Recently I've been blessed with getting to know some cool folks who are doing amazing things in missions and charity. I've mentioned some of them here. It's incredibly encouraging to see the tide turning in the way charity is getting done. There are many who are waking up to the need to bring entrepreneurship and sustainable development into our ministries. This theme is all over the latest issue of Fast Company, a magazine I highly recommend, by the way.
I was reading this article in the magazine and was struck by a question. What if all these new innovative, creative, young, entrepreneurial mission start-ups were intentionally talking with each other? Better yet, what if there was a way to follow the model in the article and set up co-working spaces for charities? These charities wouldn't even have to be working on the same kinds of projects or even focused in the same countries. I think there could be some fabulous and unexpected interactions if charities were sharing the same space.
If companies as diverse as AT&T and Zappos are comfortable intermingling their employees with other companies and see a value in the exchange, couldn't there be even greater value if all of us who are trying to more effectively impact the world with the Gospel shared some space...and ideas? I think it would help develop a greater awareness of best practices, exponentially multiply good ideas, accelerate the pace of change and more that we can't even imagine. The inspiration that struck me as I read the article was so strong I literally jumped up out of my chair.
My friend Trent Davis sort of stumbled into this concept a year ago as Immanuel Lutheran Church in Joplin was forming Transform Joplin, the nonprofit dedicated to rebuilding that city after the May 22, 2011 tornado. The warehouse space acquired for Transform Joplin was more space than they needed so Trent and his team recruited other ministries and invited them to share the space. I think he would tell you it has led to some interesting partnerships and connections that might not have happened if they each had their own buildings. And Joplin is better off for it.
I encourage you to read the article and consider the possibilities. I'd love to hear comments and stories of others who might already be doing this.
2 comments:
Absolutely Love this idea!! A group of different christian ministries/denominations choosing to agree to disagree on our differences but instead focus on the big picture causes the enemy to absolutely tremble in fear :-)
I can certainly say that having an opportunity to work in the same environment as my Lutheran, Catholic, Methodist and other denominational friends may not have made be a better Baptist, but it sure as heck made me a better person. I would be proud to sit in any of their congregations on a Sunday morning. Hammers and Hearts is a much better organization from having shared the same mission as Trent and our other brothers and sister in Christ.
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