Lab Resources
Are you dealing with division in your church? This new, FREE, resource is for you.
If your community is dealing with a church split, if 20% or more of your worshippers have left, if you’re navigating a difficult leadership transition, if challenging relational dynamics are coming to the surface in your congregation, if questions are arising about your church’s identity or mission, or you’re simply discerning who God is calling you to be now and in the future, then our new resource was made for YOU.
We’ve provided a series of crucial questions to consider and our suggestions for tangible next steps your community can take to discern where to go from here.
Prepare your ministry for effective innovation
Too often, great ideas don’t take root because of the impacts of a faith community’s culture. The Lab’s Innovation Culture Index (ICI) is a self-diagnostic questionnaire that measures a faith community’s outlook and attitude in nine key areas that impact the ability to innovate.
When you purchase the ICI, you’ll receive: a custom, online questionnaire for members of your faith community; custom aggregated group scores spreadsheet; group discussion materials to unpack your scores; and customized coaching from the Lab staff to help you strategize appropriate next steps.
This tool can be used by individual faith communities and faith-based non-profits, denominational bodies, seminaries and universities. We also offer licensing for use with multiple churches or organizations.
How is the Innovation Culture Index different from other congregational assessments? Some assessments are designed to measure a church’s general health by drawing on traditional metrics like attendance, new members, and program participation. But traditional metrics can’t tell you whether your church is ready to innovate. The ICI specifically measures what’s going on within the church’s culture related to nine key areas that will impact the ability to enact change and develop innovative forms of ministry. You’ll learn the information you need to know about the culture’s strengths and areas for improvement to navigate innovation effectively.
“The ICI is a fantastic—and fun—way to launch a conversation about organizational change. It has been an essential tool for the churches we work with who are exploring new ways to approach ministry in a post-Covid landscape. I recommend it constantly!”
Kenda Creasy Dean, Mary D. Synnott Professor of Youth, Church and Culture, Princeton Theological Seminary and co-founder, Ministry Incubators
“We always preach about how we are such a loving and hospitable church but, when we started deep diving into the Innovation Culture Index to see what was the root cause of issues in other areas, we found out it was all about connectivity. People outside of the leadership were not feeling connected. We needed to create opportunities for relationships to be built for people who aren’t necessarily active in our ministries. So we started what we call, ‘Coffee On Us,’ led by someone who is just beginning to get more involved in the church, as a way for people to fellowship and connect.”
Danny Preston, lay leader, Citadel of Faith Covenant Church, Detroit
“Our work with the Innovation Culture Index helped us unearth essential truths about our staff’s and congregation’s relationships with risk, relationships, and motivation, rather than follow our biased perceptions. Although our points of view and experiences differ, our staff is equipped with common language that frees us to share more safely and vulnerably. Assumptions about who we are as a staff and as a church body have given way to both encouraging and humbling realities. We’ve discovered that our eagerness to innovate must be met with a willingness to embrace the beauties and challenges of inevitable failure. ”
Mark Bogart, Director of Youth Ministry, Memorial Drive United Methodist Church
Tired of developing ministries that fall flat?
It’s time to start listening. Ministries that transform lives start with deeply listening to the needs and assets present within your community.
But listening well requires a tool and a process. The Community Discovery Package brings together a group of people within your ministry context to explore the community around you with intention. Over one month, the group will meet together twice and undertake three group activities: community overview research, community interviews, and asset mapping. Then the group will reflect theologically on opportunities for ministry development.
Your purchase includes materials for group meetings and activities, and customized coaching from the Lab staff to help the group discern how God is calling you to move forward.
