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Our Mission
We are on mission to pave the way for a more sustainable form of impact - one that is rooted in authentic connections, humble partnerships, and mutual growth.
We've heard the critiques of missions.
And so often, they are valid, right, and true. At Kindred Exchange, we are on mission to deconstruct outdated, ineffective missions models and build back up a more modern, humble approach to cross-cultural engagement.
How do we approach missions in the most ethical & sustainable way possible?
You may be wondering...
In recent years, mission work has faced a growing number of critiques that demand our attention and reflection. While we strive to approach these critiques thoughtfully and with a willingness to make adjustments, we also believe there is a better way forward and it is still very worth pursuing. Read some frequently asked questions below to gain a better understanding of our approach.
Is mission work even ethical?
In 2020, the International Mission Board published a significant research study in partnership with Barna examining the future of Christian missions. For “supportive skeptics” ages 18-34, 63% say that Christianity should fix its reputation before doing more missions. At Kindred Exchange, we believe there is a better path forward. We are completely committed to the practice of sharing our faith, but in doing so through authentic relationship, humble partnerships, and mutual growth.
Why combine business and missions?
The majority of the world’s human exploitation stems from greed and economic disempowerment. We believe that good businesses provide an immediate solution to financial stress that often leads to poor healthcare, education, and unfortunate abuse. We also believe the marketplace can be a powerful and effective avenue for evangelical missions. By tending to someone's immediate needs and cultivating relationship, we can authentically share our faith in meaningful ways.
How do we serve well?
So often, even with good intentions to serve, we place ourselves at the center of both mission efforts and community development strategies. When these activities are not informed by the local culture with national voices at the helm, we miss an opportunity to sustain any true transformation in a community. We believe sustainable transformation comes through cultivating authentic relationships and seeking long-term solutions that don't create dependency or an unhealthy savior complex.
How do we avoid creating dependency?
It takes practice and intention to remove ourselves from program design while also showing up fully with our experiences and knowledge. We like to employ a human-centered design approach to the way we share our faith, our knowledge, and our experiences across cultures while also posturing ourselves as learners open to receiving the faith, knowledge, and experiences of that culture.
Our Programs
Our programming is designed to offer a holistic approach to reimagining missions.
We are committed to learning and (maybe more often) unlearning the way we approach mission work in order to create a more sustainable form of impact. Our holistic approach provides our community with free resources to get started (conversations), high-level consulting for anyone looking to sustainably revamp their current missions strategies (consulting), and a missional business program to get involved in (cohorts).
Conversations
We want to be a safe space for our community to explore challenging conversations around the topic of missions. We believe healthy missions starts with a willingness to examine, learn, and adapt. Through our online blog, podcast network, and other free learning resources, we are prepared to journey through these conversations alongside you with empathy and courage.
Our team has served as missions directors, church leaders, nonprofit executives, and missionaries. We know what it feels like to feel "stuck" in old, less effective development strategies and we're here to bring new and innovative ideas to your programming! Through 1:1 consulting, our team of experts walk with you as you reimagine your missional strategy and elevate your impact.
Consulting
Cohorts
Around the globe, there are thousands of underestimated and under-resourced leaders capable to leading movements to create sustainable change in vulnerable communities through business. Through our cohorts program, we equip entrepreneurs around the world with the skills, education, connections, and resources they need to launch their businesses and start creating an impact in their community.
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