Live From Chicago: Simply Youth Ministry Conference

Simply Youth Ministry’s focus is intimate relationships. Encouraging youth workers and providing intensive learning are high priorities, but it all comes down to relationships — the ministry’s relationship with youth workers, and youth workers relationships with one another. So it might be surprising to hear that the ministry’s conference, in its fourth year of existence, chose to stream its evening general sessions live online while 2,500 attendees met in Chicago Feb. 26-March 1.

“We never felt it would keep people from coming,” says Matty McCage, manager of attendee care and registration. “We just weren’t sure people would watch it.”

The conference sold out in early February, and SYMC wanted to give those who couldn’t attend at least part of the experience. But between distractions, technical needs and other challenges, the main concern of conference organizers was whether people would even tune in.
In fact, the online audience reached the equivalent of at least half of the live audience, up from a 25 percent equivalent who tuned in the previous year for the closing session, according to McCage. And the pre-registration for the 2011 event is stronger than ever.

While the general sessions streamed live, viewers could sign-in as guests or as registered users, and could then participate in a live chat led by a SYMC moderator. Behind-the-scenes interviews conducted by SYM founder Doug Fields with speakers and other prominent individuals involved in the conference were shown on SYMClive.com and are still on the conference Ustream site. “It was a way for everyone to see the personal side of our speakers,” McCage says. “Our speakers are never just a stage presence, they are real people.”

The organization also emphasizes relationships through its dedicated social networking site (SYMCconnect.com), which has more than 500 members. Affinity groups within the site allow people with similar ministries to connect, and leading up to the conference, forums initiated carpool partners, roommates and conference meet-ups. Similar to Facebook, the site creates community for the SYMC audience.

“People are protective of their time; if they are going to use it, it has to be beneficial to them,” says McCage. “This is just another avenue. Postings are more ministry-related. It is a safe haven.”

— Jennifer Garrett