Say goodbye to church buildings that sit empty every day except Sunday.
Say hello to RootedGood.

UPDATE: Thank you for your interest in RootedGood’s Oikos Accelerator. We are currently redesigning our Oikos curriculum and plan to re-launch the program soon. It will be available to individual congregations Fall 2023.

You've seen congregational leaders spend hours debating the pros and cons of the large facilities they've built.

The church buildings are beautiful and were once full to the brim on Sundays. Everyone loved those days, and most still savor the activity on campus when the congregation arrives.

But no one cares for the silence that sits in the hallways throughout the week.

At the same time, the economic model that has powered congregations is no longer working for most. A decline in participation, and changes in how people give are both having a profound effect, creating uncertainty and anxiety for congregations.

What if you could flip the switch and turn what is currently a liability into an asset? What if you could use your buildings and property to further your mission and ministry in your neighborhood and to generate new forms of income?

Introducing...
The Oikos Accelerator & Cohort Incubator

A catalyst that empowers congregations to align money and mission by exploring how to creatively use their church buildings and property to further their mission and build financial resilience.

Oikos Accelerator for Individual Congregations
Coming Fall 2023

The *NEW* Oikos Accelerator offers an interactive, self-guided curriculum designed for individual congregations looking to explore new economic models that utilizes your church’s property and assets to solve financial challenges through a missional lens.
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We are currently redesigning our Oikos curriculum and plan to re-launch the program soon! Want to know when the new Oikos Accelerator for individual congregations becomes available?
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Cohort Incubator
Piloting Fall 2023, Open Applications Coming Spring 2023
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The *NEW* Cohort Incubator is a pilot program for congregations to explore new, innovative uses of buildings and property that further their mission and generate income in a cohort setting with other local congregations. This program begins with the same Oikos Accelerator curriculum—helping congregations explore potential social enterprise ideas and business models— but also extends the journey by equipping leaders with the tools and resources to communicate their proposals to congregational and community stakeholders, and to launch their projects, all in the context of a supportive cohort of congregational leaders.
With this pilot, we want to experiment with the following:‍
  • 5-7 congregations from a similar geographic area who all want to start a social enterprise that utilizes their assets - often buildings and property. Crucially, this should fulfill the congregation’s sense of mission and purpose and generate new forms of income.
  • 5-7 congregations from a similar geographic area who all want to start a social enterprise that utilizes their assets - often buildings and property. Crucially, this should fulfill the congregation’s sense of mission and purpose and generate new forms of income.
  • A local convenor and facilitator who helps lead and coordinate the cohort and works to develop and deepen local connections with key support providers. 
Interested in participating in our 2023 pilot? Here’s what to do next:‍
  • Gauge interest from local congregations (between 5 and 7 is recommended) in your area. There will be a per-congregation fee of between $750 and $1250
  • Consider if there is someone who could fulfill the role of a local convenor and facilitator. This will be a paid position, for approximately 5 hours per week, funded through RootedGood
  • Talk to local or regional institutions that might be interested in supporting a cohort—denominational bodies, judicatories, foundations, networks, and so on.

Do you know church leaders who want to use their church buildings for ministry? Are you willing to run a cohort in your region?

Let us know by completing the form below with a brief description of who you are, where you are located, and why a cohort is of interest to you. We will be in touch with the next stages of the process.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
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Note: While we are only selecting a few cohorts for the pilot,
we will be accepting multiple cohorts in 2024.

The Oikos Impact

In 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we started the Oikos Accelerator, a multi-modal learning experience that trains clergy and lay leaders in congregations to create a social enterprise that furthers their mission in their community and leads to greater financial strength and resiliency.
It helps congregations:
  • Understand the church’s changing context in terms of their ministry, local community, and financial model.
  • Imagine how their core mission and theology shape the use of buildings and property in light of this changing context.
  • Experiment with new, innovative uses of church buildings and property that both further mission and generate income.
This process culminated in a gathering in San Antonio in 2022, with much of the learning taking place online and through RootedGood’s interactive in-person tools.

“Without Oikos, I think we would be considering selling our building and just trying to survive. We are now starting a business center for local entrepreneurs and small businesses - a real need in our community.”

– Chrissy, Pastor
Out of our first iteration of the Oikos program, a number of projects are starting, ranging from multiple affordable housing projects, a Community Land Trust, co-working spaces, supportive housing, a business center, a childcare co-op, a kitchen social enterprise, and community gardens. Participating congregations gave it an average of 9 out of 10 on the question: “How likely are you to recommend the Oikos Accelerator to other congregations interested in starting a social enterprise?” And 100% of churches who started the process found it to be helpful in meeting the aims of the program.

Want to learn more? A full impact report on the 2021-2022 Oikos Program will be available soon. 

    “Oikos has helped us figure out what the needs are in our community and how we can use what we have got… It has really helped counter our scarcity mindset while fostering our imagination.”

    – Casey, Pastor

    Are you an intermediary organization, such as a funder, denomination, or network and would like to discuss partnering with RootedGood?

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