Training

Echo Experience


This children's outreach seminar is designed to give children's ministry leaders, pastors, and volunteers the basic tools for effective children's outreach. This unique outreach seminar is for those who have a passion and a desire to reach the unreached. The title of the seminar is "The EChO Experience-Effective Children's Outreach." The EChO Experience teaches basic outreach principles and provides a "hands-on" opportunity to put them into practice. For the "hands-on" training session, attendees will go to a site in the local community to utilize some of the principles gained through the seminar.


This seminar, the EChO Experience,was chosen because it is a biblical, practical, and effective method for outreach in your local community.


You have two choices for a schedule:

  • Saturday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm (in-class training, host church providing a snack and a lunch) 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm (hands-on training at a local site)
  • Saturday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm (in-class training, host church providing a snack, attendee brings lunch) 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm (hands-on training at a local site)

The seminar will be held at a host church while partnering with other churches to promote the event.


The material taught in these "experiences" comes from Children's Outreach Solutions and is written by Kevin Reynolds and Rachel Beaver, Co-Founders of House of Faith Ministries. A trained presenter will teach the seminar. The cost of the presenter is covered by the International Network of Children's Ministry and paid for by the registration fees of attendees. Here is a description of what the seminar will include:


Every neighborhood has a number of children who are not regularly involved in a children's ministry program. There is a way to reach them effectively and keep them coming back. This session teaches the specifics of developing and maintaining a successful weekly outreach to unchurched neighborhood children.
  1. The attendee's will learn about a proven and effective model of weekly outreach to unchurched neighborhood children.
  2. They will also learn how to adapt model components to fit their local setting for effective evangelism and discipleship of unchurched children on a weekly basis.
  3. The attendee's will also be given specific tools to begin, establish and maintain neighborhood outreach ministry.

Each attendee will receive an animated CD to help promote Children's Ministry in their own churches as well as sample lessons for use in neighborhood outreach.


The cost of hosting the EChO Experience is a host fee of $300 and a minimum guarantee of 60 paid attendees. Each attendee will pay $30 and will receive an outreach manual valued at $20. All host fees and registration fees go to INCM to cover the costs of the presenter (honorarium, lodging & meals) and the attendee outreach manuals.


The Host Church and Promoting Churches are Responsible for the Following: 


  1. Promotion within the local churches.
  2. Publicity to the community using the suggestions in the promotional packet.
  3. Designate a leadership team responsible for the following: onsite registration, onsite resource sales, publicity within the churches, promotion outside the church, refreshments and hospitality, interaction with the presenter/INCM/COS.
  4. Provide volunteers on the day of the seminar for registration, greeting, refreshments, and resource table.
  5. Provide audio-visual capabilities for PA, DVD, and PowerPoint presentation.
  6. Provide an auditorium that seats at least 100 people and an area for the resource display and refreshments.
  7. Work with COS to select a local site for the hands-on training event (this could be a brand new site for outreach or an existing site where outreach is currently taking place).

INCM and COS will provide:


  1. Oversight and counsel for the leadership team.
  2. Collecting on-line registration forms from attendees.
  3. 5 posters for the host church and 2 posters for each promoting church (additional posters may be purchased for $1 each).
  4. Reproducible fliers to photocopy and distribute.
  5. An outreach manual (for the host church only) guiding the church through the process of running an EChO Experience as an outreach to the community.
  6. A one-minute DVD commercial to play in the worship service.
  7. A selection of children's outreach curriculum and CDs will be available for individuals and churches to purchase at the seminar for further training in effective children's outreach.
  8. COS will provide counsel for setting up a site for the hands-on training segment of the seminar.
  9. A trained presenter to teach the seminar.

Next Steps:


If you're interested in becoming a host church, please download an application at www.echoexperience.org. Fill it out and submit it via email to chelsey@echoexperience.org or fax it to: COS (325) 486-0788. Questions? Call 1.877.499.ECHO 3246.


Keep in mind that an EChO Experience in your area is a lot of work, but the eternal impact is invaluable.