How are we fostering innovation?
Is it just some lofty idea or something that truly impacts our local ministry?
The team over in Oregon got serious about this concept of innovation back in 2019 when they launched a Regional Innovation Team. Chris Herb raised a chunk of funds and deployed a team led by Area Director, Justin Scott, to foster innovation and help support these new ideas.
What Does an Innovation Team Do?
Justin and his crew focus on supporting their regional staff’s crazy, new ideas to reach kids. Their goal is to fund ideas within the region that will help them reach new, and more kids. They provide support and feedback for new ideas throughout the region. They poke holes, listen, and throw out supporting ideas. They also help staff get the right people “in the room” to make those ideas come to fruition.
They also help FUND these innovative ideas. This team has an allocation of grant funds from their Regional Director to give to innovative ideas and projects throughout the year.
What Has Come Out of This Innovation Team?
Justin Scott shared some of the ways they’ve worked to reach kids in new, innovative ways. Obviously, COVID-19 threw a wrench in so many of “our” plans, but remember all of this was no surprise to God! In the past two years, and throughout the pandemic, this region has seen some pretty creative strategies come to life. The result: reaching MORE KIDS!
Here are a few of the new ministry approaches that have evolved:
Gaming Ministry: Club anchored around a building that serves as an after school space.
Angling Ministry: An avid fisherman takes leaders and kids out on the water and to learn how to fish and share the gospel in the process.
‘Basketball in the Park’ Park Cleanup: An under-resourced club in a bigger city had a local park where kids hung out consistently. The local team built up a basketball program, tournament, and club centered around this park!
International Focus: One college director is thinking creatively around strategies for reaching international students on campus; she’s building up a program aimed at engaging with international students that are on their campus.
Skating Ministry: One community leveraged the skate parks in their community and set up ministry to reach this group of kids.
Innovation can happen anywhere. Sometimes when we are faced with the tightest constraints, we experience the biggest breakthroughs. The last year or so forced us all to do this in our local ministry. Odds are, you have innovative ideas happening in your own region. Our question is “do you have the support system to help you turn these ideas into real-life ministries?” Justin, Chris, and the rest of Oregon Cascades region are reaching new, and more, kids than ever before because they’re leaning into new ideas. If you are interested in how your own region can build an innovation team or want to learn more about the structure of their innovation grants, reach out to Justin (scottyounglife@me.com)!