What is the Changemaker Initiative?

The Changemaker Initiative launched in 2018 as an experiment in response to a church’s questions: What if we enable and equip lay people to connect the compassion of Jesus with the tools of social impact, catalyzing them as changemakers? Could this approach revitalize a congregation and its missional impact? As a large church in Silicon Valley, Los Altos United Methodist Church (LAUMC) embraced the vision of Senior Pastor Kathi McShane and partnered with the secular social entrepreneurship organization Ashoka for one year to learn about making change.

That engagement sparked 25 individuals (ages 12-74) to integrate their faith and actions deeper than ever before, taking on projects in their workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, and communities. It rejuvenated excitement and leadership within the congregation to take more risks to do God’s work. It leveraged the church’s biggest asset for change: its people.  

This experience was so powerful that a small group of lay people decided to continue the work, creating and curating content that could be shared with more people. They came to see how Jesus’ qualities, words, and actions make him the ultimate changemaker. 

Through gracious funding and partnerships, we have been able to use the changemaking process ourselves - reflecting, listening, and experimenting - to develop programs and resources that catalyze people and churches to be changemakers as a bold way of putting faith into action.

We are grateful for the opportunity to learn and to share this approach with others. We believe there is incredible untapped potential in congregations. Instead of asking people to come and do what the church needs, what if we flip it to ask how can the church support YOUR dreams and callings? We want to mobilize people to risk something big for something good. 

“As you know, you are leading in the faith community world by embarking on the Changemaker Journey as an entire faith community. You will forever have the honor of having been first, and we are deeply grateful for your courage and pioneering spirit.”

Ashoka Executive / ASHOKA partnership sermon