I’m firming up a number of other speaking engagements this year (and even have a few slots open, email me!) and there’s one that I’m both extremely excited about but also anxious about: The Influence Conference.
Now, many of us have attended conferences where “influence” was one of the catchphrases, themes, or even the titles of many of the keynotes and breakouts. But not as many of us have been to an all-women’s conference… and even less still have ever spoken at an all-women’s conference.
Like me. I haven’t ever been to that type of conference so when Hayley Morgan, Jessi Connolly, and Casey Wiegand reached out to me and asked me to consider it I had to pause, touch base with a few folks I trust the most (especially my wife), and ask them if this was a good idea.
All of them said “Yes!” – and their excitement got me even more excited! So I told them that I’d be honored and humbled and put it on my calendar.
This is the first year and first even that the three are putting together and it’s slated to be unique blend of inspiration and practicality with two tracks for the participants to cycle through:
- Life – Each of our lives are uniquely shaped by God himself. By telling our stories of grace, forgiveness, trials, loss, and triumph – we are telling of the Good News. Each speaker has a story to tell, full to the brim with the Goodness of God.
- Strategy – If you are wanting to take your storytelling to a new place this track will help. Your influence in social media can bless you and your ministries relationally and even financially. These sessions will give you practical tips to leverage your influence for good.
I’ll be spending my time in the second track and although I’m still working through some topic ideas it has to circulate around their core mission:
The goal is to make much of Jesus with your influence online or in your community.
I’ve obviously got some time to walk through a number of topic ideas and I’d love to open it up here to the community and get some feedback – I may even use some of your stories to help generate content for the conference to share with the folks in attendance!
- How do you make much of Jesus through your online influence? What have you seen happen positively and negatively?
- How do you balance the tension between serving your community and profiting from it (making a living)?
- What strategies have you seen that make online storytelling incredibly impactful and effective?
- If you were to tell a bunch of passionate Christian women one thing, what would that be?
Thanks all! I’m super stoked to be there and perhaps I’ll see some of you there…?
Also, tickets and registration are opening up this week!
Where is the conference John? The site is flagged here at work for some reason and I can’t get any info on it. Would love it if I could get my wife out to it.
It’s in Indianapolis, October 11-13.
Thanks Tim, appreciate it!
I hadn’t heard of this so I am grateful that you shared! I think I might be able to make this work! Was hoping to get to Pennsylvania for Allume but Indiana is drivable so more likely to happen. We shall see. Sounds awesome!
wow, awesome!
I’ve been thinking about a response of what you could say to a room full of women…then today I read this http://rachelheldevans.com/enough
Hope that helps.
I found it very powerful. Women are constantly being told how we should look, act, and be by the media. Before we know it our self worth is wrapped up in ‘am I good enough?’ and comparing ourselves to other moms, bloggers, etc., and worst of all celebs.
Having a positive, Christ centered presence online is about putting love and positive energy into our writing just like we should be putting love and positive energy into our daily interactions in the real world. Before I hit “publish” I ask myself if there is anything in my writing that could hurt or offend. If there is I think long and hard about why I feel that way and why I felt the need to put it online. If it’s just a “rant” or “vent” I decide if it’s worth it and if it is worth it have I phrased it in a way that the true intent will come across instead of being misunderstood.
Did any of that make sense?
this is fantastic…! thank you so much for this…!