Fostering Innovation: Recommendations and Best Practices

Introduction: Based on the analysis of the Innovation Fund applications, several recommendations and best practices have emerged. This post provides guidance for mission agencies aiming to foster a culture of innovation. 

External Collaboration Among Mission Agencies at a Home Office Level is Lacking and Difficult 

  • Strengths: Identifying this gap highlights the need for improved coordination and partnership among agencies. Collaboration can lead to shared resources, unified strategies, and stronger support networks, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness of mission work. 
  • Weaknesses: Achieving collaboration can be challenging due to differences in organizational cultures, priorities, and operational methods. Overcoming these barriers requires strong leadership, clear communication, and a willingness to compromise. 

While collaboration on the mission field is often paramount to survival, it is difficult and often absent at the home office or sending office level between organizations. Several understandable factors create these challenges. Organizational identity, culture, theological perspective, and missiological approach can all hinder partnerships with other organizations. Additionally, missionary recruitment, donor acquisition, stewardship, and a mentality of resource scarcity often overshadow our ability to engage in collaborative conversations with other organizations doing similar work. 

This year, we sought to spur collaboration by uniquely creating an opportunity for Missio Nexus member agencies to come together and submit joint proposals. These proposals aimed to leverage their strengths for a combined effort to bring a new, innovative concept to global missions. We need to continue seeking ways for our mission leaders to build relationships, share ideas, and collaboratively engage. Our combined effort is essential for making strides forward in the work of the gospel in an increasingly divisive and challenging environment for Christian missions. 

Internal Collaboration Within Organizations Between Fields, and Field and Home Offices, Needs to Increase to See Culture Change Within Organizations 

  • Strengths: Enhanced internal collaboration can lead to better alignment of goals, more cohesive strategies, and a stronger sense of community and shared purpose. It can facilitate the exchange of ideas and best practices, driving innovation and improving mission outcomes. 
  • Weaknesses: Bridging the gap between field and home offices requires effort and resources. Differences in perspectives and priorities can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. Effective internal communication and conflict resolution mechanisms are essential to overcome these challenges. 

Collaboration externally is challenging, but we often miss opportunities to collaborate internally. Tools and structures frequently keep field staff and home office staff siloed and disconnected from one another. Competition can arise within organizations over project funding, hindering cooperation and mutual benefit. Organizations like VisionSynergy advocate for having a Chief Collaboration Officer to address this issue. Whether developing apps to foster discipleship, creating church planting strategies, or employing new approaches for humanitarian relief and community development projects, we often miss out on collaborative learning and project discovery by remaining isolated within our organizations. A proactive approach to internal collaboration will enhance learning and resource allocation. 

Focus on People – Human Change and Empowerment 

  • Strengths: Prioritizing human relationships and empowerment ensures that mission work addresses the core needs and aspirations of the people served. It fosters trust, mutual respect, and long-term sustainable change. Personal relationships can also lead to more meaningful and impactful mission work. 
  • Weaknesses: Focusing on human change and empowerment can be time-consuming and may require extensive interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity. It might be challenging to measure and quantify the impact of these efforts compared to more tangible technological solutions. 

One of the greatest strengths of an innovative design thinking approach is its focused attention on end-user empathy. While the mission world is certainly driven by the desire to see lives transformed and souls saved, which is inherently empathetic, our approach does not always prioritize the end person in a unique way. We may seek to communicate with them, serve them, and provide resources to help them learn and grow in faith, but our perceptions of need, experiences in other settings, or individual desires can often overshadow the good and timely work of focusing on people in their context. This focus is essential to bring about the most change, the deepest engagement, and lasting empowerment to see the gospel take root in their lives, families, and communities. 

In a technologically driven world, we often start at the wrong end of the solution continuum, assuming the solution must be technologically related. However, the tools of technology may be the last item to consider as we seek to build deep and lasting relationships that bring enduring change. 

Conclusion: By applying these recommendations, mission agencies can enhance their capacity for innovation and achieve greater impact. Learn more at Ministry Innovation Fund | Missio Nexus 


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