Curriculum Strategy Archives | Think Orange We create curriculum, resources, and training to help every ministry leader reimagine what their church does for kids and teenagers. Sun, 23 Nov 2025 16:30:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://thinkorange.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cropped-OrangeLogo-300x75-1-32x32.png Curriculum Strategy Archives | Think Orange 32 32 ANNOUNCED Weekly | Amazing Students, Wonder Characters, Music, Parent+ & More https://thinkorange.com/blog/announced-weekly-amazing-students-wonder-characters-music-parent-more/ Tue, 25 Nov 2025 16:00:00 +0000 https://thinkorange.com/?p=54102 We know that week after week, you’re planning, leading, and shepherding kids, students, and families (on top of everything else you carry). These Announced recaps are meant to give you a clear, practical snapshot of what’s new and what’s in progress, so you can quickly see what will actually serve your strategy, your leaders, and your families.

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🎥 Watch This Week’s Conversation


[Watch the Live replay] 

If you missed this week’s Facebook Live, catch the full replay to hear the heart and strategy behind each update. This week, Tyler walks through Amazing Students, Amazing Music, Wonder characters, Parent+, and Church Conference.

Amazing Students: From “All the Things” to the Most-Used Things

Student ministry isn’t one-size-fits-all, and Amazing Students reflects that. Unlike XP3, it focuses on the tools and content you actually use most, making ministry simpler, more practical, and easier to lead week to week.

What we learned 

XP3 was robust and offered lots of options. However, when our team spoke with student pastors and examined usage patterns, one significant thing became apparent: almost no one was utilizing everything.

Most churches were consistently using three main things: Graphics packages, Small group content, and Media

Why we pruned (and what’s growing next)

Instead of trying to build all the things, we decided to prune on purpose. Pruning isn’t about doing less forever; it’s about doing the right things first so the future growth is healthy and sustainable. So: 

  • We doubled down on graphics, small groups, and media because that’s what most churches actually use.
  • We intentionally shortened the teaching script because a large chunk of users weren’t using it at all. Those who do use it told us they mostly adapt it as a starting point for their own talk.

 

Does that mean a full, more robust script will never come back? Not at all. But right now we’re focusing on providing a strong base that churches can build on while we grow the library in sustainable ways.

What’s coming soon to Amazing Students

  • Games
    • Evergreen, student-loved games that come from practitioners
    • Designed to actually work in real rooms, not just on paper
  • Richer small group questions
    • More culturally aware, “this is what’s happening in our world right now” angles
    • Clear connection from real-life cultural moments → “this is what the Bible says about it”
  • Conversations Videos: Real Stories, Real Scripture, Real Short
    • Short, conversation-style stories, driven content around issues students are actually facing. Think: Real Stories, Real Scripture, Real Short.
    • Designed to drop into your service at different points: Use as a transition between worship and message, drop it mid-message to illustrate a key idea, or use it as a launchpad for small groups (“What do you need to release to God?”)

       

Amazing Music: Where It Lives and How to Use It

You already know what it feels like when a song sticks. Parents tell us, “Our kids won’t stop singing these songs in the car.” That’s the goal! 

Amazing Music is designed to help you lead age-appropriate worship without writing or arranging everything from scratch, and give families songs they can take home and sing together all week

Here’s how to get it into your rooms:

Where to find Amazing Music

  • APlay and APlay Pro
    • All Amazing Music currently lives inside APlay.
    • You can access the full library through APlay Pro even if you don’t use Apple TV. Log in, pull from the cloud library, and build playlists for your services. (APlay Pro is offline-friendly! So bad Wi-Fi doesn’t interrupt worship or cause buffering mid-service.)

What each song includes:

Every Amazing Music track comes in three formats for maximum flexibility:

  • A dance video, for younger ages, or to get kids on their feet
  • A lyric video (motion background + on-screen lyrics) for a more “worship set” feel
  • An instrumental lyric video for when your worship leaders want to lead live

     

“Can we download files? Will they be on Spotify?”

  • Songs are downloadable for use inside APlay/APlay Pro, not as raw MP4 files to store elsewhere.
  • For churches and families who just want to listen, songs are available on Spotify, Apple Music, and other major platforms.
  • Preschool music (and its adorable new animations) is currently exclusive to APlay. There’s no immediate plan to put those tracks on streaming platforms.

 

We’re currently at around 123 songs and expect to pass 200+ by next year, with new partnerships and artists joining the mix.

Virtues: Supporting the Bottom Line, Not the Other Way Around

The short answer to a big question: No, the virtues are not going away.

But they are changing roles.

Why we’re adjusting how we use virtues

Over time, we noticed a tension:

  • Trying to fit 4–5 Bible stories into one monthly virtue sometimes led to stretching passages beyond their intended context.
  • Our theological advisory board—made up of both practitioners and trained theologians—pointed out where certain bottom lines and Bible stories didn’t align or were pulling a text out of context.

We care deeply about:

  • Teaching the Bible in its proper context
  • Letting Scripture drive the bottom line

     

What this means in practice

You may start to see:

  • Multiple virtues in a month instead of one overarching virtue
    • Example: Week 1 → Courage, Week 2 → Forgiveness, Week 3 → Kindness
  • Continued emphasis on the bottom line and Bible story as the “main thing” you want kids and parents to remember. Virtues will stay as a way to describe how the Holy Spirit is shaping us… not a box we force every story into

 

We still love using virtues to:

  • Help kids name and recognize Christlike character (e.g., “David showed courage because he trusted God.”)
  • Help parents measure growth (“Where do we see kindness, honesty, or perseverance growing in our kid’s life?”)

 

We’re simply making sure Bible → bottom line → virtue, not the other way around.

Wonder: More Ollie, More Friends, More Representation

Wonder is getting some beautiful updates, especially in the character space!

Why add more characters?

Kids see themselves in stories and characters. When we give them a diverse cast, we give them:

  • Multiple personalities and temperaments to relate to
  • Different ways to process feelings, conflict, and questions
  • On-ramps for quieter kids, more reserved kids, big-feeling kids, and everyone in between

Think: Winnie-the-Pooh-style quadrants. Each character embodies a different way of responding and relating, so kids can say, “That’s kind of like me.”

Ollie isn’t going anywhere

In fact, Ollie is getting more presence as the wise, steady “sage” voice that:

  • Helps kids connect their feelings and experiences back to God’s Word
  • Guides them through questions like, “What does the Bible say about this?” or “How does Jesus feel about how I’m feeling?”

Ollie’s new friends will help show different ways kids might react to the same truth, and carry the story forward in daily devos and follow-up content.

When you’ll see it

Starting January 1, you’ll see:

  • New Wonder episodes with the updated character set
  • Updated activity pages that visually match the characters kids see on screen (e.g., the Jesus in the episode is the Jesus they’re coloring or crafting with)

     

So & So Show: Kellen at the Desk!

Big change, same heart.

What’s happening

  • Kellen is taking over the So & So desk in upcoming content.
  • John and Brandon are still very much part of the creative DNA: They’re still writing for the show, and you’ll still see them appear in and out of episodes.

Why Kellen?

Preteens have a strong radar for “Is this real or are you just trying to entertain me?”

Kellen uniquely balances silly and serious, can land a Bible truth with clarity and warmth, and connects deeply with kids. The new So & So season uses imagination and questions to take preteens on a journey to understanding God’s Word, not just hearing it.

Content featuring Kellen in this new role begins January content (uploading soon, including February).

Parent+ App: Your Church’s Branded Disciple-Making Tool

You’ve probably heard some buzz about the Parent+ app. Here’s the clearer picture.

What Parent+ is

Parent+ is a white-labeled, customizable parent app that carries your church’s name, logo, and branding. It connects directly to what kids and students are learning in your ministry.

What’s inside for parents

  • Weekly bottom lines and Bible stories
  • Convo cards with questions to ask kids and students
  • Videos and songs that mirror weekend content
  • Age-specific content for preschool, elementary, preteen, middle school, and high school
  • Devotionals and prayers to pray over their kids
  • Customizable blog content you can write or pull from curated options
  • A calendar for your ministry events and registrations
  • Push notifications (“Ask this question tonight,” “Don’t forget Mom’s Group this Thursday,” etc.)

In early beta testing, churches are seeing around 76% of parents in their ministries actively engaging with the app during the week. 

How it works for your church

  • Parent+ is available as part of Amazing+.
  • Our team walks you through an 8–12 week onboarding process that includes:
    • Setting up your Apple developer account so the app is published under your church
    • Gathering your logo, colors, and branding
    • Building your app to suit your context
    • Training you to toggle content, add questions, communicate with parents and customize what they see

If you want to explore whether Parent+ is a fit for your context, visit JoinAmazing.com and connect with our team.

Church Conference: Orange Conference, Reimagined

Yes, the conference you know and love is still happening, just under a name that matches its purpose even more clearly.

Why the shift to “Church Conference”?

We’re still deeply committed to the Orange strategy (home + church) and to influencing those who influence the faith of the next generation.

But that influence doesn’t stop with kids and student pastors.

Church Conference is designed for:

  • Kids pastors
  • Student pastors
  • Parents and family ministry leaders
  • Worship and production leaders
  • Executive pastors and senior leaders

We want every layer of church leadership to catch the vision for a birth-through-18 strategy, see how their role supports a unified discipleship journey, and leave with practical tools that serve real people in real churches

You can learn more at AChurchConference.com.

Kingdom Quest VBS: Following the Light of Jesus with Peter

Finally, a quick teaser for VBS:

Kingdom Quest invites kids into an epic, game-inspired adventure where they follow the story of Peter and Jesus across several key moments. 

Each day helps kids explore:

  • What it means to find the light in Jesus
  • What it looks like to follow Him in real life
  • How the Holy Spirit shapes us into people who live in God’s Kingdom

    Learn more here. More details and teasers coming soon.

We’re In This With You

From Amazing Students content, to Wonder updates, Church Conference, and Kingdom Quest—every update has the same heartbeat: To serve you as you serve kids, students, and families.

Have a story, question, or suggestion? We’d love to hear from you. Email us anytime at hello@amazinglife.com – we’re honored to partner with you.

The post ANNOUNCED Weekly | Amazing Students, Wonder Characters, Music, Parent+ & More appeared first on Think Orange.

]]> ANNOUNCED Weekly | Parent+, HelloBaby, & Updates That Serve Your Strategy https://thinkorange.com/blog/announced-weekly-parent-hellobaby-updates-that-serve-your-strategy/ Tue, 18 Nov 2025 15:04:42 +0000 https://thinkorange.com/?p=54070 Every week, you’re doing the quiet, faithful work of shaping the next generation. Our goal with these weekly recaps is simple: to put tools in your hands that make that work a little lighter, a little clearer, and a lot more sustainable.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s new, updated, and how it can serve you, your leaders, and your families.

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🎥 Watch This Week’s Conversation

If you missed this week’s episode, catch the full replay here:
👉 Watch the Replay

In this week’s conversation, we covered:

  • Parent+: a white-labeled parent app for your church
  • HelloBaby: turning the nursery into ministry
  • Kingdom Quest VBS 2026
  • Why we’re standardizing NIrV
  • Service Builder updates and how it powers Parent+

New Parent App Experience: Parent+

We know you’ve felt this sinking moment before: Parents greet their kids for pickup and you overhear them ask, “What did you learn today?” and their kid shrugs and says, “I don’t know.” You get their Sundays, but parents get their entire week. So our team started dreaming: What could it look like to serve parents beyond take-home handouts (that may or may not end up on floor of the car)?

Introducing Parent+.

“But wait, isn’t that what Parent Cue is?”

Yes and no. Parent+ is built on all the great ways Parent Cue has served parents, but with feedback and learnings from churches on how it could be better, and world-class technology to make it even more impactful and personalized. Most importantly, Parent+ is:

  • White-labeled for your church

This means that instead of sending parents to a generic Amazing Life app, the app is named after your church (e.g., if you attend Bridge Church → the app is called Bridge Parents). It’s your logo, your colors, your app—not ours.

  • The content mirrors what kids see on the weekend

There’s a recap of what kids learned each week, bottom lines and memory verses, questions to spark meaningful discussion, Bible story videos, and devotionals that tie directly into the weekend content.

  • Customizable to your strategy

You can add your own reflection questions, write your own parent blogs (or pull from a curated blog library), add your Kids/Students ministry calendar and registration links, send push notifications (ex: “Ask your kids this question tonight” or “Don’t forget, Mom’s Group is this Thursday!”)

In our beta tests, churches are seeing around 76% engagement from parents using the app throughout the week. That means more conversations, more connection, and more discipleship happening between Sundays.

Bottom line: This isn’t “tech for tech’s sake.” It’s a way to make it easier for busy parents to stay connected to what their kids are learning, and to feel like your church is walking with them all week long.

Want to learn more or explore the Parent app for your church? Visit JoinAmazing.com/ParentPlus or reach out to your Customer Success partner.

HelloBaby: More Than Childcare

From the moment a baby is placed in your care, you’re doing far more than “watching the nursery,” you’re shaping the first chapter of their faith story.

But it doesn’t always feel that way. The nursery can seem like background support while “real ministry” happens elsewhere. That’s where HelloBaby comes in.

Babies may not understand every word, but they do experience the love, presence, and peace that surround them. HelloBaby helps you turn your nursery into more than childcare—a soft, sacred space where the youngest hearts begin to connect church (and the people of God) with comfort and joy.

For the first year of a baby’s life, HelloBaby centers on one core truth: Jesus loves you.
That message is repeated through songs, visuals, prayers, and gentle routines.

What HelloBaby looks like in your nursery

Churches in our early testing are:

  • Sitting babies in semi-circles or Bumbo-style seats for “circle time”
  • Handing out maracas and tambourines for baby worship moments
  • Using simple picture books to tell Bible truths
  • Playing a bubble song that pairs bubbles with lyrics about God’s deep and wide love (It’s as adorable and magical as it sounds.)

HelloBaby is designed to help leaders and volunteers see the nursery as ministry, not just childcare.

Timeline & Next Steps

HelloBaby is set to launch in January 2026 with all Amazing+ subscriptions. We’re currently building a beta group of churches to test, give feedback, and help shape the final experience.

Interested in being part of the beta or learning more? Learn more about HelloBaby and connect with your Customer Success Manager.

Kingdom Quest VBS 2026: Following Jesus Through the Eyes of Peter

VBS is one of the biggest on-ramps for kids and families into your church. In 2026, Kingdom Quest invites them into an epic journey through worlds unknown as they discover what it means to live in the Kingdom of God, guided by the real-life faith story of Simon Peter.

The big idea

Jesus spent a lot of time talking about the Kingdom of God. In Kingdom Quest, kids don’t just hear about it, they experience it as they learn:

  • What the Kingdom of God is and why it’s good news
  • How Jesus invites us into His Kingdom
  • What it looks like to live as part of that Kingdom in their real, everyday lives

Each day, kids walk through a different moment from Peter’s journey as he follows Jesus, stumbles, learns, and grows into a bold Kingdom leader.

A cinematic adventure kids will love

The story framework uses a portal-style adventure that feels like stepping inside their favorite games and movies:

  • Kids get “pulled” into a new dimension and must find port keys to get home
  • They battle darkness and follow the light, mirroring the spiritual journey we see in Peter’s story

Throughout the week, they travel through different game-inspired worlds:

  • A space/sci-fi environment (with Among Us–style vibes)
  • A jungle-run world reminiscent of Temple Run
  • A castle/kingdom setting that brings the “Kingdom” theme to life visually

Each environment is intentionally tied back to the daily Bible story and theme, so the fun and the truth are always connected. As kids journey with Peter and follow the light of Jesus, they’re invited to see themselves as Kingdom followers too—right now, right where they are.

A theme song that tells the story

The VBS theme song Roll With You just released on Spotify and Apple Music! The lyrics echo Peter’s journey: learning to follow Jesus, trust Him, and live in His Kingdom. Churches are already sending in dance videos and motions, and there are lyric and motion videos included to make it easy to bring to your environment.

Ready to start planning Kingdom Quest? Visit AmazingVBS.com for details, samples, and resources. And yes—there will be a Black Friday sale, so keep an eye out!

Bible Translation: Why NIrV

We’ve heard your questions around Bible translations—especially NIrV vs. NIV—and how that impacts what kids see in large group, small group, and printed materials.

What’s changing

Going forward, Amazing curriculum will primarily use NIrV (New International Reader’s Version) in Bible stories, memory verses, and Scripture references across all age levels.

Why NIrV?

  • It’s written around a third-grade reading level, making Scripture more accessible to kids.
  • It allows us to communicate complex theological ideas in clear, phase-appropriate language.
  • It keeps things consistent across all curricula so that kids, leaders, and parents are seeing the same words and verses.

We’re not anti-NIV (or any other translation). We love the variety of ways Scripture is faithfully translated. But, for clarity and consistency, we’re standardizing NIrV in our core materials.

What this means for your church

If your church prefers to use a different translation in live teaching:

  • You can easily swap verses using the blank slides included in your media packages.
  • You can still build your own slides in tools like ProPresenter or APlay Pro with the translation your church uses.

If you’re purchasing Bibles for kids and families:

  • We’ll continue to recommend NIrV as a great option that aligns with what kids see in our curriculum.

If you have questions or want to discuss translation decisions further, your Customer Success partner would love to connect.

Service Builder: Smarter Planning That Gives You Time Back

If you’ve logged into APlay lately, you may have noticed two buttons: APlay and Service Builder. Service Builder is the central place where your planning, scripts, media, and parent tools all connect.

Inside Service Builder, you can:

  • Edit scripts and PDFs

Adjust teaching scripts, instructions, and worship elements, toggle activities on and off, and add your own notes or custom sections.

  • Manage activity pages and handouts

Compile and download activity pages, and build a script that matches your unique environment.

  • Auto-build supply lists

As you build your service, your shopping list updates in real time. (No more manual counting across multiple PDFs!)

  • Align with your media

Build your service and media components in one place so nothing gets missed

Upgrades in progress

You’ve been honest with your feedback, and our engineers are actively responding. Some of the improvements in the works include more flexible ways to combine multiple PDFs into one export, export just what you need (scripts only, activities only, etc.), and smarter page breaks and formatting in exported PDFs

The pace is fast on purpose: leaders are already logging in and saying, “I just started using this and it’s already changed again, in a good way.”

How it connects with Parent+

If you’re using Amazing+ with the Parent+ app, Service Builder is becoming the hub:

  • As you build a service in Service Builder, it also builds the Parent+ app content.
  • You can still customize what parents see, but everything starts from one plan, one system.

The heart behind all of this: to save you time on logistics so you can spend more time pastoring, discipling, and leading people.

If you haven’t tried it yet, take some time this week to log into Service Builder and build out an upcoming service. Experiment, export, and see how it fits your current workflow.

Don’t Miss: A New Podcast!

Finally, if you haven’t tuned in yet, the Amazing Kids Ministry Podcast has officially launched.

The first episode features Jim Wideman, walking through the history of kids ministry and what we’ve learned over the past 30 years. The next episode features Lecrae, talking about how we communicate the gospel and why the words we choose matter.

If you haven’t listened or watched yet, you can Find the podcast on Youtube. Be sure to share episodes with your team as training and encouragement.

We’re in This With You

Every update this week—Parent app, HelloBaby, Kingdom Quest VBS, translation clarity, and Service Builder—comes back to one thing: serving you as you serve kids, students, and families.

As we continue building tools, apps, and curriculum, we promise to keep asking:
Does this actually make ministry simpler, stronger, and more sustainable for you?

Because when your systems are lighter and your tools work with you, you’re freed up to do what only you can do: Love kids. Equip parents. Lead your team. Point people to Jesus.

If any of these updates sparked questions or ideas for your ministry, reach out to your Customer Success Manager; we’d love to help you think it through. We’re honored to partner with you.

Tell Us What You Need

Have a story, question, or suggestion? We’d love to hear from you.
Email us anytime at hello@amazinglife.com — your input helps shape what’s next.

The post ANNOUNCED Weekly | Parent+, HelloBaby, & Updates That Serve Your Strategy appeared first on Think Orange.

]]> ANNOUNCED Weekly | Animation, Inspiration, and Tools to Strengthen Your Ministry https://thinkorange.com/blog/announced-weekly-animation-inspiration-and-tools-to-strengthen-your-ministry/ Tue, 11 Nov 2025 14:14:46 +0000 https://thinkorange.com/?p=54056 At Amazing Life, you inspire everything we do. You’re the person who shows up week after week, planning, leading, and caring for families. You bring the energy, vision, and heart that make church feel like home.

Every update, every tool, every idea we share is designed with one goal: to make your job simpler, your ministry stronger, and your Sundays more impactful.

Here’s your weekly look at what’s new and what’s next.

The post ANNOUNCED Weekly | Animation, Inspiration, and Tools to Strengthen Your Ministry appeared first on Think Orange.

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🎥 Watch This Week’s ANNOUNCED

👉 Watch the Live Replay

In this week’s episode, we talked through the new animation refresh, the launch of Service Builder, an early peek at next summer’s VBS, and a brand-new podcast made just for KidMin leaders.

🦉 Reimagining Ollie: Animation and Artwork That Capture Wonder

We’ve heard your feedback (and we agree!). Kids ministry deserves visuals that inspire awe, not just fill a screen. Our animation and artwork teams have been hard at work elevating the look and feel of your curriculum so that what you teach and what kids see are completely aligned.

Here’s what’s new:

  • Ollie isn’t going anywhere. We love Ollie—and we’re giving him some thoughtful TLC. Our animators have researched and sketched a fresh, intentional look.
  • Updated character designs for familiar favorites, giving them new life and richer personalities.
  • A unified illustration style across animations, activity pages, and print pieces so everything feels cohesive.
  • Enhanced world-building—from the Treehouse to story environments like deserts, waterfalls, and forests—for a more immersive, consistent visual experience.

This refresh isn’t just about aesthetics; it helps kids connect emotionally to what they’re learning so you can teach with confidence.

🛠️ Service Builder: Simplifying Sundays

Service Builder is here! It’s available now to explore features, edit scripts and supply lists, and create your perfect service with ease. Log in to your APlay account to see it in action.

If you’ve been juggling PDFs, checklists, and endless prep, Service Builder changes that with one shared workspace designed to streamline your Sunday planning from start to finish.

What Service Builder can do for you:

  • Plan your entire service: Slides, media, scripts, and volunteer roles—all in one place.
  • Customize easily: Toggle parts of the script, adjust for group size, and auto-generate supply lists.
  • Stay organized & aligned: Media files and playlists are compiled automatically, ready to publish to APlay.
  • Collaborate with your team: Everyone can view the same plan and stay on track.

Psst: We get it—“new software” doesn’t always spark a happy dance. But Service Builder isn’t another tool to figure out—it’s a partner that gives you hours back each week. It may take a minute to find your rhythm, but once you do, you’ll wonder how you ever led without it.

And for weekends: use our Sunday Support portal for live troubleshooting during services.

🏰 VBS on the Horizon: Kingdom Quest Comes Alive

Summer may feel far away, but our upcoming VBS experience, Kingdom Quest, is already in motion—and it’s shaping up to be one of our most exciting yet!

This VBS is a complete, immersive story that invites kids to step into an adventurous world as they seek light, discover truth, and find their way home. From the visuals to the storytelling, every detail points back to Jesus.

What to look forward to:

  • A fresh, story-driven theme that connects each day to a larger biblical truth.
  • Stunning new animation and visual assets.
  • Teasers on our social channels soon!

Preview Kingdom Quest

🎙️ Just Launched: The KidMin Podcast

The first episode is live! We sat down with ministry legend Jim Wideman to unpack how children’s ministry got here—and where it’s headed next.

Each episode dives into practical, encouraging conversations about leading in the trenches of children’s ministry—from building volunteer culture to helping kids experience faith in everyday life.

🎧 Listen to Episode 1

⛪ Church Conference 2026: Refresh, Recharge, Reconnect

Mark your calendars for April 28–30, 2026. Church Conference—a chance to step back, refocus, and be renewed.

What to expect:

  • Inspiring mainstage sessions and 50+ practical workshops for kids, youth, worship, and tech leaders.
  • Dedicated tracks for senior and executive pastors so your whole team can grow together.
  • Hands-on demos of tools like Service Builder, curriculum updates, and media integration—all connected under one strategy.

Learn More & Register

✅ What’s Next

Everything we create—curriculum, media, software, or training—is designed with one goal in mind: to help you do what you do best. You are the heartbeat of ministry.

Here’s to fewer logistics, clearer planning, and more moments that matter. We’re honored to serve alongside you.

Tell Us What You Need

Have a story, question, or suggestion? We’d love to hear from you.
Email us anytime at hello@amazinglife.com — your input helps shape what’s next.

The post ANNOUNCED Weekly | Animation, Inspiration, and Tools to Strengthen Your Ministry appeared first on Think Orange.

]]> ANNOUNCED Weekly | APlay Pro, New Music, and Student Updates Built For You https://thinkorange.com/blog/announced-weekly-aplay-pro-new-music-and-student-updates-built-for-you/ Wed, 05 Nov 2025 02:45:32 +0000 https://thinkorange.com/?p=54037 You’re doing holy work.
Our job? To make that work easier.

Every update this month was built from your feedback—to save you time, reduce stress, and free you up to focus on what matters most: people.

Here’s what’s new (and made for you).

The post ANNOUNCED Weekly | APlay Pro, New Music, and Student Updates Built For You appeared first on Think Orange.

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🎥 Watch This Week’s ANNOUNCED

👉 Watch the Live Replay

In this week’s episode, we sat down for a full APlay Pro walkthrough and shared exciting updates on Amazing Music, Student Ministry, and The So & So Show transition. If you missed the live, it’s worth the watch!

🎶 AMAZING MUSIC

New Drops, Español Releases, and Christmas Ready

New music is hitting APlay Playlist and APlay Pro—fresh songs for your weekend queues, including kid-friendly anthems your families will hum all week.

Preschool isn’t left out either—classics like “I’ve Got the Joy” and “Dare to Be a Daniel” are included.

Spanish releases now live: Several worship songs are now available in Spanish! Experience tracks and matching lyric videos in APlay to engage bilingual and Spanish-speaking families both on Sundays and at home.

A brand-new Christmas album: Up-tempo takes on favorites (“O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Joy to the World,” “Noel”)—complete with dance videos and lyric videos for services, family events, and car rides.

Sneak peek: VBS single for next summer’s Kingdom Quest—“Roll With You”—is coming soon to Spotify and Apple Music!

Why it matters: You’ll spend less time hunting for songs and more time shaping moments. Load them straight into your plan, then let volunteers run with clear motions and on-screen words.

💻 Meet APlay Pro

Presenter Software That’s Free for Subscribers

You told us what you needed: “We don’t use Apple TV.” “We need multiple displays.” “Our Wi-Fi is rough.” “Licenses add up.”

We heard you. So, we built APlay Pro—a downloadable, all-in-one presenter that lives on your computer and connects directly to your APlay media.

APlay Pro comes completely free with your curriculum subscription, and you can install it anywhere you serve.

  • ✅ Pull your APlay playlists & media directly—no giant weekly downloads
  • ✅ Cache files locally to run fully offline on Sunday
  • ✅ Run multiple outputs (main, confidence, stage) with flexible layouts and notes
  • ✅ Add your own media and quick-add lyrics for live worship
  • ✅ Empower volunteers with an easy-to-use interface and remote control options

Bonus: Real-world support from an active user community, tutorials, and our team (including the amazing Gary B!) to help you get configured fast.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for professional-grade presentation software that rivals what you’re already using—at none of the cost and more of the content access—APlay Pro is built for you.

No more tech stress. No more extra costs. Just smooth, professional presentations that work the way your ministry works.

🎒 STUDENT MINISTRY

Curriculum That Fits Real Life

You know your students best—their rhythms, your calendar, and what conversations matter most right now. That’s why we’re launching a buffet-style content library—flexible, customizable, and ready for however you lead.

Starting now in APlay, you’ll see three high school and three middle school series you can mix and match—covering themes like identity, purpose, and choices (e.g., Verified, a high school series about finding identity in Christ).

Take a full series or pull just the sessions you need.

  • 💾 On the CDN: One month at a time for download
  • 📺 Inside APlay & APlay Pro: Full access to a growing multi-month library with scripts, videos, and graphics ready to drop into your plan

Coming soon: The Amazing Students Podcast with Jon Rush — real conversations with student leaders and pastors about what’s working and what’s next.

🎬 THE SO & SO SHOW

Kellen Takes the Lead (Jon & Brandon Still Around!)

Hosting duties are transitioning to Kellen—keeping everything you love: laugh-out-loud segments that pivot seamlessly to Scripture and real application for kids and preteens.

You’ll see the same fun energy with an updated set and fresh storytelling conventions rolling out over the coming months.

📸 Watch our socials for sneak peeks — your kids are going to love what’s next!

✅ YOUR NEXT MOVES

  • Update your plan with the new songs (and Christmas set) in APlay + APlay Pro. Login at JoinAmazing.com
  • Install APlay Pro (coming this December!) on your booth computer and laptop. Cache your playlist to go Wi-Fi free!
  • Pick student sessions that fit your next three weeks and drop them into a single service flow. Login to your curriculum subscription.
  • Show a So & So clip in your team huddle to introduce Kellen’s transition and prep small group leaders. Amazing+ subscribers can share via APlay View.

💛 Closing Encouragement

We see the late nights, the early Sundays, the creativity and care you bring. We’re grateful for the way you serve families.

“Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” — Proverbs 11:25

We’re praying over you and your team as you lead this month.

Tell Us What You Need

Have a story, question, or suggestion? We’d love to hear from you.
Email us anytime at hello@amazinglife.com — your input helps shape what’s next.

The post ANNOUNCED Weekly | APlay Pro, New Music, and Student Updates Built For You appeared first on Think Orange.

]]> We’re Bringing More to Every Church — Wherever and However You Serve https://thinkorange.com/blog/everychurch/ Thu, 30 Oct 2025 12:54:42 +0000 https://thinkorange.com/?p=54012 At Amazing Life, our mission has always been to serve the Church — to make ministry simpler, faster, and more inspiring for every leader, volunteer, and family. And now, we’re extending that simplicity and value to every church, including those whose systems are built around Playlister and similar services.

The post We’re Bringing More to Every Church — Wherever and However You Serve appeared first on Think Orange.

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We’re Bringing More to Every Church — Wherever and However You Serve

At Amazing Life, our mission has always been to serve the Church — to make ministry simpler, faster, and more inspiring for every leader, volunteer, and family.

Over the past ten months, churches using APlay have experienced a better way to plan and present services — with secure streaming, automatic updates, and seamless access to Amazing Music, Service Builder, and volunteer rehearsal tools like APlay View. That experience has saved time, reduced stress, and helped teams stay focused on what matters most: people.

Recently we introduced APlay Pro, built especially for churches whose systems are set up around ProPresenter — giving them that same connected experience.

And now, we’re extending that simplicity and value to every church, including those whose systems are built around Playlister and similar services.

This is about bringing more to every church — wherever and however you plan, prepare, and present your services.

More Tools. More Music. Less Work.

Here’s what this means for you:

🎵 Access to Amazing Music

A full streaming library of worship songs, pre-service playlists, and soundtracks for kids, students, and families — all curated, licensed, and ready to play instantly.

⚙️ Access to Service Builder

Our intuitive planning tool helps you customize services, build schedules, and manage teams — like having a production assistant built right into your week.

☁️ Instant, Secure Access

No more downloads, storage management, or confusion over versions. Your media and curriculum are always up to date and ready to stream wherever your team serves.

💡 One Connected Experience

Whether your church uses APlay, Playlister, ProPresenter, or another platform, you’ll now connect directly to the Amazing Life ecosystem — gaining access to more tools and content through one simple, secure login.

Why We’re Expanding This Experience

When we introduced APlay, our goal was clear: make it easier for churches to access the curriculum and media they love.

The response has been incredible — faster preparation, fewer tech issues, and more time for ministry.

Now we’re extending that same experience to everyone. Because our mission isn’t to change how churches work — it’s to make what they already do easier.

This update means:

  • Consistent, high-quality access to Amazing Life media and resources
  • Built-in security and automatic updates
  • Access to Amazing Music and Service Builder for every subscriber
  • A single, seamless connection for all your ministry tools

We’re meeting churches where they are — and giving them more.

Wherever You Serve, It Just Got Easier

This change ensures that every church — regardless of which system they use — gets the same reliable, modern experience that’s made APlay so successful.

One login.

One library.

More value for every church.

“We’re not just improving a product — we’re investing in churches. This is about doing more for every church, everywhere.”

What You Can Expect

When prompted, simply connect your church’s account to Amazing Life. From that point on:

  • Your playlists, curriculum, and media stream instantly and securely
  • Service Builder and Amazing Music are included automatically
  • Your volunteers and campuses stay perfectly in sync every week

No added cost. No added complexity. Just more tools, more music, and more time for what matters most.

A Thoughtful Transition Timeline

We’re committed to making this change as smooth as possible for all our partners and churches.

To give everyone ample time to update and integrate, the current API will remain active through March 31, 2026.

That provides more than six months for Playlister and other partner services to complete the transition to our new streaming connection — ensuring no disruption and full access to the latest Amazing Life content.

We’ll continue to work closely with our partners throughout this period to make sure every church experiences a seamless handoff and continued excellence.

Our Commitment: Meeting You Where You Are

Whether your team prepares services inside APlay, schedules through Playlister, or runs media through ProPresenter, our goal is the same: to make your ministry easier, faster, and more connected.

This isn’t just about new technology — it’s a renewed commitment to serve churches of every size and system.

“We’re not changing what churches do — we’re just making it easier to do it.”

We’re proud to keep investing in the tools, content, and integrations that help your team win every week.

See What’s New →

The post We’re Bringing More to Every Church — Wherever and However You Serve appeared first on Think Orange.

]]> ANNOUNCED Weekly | Virtues, Christmas Music, and Tools That Make Sunday Simple https://thinkorange.com/blog/announced-weekly-virtues-christmas-music-and-tools-that-make-sunday-simple/ Wed, 29 Oct 2025 01:51:11 +0000 https://thinkorange.com/?p=53995 This week’s updates include a free course to help every child feel seen, brand-new Christmas music, answers to your biggest questions, and tools to help you plan, build, and lead with confidence.

The post ANNOUNCED Weekly | Virtues, Christmas Music, and Tools That Make Sunday Simple appeared first on Think Orange.

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🎥 Watch Friday’s Live

👉 Watch the Live Replay

In this week’s conversation, we covered:

  • How we’re helping kids live out virtues through everyday moments
  • Exciting updates to Amazing Music (including new Christmas songs!)
  • Renewal and pricing updates
  • How APlay continues to simplify Sunday prep

💬 FREE RESOURCE

A Place At The Table: A Free Course with Kim Botto

Practical strategies and mindset shifts to help your church support neurodivergent kids, kids with special needs, and any child who needs help finding their place.

This free course with Kim Botto includes:

  • 8 Core Course Videos (+ 1 Intro)
  • A downloadable Discussion Guide
  • 4 Bonus Videos on Building a Buddy System, Partnering with Parents, Starting Parent Support Groups, and Scripts

Kim has spent decades helping churches create safe, inclusive spaces for every child. Her passion is helping churches become places where every child feels safe, seen, and connected to a faith community.

👉 Access the Free Course

Renewals & Pricing

We’ve heard a few questions about renewal pricing — so let’s clear things up.

Good news: your pricing stays aligned with the plan that was in place when you first purchased your curriculum. 🎉

Over the past year, we’ve simplified our pricing and added even more value to your subscription — including new media tools, product enhancements, and technology designed to make ministry smoother and more impactful.

But here’s the best part: even with all those updates, you’re grandfathered into the original plan.

If your child count has changed or you’ve added new products, that’s the only reason you might see a different total. Otherwise, what you see at checkout will match your previous plan.

And if anything looks off, we’re here to help. Reach out to your CSM or customercare@amazinglife.com and we’ll walk through it together — clearly, kindly, and quickly.

Curriculum Updates

✅ Virtues & Faith Skills

Virtues aren’t going away — they’re simply being reframed. Moving forward, virtues like kindness, honesty, and courage will be taught as the evidence of discipleship, while the Bible story takes center stage each week.

This shift helps kids see that virtues are an outward sign of what's happening in our hearts. You’ll also notice more series that connect multiple virtues at once to build stronger, lasting faith skills.

✅ Enhanced Editorial & Theology Review

Every piece of Amazing curriculum — from devotionals and leader guides to activities and media — now goes through a multi-step editorial and theology review.

This ensures every lesson aligns theologically, creatively, and practically before it ever reaches your team. When the content is clear, your team can focus on what matters most — connecting with kids.

🎶 AMAZING MUSIC

New Christmas Songs Just Dropped

Celebrate the season with inspiring new music created to remind us of this joyous season.

We’ve released a new set of songs designed to help families experience the joy and hope of Christmas together — both at church and at home. Each song is built to engage kids, reinforce truth, and make the Christmas season unforgettable.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify & Apple Music!

Orange Kids Music Update:

We’ve made a change to how music is distributed in our curriculum. Starting this weekend, the music files are no longer included in the curriculum downloader or APlay.

In the meantime, you can still access your favorite Orange Kids Music Songs through our online store, or check out Amazing Music on APlay — which is FREE for all curriculum subscriptions until January 1st.

For Orange Kids Music — simply add to cart and redeem them using the code FREEWORSHIP, then download and add them to APlay or ProPresenter on your own. You can access Amazing Music on APlay today!

🎄 JINGLE JAM

Extra, Extra: Jingle Jam is Back

Jingle Jam is an exciting way to celebrate the Christmas season with families in your church and community! Everything you need to plan, rehearse, and host a high-quality, one-of-a-kind Christmas experience.

When you purchase this year’s Jingle Jam, you’ll also get access to Jingle Jam 2022, 2023, and 2024 event kits, giving you the flexibility to choose the version that best fits your church’s needs.

All of the files included with this purchase are already available to active 252 Kids Curriculum and Amazing+ subscribers in the curriculum downloader!

👉 Order your kit!

➕ PRODUCT FEATURE

Introducing: APlay Service Builder

More than just software.
Don’t just build your lesson. Craft your service.

Service Builder is now available inside APlay — giving you one shared system to plan, customize, and simplify your weekly services in minutes, not hours.

Here’s what’s new:

  • ✅ One Shared System – Teaching, worship, media, supply lists — all in one place.
  • ✅ Customized Playlists & Content – Edit, arrange, and adapt your media on the fly.
  • ✅ Simplified Supply Prep – Compile worksheets and activity pages with one click.

It’s all included with your curriculum subscription. No setup required.

👉 Get Started in APlay

Tell Us What You Need

Have a story, question, or suggestion? We’d love to hear from you.
Email us anytime at hello@amazinglife.com — your input helps shape what’s next.

The post ANNOUNCED Weekly | Virtues, Christmas Music, and Tools That Make Sunday Simple appeared first on Think Orange.

]]> ANNOUNCED: Community Q&A https://thinkorange.com/blog/announced-community-qa/ Tue, 21 Oct 2025 13:18:54 +0000 https://thinkorange.com/?p=53971 This week Tyler Bates, Chief Content Officer at Amazing, sat down to answer your most-asked questions about what’s next—covering everything from cohorts and curriculum updates to worship, baby curriculum, and the future of The So & So Show.

Whether you lead kids, students, or volunteers, this conversation unpacks where we’re headed—and how every change is designed to make ministry simpler, stronger, and more inspiring.

The post ANNOUNCED: Community Q&A appeared first on Think Orange.

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Are you guys doing cohorts? I thought I saw something about it.

Yes! We’re launching new Kids and Students Ministry Cohorts—and we couldn’t be more excited.

We recently wrapped an incredible season with a group of youth pastors exploring what the future of student ministry looks like—how we’re impacting kids and teens in real life. Now, we’re opening that same opportunity for kids ministry leaders.

If you’re a kids pastor, student pastor, or anyone who loves to learn and grow, this is for you. Each cohort is a guided, relational learning community led by seasoned coaches like Jim Wideman (Kids) and Suzy Silk, a brilliant theologian based in New York (Students).

Over six months, you’ll meet virtually for live sessions filled with teaching, breakout discussions, and real collaboration. It’s two hours a month—but the relationships and growth will last far longer.

We believe leaders grow best in circles, not rows. So if you’re looking for coaching, community, and connection with people walking the same road you are, this is your next step.
👉 Learn more at thinkorange.com/cohorts.

What’s your favorite new Amazing Worship song?

Right now, it’s “New Thing Coming.”

It’s upbeat, full of faith, and completely captures what we want kids to feel when they worship—a declaration that God is doing something new. The lyrics speak to the kind of bold faith we want kids to carry: “Mountains, get up out my way.”

There’s something powerful about hearing kids sing that over their own lives. It’s more than a catchy song—it’s faith activation. And yes, it’s also a total bop. You can’t help but dance along in the car.

You’ll find “New Thing Coming” from Amazing Music on all major streaming platforms.
🎧 Listen now: Apple Music | Spotify

What are you going to do about the typos and errors since Amazing Life has taken over?

We hear you—and we take it seriously.

Excellence matters because trust matters. You should be able to open any resource from us and know it’s solid—biblically, grammatically, and practically. If you’re spending time fixing typos or reworking leader guides, that’s time taken away from what only you can do: pastoring kids and students.

So we’ve made real changes behind the scenes. We’ve built stronger systems and quality checks into our production process, added new layers of copy editing, and implemented a review workflow that catches issues before they ever reach you.

Our goal is simple: to give you content that’s trustworthy, ready to use, and freeing you up to focus on ministry.

Excited about Baby Curriculum! Could you talk about the perks of teaching that early of an age?

We love this question—and this initiative.

At first, baby curriculum might seem unexpected, but it’s deeply intentional. Scripture reminds us that “deep calls to deep” (Psalm 42:7). Even before a child can articulate faith, their spirit can be ministered to through love, worship, and the Word spoken over them.

That’s why we created Hello Baby—a gentle, 20-minute experience designed to bless both the child and the caregiver. It includes worship with simple motions (yes, even a little maraca shake!), a short and beautiful story of Jesus, and truths like “God made you” and “Jesus loves you.”

It’s developmentally tuned and theologically rich—a way to start shaping faith and belonging from the very beginning.
👉 Ready to learn more? Visit joinamazing.com/hellobaby.

Are you getting rid of The So & So Show?

Absolutely not.

The So & So Show isn’t going anywhere—in fact, we’ve got big plans for it. Jon, Brandon, and Kellen have been working on something fresh and exciting, building on what everyone already loves about the show while deepening its connection to God’s Word and real-life application.

We’re refreshing it—not replacing it. Expect to see more creative storytelling, deeper reflection, and a mix of fun and heart that keeps kids engaged while reinforcing truth.

I heard there are some changes happening to the shows. What will that look like?

We’re entering a new era of storytelling across all our shows—Wonder, Story Lab, and The So & So Show.

For The So & So Show, Kellen will step into a greater hosting role, joined by Jon and Brandon, who remain an integral part of the experience. Each episode will now feature a slightly more reflective ending, where the story slows down to process the Bible lesson together—what God’s Word says and how it meets real life.

We’re also introducing new Bible story conventions and character-driven storytelling—what our team calls “painting with a red brush.” These characters will have real, relatable flaws, inviting kids to recognize themselves in the story and respond with humility, grace, and faith.

It’s storytelling designed to deepen engagement without losing the fun—and to make every Bible truth stick in the heart.

You said you’re adding characters. Does that mean there won’t be people in the videos?

Not at all.

We’re not replacing humans—we’re expanding the storytelling world.

The approach is inspired by shows like Sesame Street and The Muppets, where humans and characters share the screen, bringing energy, variety, and relatability.

  • Wonder (Preschool): You’ll see more character-and-human interaction.
  • Story Lab (Elementary): Mostly humans, with a few character moments woven in.
  • The So & So Show (Preteen): A mix of familiar human hosts and new character-driven scenes.

The result? A storytelling format that’s more dynamic, emotionally resonant, and fun—while keeping biblical clarity at the center.



Everything we’re building—from cohorts to curriculum to show refreshes—flows from one goal: to help you lead with clarity, confidence, and joy.

We’re creating content that’s theologically sound, developmentally wise, and easy to deliver, so you and your volunteers can spend less time preparing and more time pastoring.

Thank you for doing what you do every week. We’re cheering you on as you disciple the next generation.



Ready to get access to all of this and more?

Check out Amazing+—the world’s first total ministry strategy.

From curriculum and technology to training and resources, Amazing+ gives you everything you need (and more) so you can spend your time doing what only you can do.

Tell Us What You Need

Have a story, question, or suggestion? We’d love to hear from you.
Email us anytime at hello@amazinglife.com — your input helps shape what’s next.

The post ANNOUNCED: Community Q&A appeared first on Think Orange.

]]> Announced: October Edition https://thinkorange.com/blog/announced-october-edition/ Fri, 03 Oct 2025 14:04:23 +0000 https://thinkorange.com/?p=53911 As we step into fall, we’re excited to bring you the latest updates and resources designed to empower your ministry. From innovative curriculum to brand-new music and meaningful opportunities to collaborate, here’s everything happening this October.
Inside this issue: a powerful new APlay feature, the launch of EveryChild Curriculum, fresh updates from AmazingMusic, and resources designed to equip your team.

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Announced by Amazing Life: The Inside Scoop – October Edition

Your shortcut to what’s new, what’s changing, and what’s coming soon.

🌟 Introducing Amazing+

The World’s First 0–18 Ministry Strategy

Streamline your ministry with Amazing+, the world’s first comprehensive 0–18 strategy. This all-in-one solution weaves together curriculum, training, and tools to strengthen both your teams and families—freeing you to focus on what matters most: shaping the faith and future of your community.

👉 Learn more about Amazing+

🎓 New Middle School & High School Curriculum

We’re thrilled to unveil our revamped curriculum for middle and high school students. It combines strong biblical teaching, meaningful conversations, and creative media with enhanced flexibility—empowering you to lead on your terms.

👉 Watch the full announcement

🎶 AmazingMusic: New Songs for October

Now Streaming in APlay

Amazing Music keeps growing! This month, discover brand-new songs and resources in APlay: lyric videos, dance mixes, instrumental tracks, and more. With fresh content added monthly, your team always has something new to share.

New Songs for October include:

  • Away in a Manger | Christmas
  • Bless God
  • Blessed Be Your Name
  • Do It Again
  • God So Loved
  • I Speak Jesus
  • I Thank God
  • Inhabit | Artist Feature: Mitch Wong
  • King of My Heart
  • More Than Able
  • Noel | Christmas
  • Oceans
  • Only a Boy Named David | Preschool
  • This Little Light of Mine | Preschool

🛠️ New Products Unveiled at Digital Conference

Highlights from September’s Digital Event

At this year’s Digital Conference, we announced some of our biggest launches yet—tools designed to make ministry simpler, stronger, and more effective for every leader and volunteer.

Here’s what’s new:

  • Amazing+ — The world’s first 0–18 ministry strategy.
  • APlay Service Builder — Smarter planning + service tools.
  • APlay View — Prep made easy for every volunteer.
  • APlay Pro — Pro-level presentation without the complexity.
  • Parent App — Equip parents with tools & resources all week long.
  • Spanish Media — Trusted curriculum & media, now fully in Spanish.
  • Hello Baby — A brand-new strategy for ages 0–24 months.

Couldn’t make it to the event? We’ve pulled all the highlights together for you.

👉 See the full list

🤝 Cohorts

Launching November 2025

Lead at a whole new level in Next Gen Ministry. Register today to join our next round of Cohorts launching in November! Connect, collaborate, and learn with kids & youth leaders nationwide.

What’s Included:

  • One-on-one coaching with experienced leaders
  • A monthly 2-hour virtual gathering with teaching + peer collaboration
  • One free ticket to Conference 2026
  • Special meet & greet breakout at Conference 2025

👉 Register today!

💬 From the Blog

HelloBaby: The Church Nursery Curriculum for Infants (0–2 Years)

Equip volunteers, connect parents, and begin faith foundations from day one with a program designed to help every baby know: Jesus loves you.

👉 Read More

APlay View: The Ministry Preview Tool to Review, Rehearse, and Get Ready

What if every leader could preview the service before the weekend? What if they could rehearse transitions, learn the memory verse, and get familiar with worship motions ahead of time—so Sunday wasn’t the first time they saw it all come together?

👉 Read Now

Tell Us What You Need

Have a story, question, or suggestion? We’d love to hear from you.
Email us anytime at hello@amazinglife.com — your input helps shape what’s next.

The post Announced: October Edition appeared first on Think Orange.

]]> Introducing Amazing+: A Complete Strategy for Next Gen Ministry https://thinkorange.com/blog/introducing-amazing-plus-church-ministry-strategy/ Tue, 23 Sep 2025 18:15:14 +0000 https://thinkorange.com/?p=53795 Discover Amazing+ a one-stop hub for churches to equip kids, students, parents, and volunteers with curriculum, media, and tools to build lasting faith.

The post Introducing Amazing+: A Complete Strategy for Next Gen Ministry appeared first on Think Orange.

]]> For over 30 years, churches like yours have partnered with us to help children, students, and families build lasting faith. Together, we’ve created ministry curriculum, resources, and experiences that have shaped the future of discipleship for millions.

We get the challenges ministries face every week: limited time with kids, volunteers stretched too thin, parents unsure how to lead faith at home, and the overwhelming weight of ministry responsibilities.

We asked ourselves: What if there was a way to bring it all together? What if churches could access everything they need—content, strategy, and technology—in one place?

That’s why we created Amazing+.

So Much More Than Curriculum

Amazing+ is our new signature subscription—your one-stop hub for equipping every age and stage of ministry, from babies to high school. It’s more than just content; it’s a strategy that empowers churches and families to work together to build a lasting faith.

With Amazing+, you get:

  • A Birth-to-18 Curriculum Strategy: Unified, Gospel-centered discipleship across every phase of a kid’s life.
  • World-Class Media: Bible-based lessons, worship, and teaching resources that engage every generation.
  • Powerful Ministry Tools: Technology that helps you present, organize, and share media playlists, housed in one unified system called APlay, that makes leading, planning, and equipping families simpler than ever.
  • Customizable Experiences: Volunteer resources, family engagement strategies, Spanish translation, and music designed to fit your ministry’s unique needs.
  • An App just for Parents: Parents report feeling ill-equipped to lead their kids spiritually. That’s why we created the Parent+ App—a tool that equips parents with this Sunday’s lesson, conversation starters, memory verse, and so much more, right in their pocket.

Why Amazing+? Why Now?

In today’s world, ministry leaders don’t just need curriculum. They need a holistic strategy, grounded in theology and tailored by technology, that makes it possible to thrive in the complexity of modern ministry.

We believe the Church and the home were designed to partner together. A parent has 3,000+ hours each year with their kids, while most churches only get about 40. Amazing+ helps you bridge that gap with resources that equip parents to lead faith conversations all week long—while giving you the tools to maximize every moment at church.

The Future of Discipleship Starts Here

Amazing+ is more than a subscription. It’s the next chapter of how we equip the Church to redefine what’s possible for the next generation.

Together, we can:

  • Help kids and students build authentic, lasting faith.
  • Empower parents to lead with confidence at home.
  • Equip volunteers with resources that make serving joyful.
  • Multiply your impact with tools designed to simplify ministry.

This is the future we’ve been building toward for decades, and it starts now.

Are You Ready?

Amazing+ is here. It’s everything you love about Orange strategy, now in one place, built to serve your church today and shape generations to come.

Get the Whole Strategy Today.

The post Introducing Amazing+: A Complete Strategy for Next Gen Ministry appeared first on Think Orange.

]]> HelloBaby: The Church Nursery Curriculum for Infants (0–2 Years) https://thinkorange.com/blog/hellobaby-the-church-nursery-curriculum-for-infants-0-2-years/ Tue, 23 Sep 2025 18:09:24 +0000 https://thinkorange.com/?p=53811 HelloBaby is a church nursery curriculum for infants (0–2 years old) that transforms childcare into discipleship. Equip volunteers, connect parents, and begin faith foundations from day one with a program designed to help every baby know: Jesus loves you.

The post HelloBaby: The Church Nursery Curriculum for Infants (0–2 Years) appeared first on Think Orange.

]]> From their very first days, babies are learning, growing, and forming connections that will shape the rest of their lives. Yet too often, church nurseries are seen as simply childcare—a safe place for little ones while parents worship. But what if the nursery could be more? What if it became the very first chapter of discipleship? We believe the Holy Spirit isn’t just for grown-ups. Even the tiniest members of your church can encounter God’s love, comfort, and presence.

That’s why we created HelloBaby—an Amazing+ curriculum for infants (0–2 year olds) that equips your church to turn the nursery into the very first chapter of faith, where every baby can begin their journey knowing one simple truth: Jesus loves you.

Why HelloBaby?

The earliest days of a baby’s life matter. Every moment wires their brains toward safety, belonging, and trust. When church is part of that foundation, infants can begin to associate God’s people and presence with love, comfort, and joy.

HelloBaby gives churches a way to make those moments meaningful:

  • One Clear Truth: Every element of the experience reinforces “Jesus loves you.”
  • Simple, Repeatable Design: A 20-minute program that fits anywhere in your service flow.
  • Multi-Sensory Engagement: Gentle songs, bubbles, tactile Bible exploration, circle time, and mirrors so babies hear and see God’s love reflected back.
  • Calm & Cozy Atmosphere: Soft music and background visuals support live leaders but never replace real human connection.
  • Parent Connection: Every family leaves with a take-home card (QR code included) for bedtime songs, recaps, and memory verses.

More Than Babysitting. It’s Ministry.

Nursery ministry isn’t just about changing diapers; it’s about shaping faith foundations. HelloBaby is easy for volunteers to learn (most can grasp the flow in minutes), but it carries eternal weight. Leaders will quickly see their role as more than caregivers—they are spiritual guides, partnering with parents to disciple children from the very start.

What Makes HelloBaby Different?

  • For Babies Only: Designed specifically for 0–24 months, with a pace and flow that matches their development.
  • Repetition that Builds Trust: The same simple lesson repeats across the year, helping babies recognize songs, faces, and words.
  • Flexible for Your Church: Works with or without screens, can fit at any point in your service.
  • Crafted with Care: Every detail—from songs and motions to take-home cards—was prayerfully created by ministry leaders, educators, and parents.

The Start of a Lifelong Faith Journey

We’re thrilled to launch HelloBaby because we believe nurseries can be the very first place a child encounters the love of Jesus. When parents know their baby is not just cared for, but ministered to, they feel seen, supported, and invited into a deeper partnership with the church.

This is more than curriculum. This is an invitation to begin discipling the next generation from day one.

Are You Ready to Redefine Nursery Ministry?

Plant the very first seeds of faith. Learn how HelloBaby can transform your nursery into a ministry.

The post HelloBaby: The Church Nursery Curriculum for Infants (0–2 Years) appeared first on Think Orange.

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