As summer draws to a close, our team at LifeWay Kids begins the countdown to our favorite time of the year—the ETCH Family Ministry Conference! For us, October 7-9 will feel like a family reunion of colleagues in the field of family ministry coming to our house in Nashville. We live here, but it’s so fun to share this amazing city with you each year. So, rest assured—we are tidying up, planning our “recipes,” making shopping lists, and preparing to roll out the red carpet for our friends and family. For those of you who have been to ETCH before, you know that hospitality is a big deal to us. We love throwing our doors (and arms) open to you. 

All of that said, I cannot begin to describe my excitement about this year’s ETCH Conference! Here are a few reasons why:

1. Some of our favorite communicators will be here to lead us in learning and growing in our faith, in our ministry and in our calling. Collectively in the main sessions, we will gather to hear Louie Giglio, Christine Cain, Trevin Wax, Kevin Jones, Ben Trueblood, Josh Straub, Diane Dokko Kim, Jonathan Pitts and his daughter Alena ~ and the list goes on! We also have the honor of welcoming Andrew Peterson to share some of his powerful songs (have you sang ‘Is He Worthy?’ at your church yet?—yep, that’s his song!)
2. The age and topic specific breakouts are better than ever and will equip you to go deeper in your specific ministry. These include, family ministry, kids ministry, student ministry, preschool ministry, special needs ministry, leadership, cultural topics and more. You will leave with over six hours of content that you customize for your own professional development plan. 
3. The first ever Family Ministry Summit during our pre-conference session. Join us on Monday afternoon before the conference begins to watch and participate in this incredible panel of family ministry thought leaders including: Ron Hunter, Sam Luce, Steve Ackley, and more! The panel will be followed by incredible age-specific intensives for you to tailor to your team. 
4. Last, but not least—oh the fun we will have! Please, by all means, come to the conference for incredible growth and development, but make room for the delight of meeting new friends, nourishing your soul, and experiencing the heart of Nashville at the incredible Music City Center. 

Friends, Nashville IS calling and October 7-9 will be here before you know it. Mark your calendars, book your travel, and get ready for ETCH! We will be ready for YOU!

To register and learn more about ETCH, go to etchconference.com

Jana Magruder serves as the Director of LifeWay Kids. She is a Baylor graduate and offers a wealth of experience and passion for kids ministry, education, and publishing. She is the author of Nothing Less: Engaging Kids in a Lifetime of Faith, Kids Ministry that Nourishes: Three Essential Nutrients of a Healthy Kids Ministry, and Life Verse Creative Journal, which she co-authored with her teenage daughter. She and her husband, Michael, along with their three children reside in Nashville.