arts group, settingPace; and the President of the Board for BLOC Ministries.
		Michael Novelli has invested more than 15 years leading youth ministries and serving youth workers. Michael develops interactive curriculum and events to help students, educators and youth workers learn in new ways. Michael has written numerous resources, including the book, “Shaped by the Story: Helping Students Encouter God in a New Way”, recently released by Youth Specialties/Zondervan.
		Braun Brown and Rob Thomas created the characters, Johnny and Chachi, for their church family camp and have continued to create videos and perform live with the characters. Rob (Johnny) is the president of RT Productions, Inc. This company includes Igniter Media, WorshipHouse Media, COLLIDE Magazine, and the ECHO Conference. Braun (Chachi) is the Student Ministry Director at Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas.
		Bob Russell is an accomplished author and retired pastor. At just twenty-two years of age, Bob became the pastor of Southeast Christian Church. Today that small congregation of 120 members has become one of the largest churches in America, with 18,000 people attending the three worship services every weekend. Bob retired from Southeast in June 2006.
		Matt Reagan is the Student Ministry Pastor at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. He’s been in youth ministry for over 10 years, with the passion to “awaken a generation to the glory of God.” He’s a creative visionary and thinker. He’s been involved in leadership and spoken at several CIY (Christ in Youth) conferences.
		Jon McCallon is on the student ministry team at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. For the last 10 years Jon has been grabbing hold of “light bulb” moments in student ministry: the moments where students, parents and/or volunteers may finally say “aha” to an idea or action God is calling them to. He primarily works with programming and pastoring junior high students.
		Chad Rehnberg is on the student ministry team at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. He’s passionate about reaching urban communities, and continually learning how to develop urban and suburban partnerships that will change and benefit both communities. A husband and father of 4, his family is located in the west end of Louisville–a very unreached area of the city. His mission field is with his neighbors, as well as the east end, where he desires to show others that money doesn’t negate your need for God.