What is an Idea Lab ? A laboratory is typically a place of experimentation , the testing of hunches or hypotheses , and the making of discoveries . Idea Labs purposefully gather people together at an “ on-site ” laboratory of a workplace , neighborhood , or church to investigate , research , create , and apply new approaches and insights . At the heart of this Lab is the extraction of wisdom from people ’ s experience — wisdom that can generate new solutions to local challenges . Idea Labs are adventures in faith , where people trust God together to “ call into existence the things that do not exist ” ( Romans 4:17 , ESV ).
Idea Labs can happen in an office space , a coffee shop , or a living room . Idea Labs happen when there is :
• a common local problem or challenge to address ;
• a new product or resource that needs to be sold or implemented ; or
• a new strategy or resource that needs to be created .
Here ’ s an example of how to start and implement an Idea Lab . Your church is experiencing an influx of elementary-age children with parents who are young in the faith . You ’ re discovering that your current curriculum and programming is not addressing the needs of these children or parents . You need to rethink your strategy for children ’ s ministry . How can you create an Idea Lab to generate new ideas ?
1 . Recruit an Idea Lab team . Select four to six people to address this challenge , people who are on the front lines of this ministry — parents , teachers , and select staff . Identify a group facilitator , someone whose role is not to impose an agenda or suggest solutions but to extract wisdom from the group .
2 . Identify the challenge . What specific challenge or problem are you facing ? Narrow the challenge to one or two specific topics and write it out in complete sentences so it ’ s understood by everyone on the team .
3 . Explore the challenge . The group possesses experience — expertise — in how to minister to children . The facilitator draws from this reservoir of wisdom by asking questions . Questions could include :
• What is most important in educating children ?
• What facilities and resources are critical in the learning process ?
• How would you assess the quality of our current resources and facilities ?
• What educational skills are necessary for good teachers ?
• How would you describe the spiritual life and needs of these children ?
• What have we learned from the past about child education that can help us now ?
• What opportunities are present for quality education ? What are some obstacles ?
• What other resources ( people , training , books , etc .) are available to help us provide quality education to children ?
• From our discussion , what principles emerge that can guide our strategy ?
• What solutions are emerging to help us meet this challenge ?
4 . Take action . Identify several key action
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