Our Fall Class of Fellows

Welcoming 12 new ventures into our program + portfolio.

Welcome to the Missional Labs journal - we write for church and ministry leaders interested in the macro-trends (innovation, tech, culture, etc) shaping our world, with analysis on the implications for forward-looking mission and leadership.

Sometimes we send updates about our venture work - like this email. If you know anyone pioneering something innovative in or around the Church for the sake of mission, send them our way.

Let us know what you think, subscribe, and share!

Tyler Prieb
Missional Labs

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Hey friends,

Hope you’ve all had a good summer.

We’ve spent the summer resting, reflecting, and planning, as we continue laying the foundations of our core work.

Our main thesis is that the decline of the Church in its current form is also the rise of a new “missionary” age. As such, we finally have the capacity and freedom to step back and reimagine mission.

We think the uncertain future will be disproportionately shaped by spirit-led pioneers, who undertake a type of “traditioned innovation,” and build new forms, wineskins, and ventures at the redemptive edge of modern culture, that renew the church and help people encounter the Gospel in new ways.

We’re creating the ecosystem to advance these pioneers, who in turn will help cultivate a renewed imagination in the Church. This email is an update on our flagship venture program - we’re excited to tell you about the projects.

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Our Fall Fellows

I’ve written before about our first venture incubator. It went great, and we’re still exploring ways to serve those ventures as they grow and develop. Our sweet-spot is “early.” We believe it’s important to get clarity on personal calling, cultural context, and the big idea, before building much else. So we do our best work in the early stages.

This class of fellows will be part of our fall cohort, and then roll into our “portfolio.” Find out more about some of the amazing work they’re doing below:

Vision: We believe God's core desire is to dwell with his people and as such he delights in spaces dedicated to this sole purpose. Adoration House hosts prayer and worship sets where believers from across our city gather seek Jesus together. We practice engaging in corporate expressions of thanksgiving, worship and intercession. (Website).

Vision: The Everyday Institute is a high-quality course library for the church that takes the best of what a traditional approach to catechesis might include and redesigns it into a seamless, incentivized digital pathway that can be completed individually or with friends. (Website)

Vision: Fatherless homes are on the rise, and while I know my podcast won’t be the solution, I know that these voicemails will act as a piece of a puzzle of healing to anyone who relates to 15-year-old Jordan Deen. My prayer is that anyone journeying through the complexities of a fatherless life will find hope in the stories of the people I’ll be interviewing. (Website)

Vision: Healing Center SD was birthed in response to our global mental health crisis. Our team of counselors are trained in a powerful and effective modality that brings deep healing to those in need. We believe that it is only through the Holy Spirit and Biblical strategies that our clients can get the breakthrough and healing they desire. (Website).

Vision: Lightworks exists to redeem the internet and harness the power of digital to make disciples. We build transformative digital platforms and ministry networks to help every person find and take their next best step on their journey with Jesus. We envision a day when every person with internet access has the opportunity to be a disciple who walks fully in the ways of Jesus. (Website).

Vision: NXT Collective is a space for artistic exploration and development – supporting 14-21 year olds, combining practical tools, collaborative working practices and the expertise of industry professionals to empower the next generation of artists. NXT Collective runs across three streams: Vocals, Music and Producers. In association with the world-famous Tileyard Studios, our goal is to provide practical pathways to record labels, publishers, and management companies, whilst fostering a supportive community for emerging artists. (Website)

Vision: The Psalms Project Co is nonprofit ministry inspiring prayer and creative worship from the Psalms. We highlight artists and worshipers as well as further resources and collaborative initiatives for the Church. (Website)

Vision: Building bridges of reconciliation with the LGBTQIA+ community and the Church, the QUE(E)RY is a safe space for monthly group conversations amongst those who identify to find fellowship and faith. (Website)

Vision: We want to utilize cutting edge fintech and social technology to create a church giving experience that emphasizes spiritual disciplines, enhances community togetherness, and assists ministry leaders in discipleship. (Website)

Vision: I am here to be the guide into the futuristic world of decentralized technologies for the Christian space, and a vivid Christian witness to the web3 space. I want each essay I write to galvanize someone to action, giving them the tools they need to disrupt their own lives. If people come away from my work believing that the Christian life is the path to crafting a viable and vibrant life in the world of tomorrow, I will have done my job. (Website)

Vision: Theo’s Feast is inspired by the word Theophany, which is defined as a physical manifestation of God, tangible to the human senses. A Biblical example of this is when God spoke to Moses through the burning bush. Our hope and prayer is that our dinner guests will have their own personal theophany as they experience the gospel through all of their senses. (Website)

Vision: Our heart is to help creatives to find dignity, value and community in caring for their mind and spirit, instead of only caring for the beauty they bring into the world. (Website)

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If you know anyone that you think would be a great fit for this program, we’re taking applications for future rounds. Send them our way.

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Updates from our Portfolio:

Quick hits from other ventures in our world:

• Mighty Pursuit - Our friends at Mighty Pursuit have launched their new website, and it’s stunning. Take a look and share it with your friends.

• Streams - Streams studio has been up and running recently with their new discipleship content. Take a look here.

• Vast - Vast Media has launched new branded podcasts, and is opening up their creator network for new podcasts this fall. Stay connected.

• Reconstruct - Reconstruct has launched season 2 of their podcast on faith and deconstruction for Gen Z. Check it out.

• The Nett - The Nett is growing, with events in new cities, including a fall event in London in November. Details here.

• Talenta - Launching their new website in the next week. Stay tuned here.

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Updates from Missional Labs:

In case you’ve read this far, here are a few macro-updates from our work, for those who want to come on the journey and support us.

• Venture Support - We’ve shifted our primary focus from a “consulting” agency that helps ministries, toward a “venture support” approach. We’re all-in on venture support - we’d rather get upstream with early stage projects.

• Ministry Focus - We believe in the emergence of “church-adjacent” projects. We see a niche here. The congregation is for everybody, but the “ministry” is specialized and focused. The church at its most vibrant is a synthesis between local modalities and specialized sodalities.

• Praxis Accelerator - We’re also proud to announce that we’re participating in this year’s Praxis nonprofit accelerator program. This is a prestigious program working on “redemptive ventures.” So, yes, they’re going to accelerate our accelerator. It’s an honor to get to learn from their team. We just spent last week with them in upstate New York, doing focused work on our core model.

• Founder’s Circle - We’re planning to roll out a “Founders Circle” this fall, as part of a seed-round of grant funding to keep our work going. If that’s you, let us know.

• We’ve Incorporated - We’ve incorporated as a Nonprofit corporation, and are planning to file our 501c3 application this fall, and receive charitable donations under a fiscal sponsor in the meantime.

To learn more about our work, see the programs in our venture lab, our current portfolio, and our innovation services.

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Get Involved:

We’re building out this venture work. Here’s how you can help:

• New Ventures. If you know an emerging leader that is pioneering something interesting, anywhere in the world, have them fill out the interest form at the top of this page.

• Mentors. We’re building our network of mentors and experts who are willing to come alongside these projects and help them toward maturity.

• Funders. If you, someone you know, or any philanthropic organizations want to get behind a new wave of kingdom projects, we’d love to talk to you!

If this is you, or you want to connect, email us.

Thanks for reading!