KidzMatter Conference 2024 - Recap
A week well spent
Lauren and I were so impressed and blessed by our time at The KidzMatter Conference. The passion for God, children, ministry to them, and the leaders in this work was evident; the focus on God and His Word was present throughout; and the scope and scale of the conference was overwhelming (in a good way).
The staff, speakers, and attendees all clearly possessed a passion for children's ministry. Some traveled thousands of miles just to be here. Many were just volunteers who paid out of their own pockets to attend.
There were many ways that the event staff demonstrated their passion for children's ministry and those who work in it. One way that immediately caught my eye was the designated counseling and prayer sessions/stations. As we walked to the main stage every morning, we were greeted by the sign you can see in the picture below. Throughout the conference center, staff members were waiting to pray with those who needed it. There were even counseling and prayer "breakout sessions" scheduled throughout the day to support the dedicated workers who attended the conference.
From day one, the focus on God and His Word was clear. We can discuss programming, curriculum, scheduling, and all of the "practical" stuff all day long, but what matters is God and our relationship with Him. In children's ministry, it is our job to point kids to God and their need for a relationship with Him. We need to reinforce that when they have needs, God's Word has the answers. Faithfulness to God and His Word are what truly matter at the end of the day.
The scope of the conference was overwhelming (in a good way). Going into the week, we had 6 main stages, 200+ breakout sessions, and 100+ ministry partners to look forward to. The sheer amount of opportunities made it feel like we were diving into an ocean of resources and information. Thankfully, KidzMatter thought ahead and recorded all of the sessions for us to review later.
Every session I went to and each resource I collected was an answer to prayer. With all of the recent changes in our life and ministry, there has been plenty of room for growth, but growth always comes with growing pains. As I have been seeking to address needs in my own life and in my church's ministry, I have prayed that God would bring people and helpful resources across my path. This week, I found over a dozen of both at The KidzMatter Conference. God truly used this week as an answer to prayer!
The KidzMatter Conference has been an encouragement and a blessing. We’ve learned so much and God has used this week in incredible ways. Both Lauren and I are looking forward to attending next year!
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Soli Deo Gloria,
Caleb Friske