Missional Innovation Hub
Empowering Kingdom innovation through community collaboration at Malone University
The Missional Innovation Hub at Malone University is a Forge integrated resource, collaboration, and incubation center drawing on the expertise of the Malone and greater Canton communities as well as national partners to provide a place for individuals, churches, denominations, networks, missionally minded business leaders, and nonprofits. Our purpose is to pursue health, collaboratively engage community issues, and experiment with new forms of Christian faith community to extend the work of Christ's kingdom on earth.
Services
Incubation and Consultation
The MIH will offer a “sandbox” to facilitate incubation and experimentation of new ideas for church and community flourishing, including development and mobilization of new expressions of church such as microchurch, marketplace faith communities, non-profit faith communities and more. A guided and customizable experience, this will include resources and tools for discernment and assessment, design, and launch plan.
Spiritual Direction, Coaching, Leadership Development, and Training
The gap between knowledge and practice can be difficult to navigate. As a means of discipleship, missional activation, and equipping, we desire to facilitate missional spiritual formation through calling discernment, learning “the dance between contemplation and action,” leadership training, coaching, and facilitating organizational change.
Research and Thought Leadership
The flood of information and content being produced to help is often overwhelming. Through collaboration and partnership, we desire to convene conversations among Malone faculty, other academic professionals, local, national and global partners, church and community leaders, and missional practitioners for ongoing research in a way that helps practitioners synthesize it and make it useful. Areas of research include, but are not limited to, theology, mission, culture, ecclesiology, sociology, and social work.
Events
We’re big fans of learning communities and collaboration as they provide arguably the best environments for lasting growth and change. We will convene and host events and gatherings including but not limited to seminars, workshops, cohorts, and conferences for conversation, and equipping.
Current Partners
The Missional Innovation Hub is a Sister Movement of the Tampa Underground.
Quotes
Our church is in a major time of transition, processing things from the past and also casting vision for the future. The Missional Innovation Hub team walked us through a day of discussion, focusing on our mission, both personal and communal, based in Scripture and prayer. Our people left that day excited and activated, ready to continue on in our transition process.
Brandon Schmidt, Co-Lead Pastor, Forty Corners Church of God, Massillon, Ohio
The Starting Small Kingdom Works seminar inspired our church to start offering free meals to some of our neighbors in partnership with the local food pantry. As a result of follow up coaching, we are taking the next steps and asking Jesus “Who will join us and who can we mentor as we serve him together?”
Lynn Mercer, Pastor, First Brethren Church of West Alexandria, Ohio