Countdowns, Interactives, and Digital Options: Big Upgrades To XP3 Curriculum

Some exciting changes to XP3 curriculum and the XP3 media package are landing with the June 1, 2021 release of XP3 curriculum. 

For years, partners have used the teaching videos included in the media package in a number of ways. You might have been using the teaching videos to lead ministry digitally, act as a substitute for live community, lead your small group bible studies, or just prepare for your message every week. 

Really, you could be using teaching videos in any number of other creative ways.

With this new season of XP3, your media package just got a massive upgrade.

The short version? You’re getting… 

• Countdown timers for every series
• Additional media for live teaching
• Digital and distant adaptations
• BONUS: one-time download posters

Let’s dig into what’s new in 2021-2022! 

3, 2, 1….Countdown Timers!

This might be one of the most requested curriculum upgrades of all-time. What happens BEFORE your programming is a great way to signal to students that what’s coming next is FOR them. We’re adding countdown timers so that from the moment students walk in the door, they’ll know something special is coming soon. Each timer is set to ten minutes and you can fast-forward them for a shorter start-time if needed. And, each timer is designed with the same graphics as your series so even the few minutes before your program starts will cue students to what you’re talking about this week. 

Teaching Live? Now, The Media Package Can Help

Think the media package is a substitute for teaching live? Think again! From now on, we’re adding additional media and graphics to include in your talk EVEN if you’re teaching live. A few examples?

• Standalone interactives on video
• Smash cuts
• Interviews
• Illustrations
• Pre-made activity slides 
• Pre-made digital signs 
• And more! 

These additional pieces of media can help keep your students engaged with your message, and excited about what happens next. Plus, with these extra assets, you’ll be one step ahead every week.  

Digital and Distanced video adaptations are here to stay!

Last year, as more and more ministries began meeting online, we began adapting teaching videos to a more conversational format that can be used in small groups, digital groups, back yards, etc.  Read more about those changes here. The good news is, these adaptations are back for 2021-2022 so ministries can continue serving students and their families no matter where they meet.

One-Time Teaching Calendar Posters

One big upgrade this year is the addition of series bottom lines to the teaching calendar. To celebrate this change, we created a poster with each bottom line illustrated to keep ministry leaders and volunteers inspired all year long. As an added perk for your media package, we’re also including the individual image files in case you’d like to use them for social media, volunteer training, t-shirt designs or to make a custom quilt (ok, maybe not).  

PLUS, A Few other UPdates with the FALL 2021 season

• Change journals for every student. We created two physical products to accompany our change series in the Fall 2021 season. Download the change series, and buy the middle school and high school change journals for students in your ministry.
• Parent Cue resources got a glow-up. Partnering with parents has never been more important than right now. And our parent resources are looking better than ever. 
• A whole new season of the Faith Skills Experience Kit dropped. It’s our second ever, and it gives you resources to launch a devotional strategy that connects your students daily devotionals with a weekly devotional experience. Curious to know more about what this is? Learn more, and try it free.
• Daily devotionals that you want to print (even when they’re available in an app). We gave the printed daily devotionals a fresh look. Print away!
• Say hello to the new One Year Scope & Cycle. It’s your teaching plan for the next year, and a roadmap for what’s coming to XP3 this next year. Read the update here.
• Additional Resources to equip your volunteers and parents. Each series you will notice a folder called additional resources. This is a curated list of all the resources available for you as a ministry leader to prepare to teach this series, a list of resources you can provide to parents on this topic, a list of resources available to prepare small group leaders for the conversations around this topic, and sometimes even resources direct to student! 

As always, your Orange Specialist would love to help you process these changes, your ministry tensions, goals, and everything else in between. If you’re not sure who your Orange Specialist is, check out orangestudents.com/os.

That’s all for today. Dig in, and let us know what you think!