Due to Covid-19, we have seen many conferences either cancel their event or take it online.
Now that things are kinda' starting to return to "normal," what does the future hold for children's ministry conferences?
Online conferences will continue. They will continue to grow in popularity.
Many ministries were forced to go online due to the
pandemic. And the response has been notable. Conferences sell digital
tickets for those who cannot attend in person.
There are advantages to hosting an online conference.
People can attend from around the world.
It is more cost effective for people to attend. They are not having to pay for plane tickets, gas money, food, hotel, etc.
Sessions can be recorded and put online for easy access and on demand.
In-person conferences will continue to rebound. These will build back momentum in 2022 and will continue to grow stronger in 2023. While online is a great way to host a conference, in my opinion nothing can take the place of an in-person conference.
Live conferences can provide 3 big things people are anticipating when they sign up for a live conference.
Connection - you can connect with people who are of kindred spirit and ministry.
Community - you can be spend time with people who will encourage you, challenge you and support you.
Content - you can partner with other people who are passionately seeking to create relevant content that will help ministries move forward.
Most conferences will offer a hybrid. They will offer both in-person and online for their conference. This format meets the needs of both groups and enables many more people to attend.
These online conferences can offer live interaction with the speaker through Q & A, chat, etc.
Your turn. What do you think the future of children's ministry conferences will look like? Share your thoughts and insight in the comment section below.
