Listen. Act. Share. A Way Forward
Does it seem like the ways we “do Church” are no longer effective? Faithful Innovation is a way forward.
With dramatic changes in communities and congregations alike, Faith+Lead at Luther Seminary has spent years in research and collaboration. Together with many ELCA synods and other denominational judicatories they have developed a process of discernment for faith communities that puts God in the center of faith life and invites each community to chart their own way forward as faith communities.
The Faithful Innovation program is available to congregations.
Steps to join Faithful Innovation
- Learn about Faithful Innovation
- Hear from a Team Member, Pr. Chris Richards - Video
- Listen to Participants' Experiences - Video
- The Faithful Innovation Framework - Website
- Faithful Innovation - Fuller Seminary Interview - Video
- Faithful Innovation - Participants' Voices - Video
- Leading Faithful Innovations Book Launch (April 2023) - Video
- Talk to your congregation or church council
- Assemble a team of 4-7 folks able to commit to listening, honesty, and Jesus
- Apply to SWMN Faithful Innovation Training APPLY HERE
- Find a way forward with God at the center!
Training For Faithful Innovation
Faithful Innovation is team based.
Teams are made of lay members of the congregation who are trained to do the work of listening, acting, and sharing. They are accompanied by one Coach, whose role it is to keep the team on task and avoid many typical pitfalls of working innovation. Pastors/Spiritual Leaders also are a part of the team. They work the ‘God Questions’ - helping a team learn to discern what God is up to instead of working on ‘Church Questions.’
Questions?
Get in touch with one of our team members and ask questions! Hear about their experiences with Faithful Innovation as you reflect on whether this might be a way forward for your congregation or ministry. Team members listed here have all completed three or more years with Faithful Innovation, and even though COVID cut things short, have worked the process with their congregations and ministries as well. Use their experience!
Each congregation’s team will be trained in three sessions with their coach and pastor along with monthly online check-ins and coaching.
- Friday afternoons are training for the Rostered Leaders
- Saturday morning and afternoons are training with Congregational Guiding Teams, Rostered Leaders and Coaches.
Cohort 2 is forming now for early 2024!
The application deadline
is December 15th, 2023 for Cohort 2.
For more specific information contact
a team member listed below.
Faithful Innovation Team
Pr. Troy Pflibsen
SW MN Synod Director for Evangelical Mission
507.627.9045
Email Troy
Pr. Janel Kuester
Christ Lutheran, Cottonwood
651.726.4003
Email Janel
Pr. Christopher Richards
Trinity Lutheran, Cyrus
320.297.1602
Email Chris
Pr. Erika Buller
St John's, Raymond & Vinje, Willmar
952.454.6012
Email Erika
Pr. Tim Wheatley
Evangelical Lutheran, Cokato
612-756-4633
Email Tim