Made to Connect DFW

Our earliest relationships shape the way we see ourselves, others, and even God. They influence whether we trust, how we establish boundaries, how we respond to conflict, and whether we feel safe enough to ask for help when we need it.

For children who have experienced adversity, loss, or instability, these foundational relationships can profoundly impact emotional, social, and spiritual development. That’s why understanding the effects of childhood experiences is so important for those serving in ministry.

When church leaders and volunteers recognize the deeper needs behind behavior, they are better equipped to build meaningful connections, point children to the love of Christ, and help lay the foundation for healthy, life-giving relationships that extend into adulthood.

When children feel safe, they can connect in relationship, they become more open to receiving love, and their lives change. That belief is at the heart of Made to Connect.

Through our training, churches move beyond being simply trauma-aware to becoming trauma-informed and ultimately trauma-responsive. We help ministry leaders understand the powerful connection between childhood experiences, brain development, and a child’s ability to engage in relationships with God and others.

Participants learn how experiences shape behavior and gain practical tools for creating environments where every child and family feels seen, valued, and welcomed. In today’s world, a children’s ministry that understands childhood adversity and intentionally cultivates safe, nurturing spaces is no longer optional; it is essential for helping families encounter the hope and healing found in Jesus.

Goals and Objectives

• Create an understanding of how childhood experiences impact our brains and our ability to seek, form, and maintain relationships
• Increase empathy and compassion
• Decrease staff and volunteer turnover
• Create an environment where children feel safe, welcome, and loved
• Equip and support staff and volunteers to meet the needs of the kids they serve
• Create multi-generational discipleship and evangelism
• Increase desire to attend church
• Create an environment where kids can learn about Jesus
• Decrease in behavior problems
• Build a sustainable support system for adoptive, foster, and kinship families

Schedule

• Exhibitors/Coffee/Check-In (9:00 AM - 10:00 AM)
• Welcome and Worship (10:00 AM - 10:30 AM)
• Made to Connect Content (10:30 AM - 12:00 PM)
• Lunch (12:00 PM - 1:00 PM)
• Made to Connect (1:00 PM - 2:30 PM)
• Break (2:30 PM - 2:45 PM)
• Presenting Sponsor Interview (2:45 PM - 3:00 PM)
• First Steps, Next Steps, Context (3:00 PM - 4:00 PM)
• Q&A (4:00 PM - 4:30 PM)