FOUNDER PREPARATION

The great joy of our work at the Redemptive Lab is the time we spend in person. This is a unique time for each of us to unplug, be present, learn, listen, and encourage. While we know everyone is busy with much to do outside of the event, we ask that everyone be fully present during the entirety of this gathering: this means that you’d ideally leave your devices in your room during sessions and ensure your team knows you won’t be available to respond to messages during the day. Our events are unlike a typical conference where you might be able to step away and take a call; they are customized for each participant, intentional, and relational -- each person plays a key role in each session. Since we only spend about 42 hours in person together, we ask that founders plan to be completely unplugged during events, and that you plan your time accordingly. 

With that, a few expectations for our time together:

PRESENCE: We have much to cover and we want to make sure you get the most out of your time.

It will be important for you to block the dates of the Lab in a way that allows your team and family to know that you will be unavailable while you are away. Programming is scheduled from early morning until the evening, and it will be frustrating to you and to those depending on you if you think you can run up to your room to tackle emails in between sessions. You will have just enough time to make a quick morning or evening phone call home each day, but that’s about it!

We host a tech-free environment during the program. We will provide printed workbooks, and you can certainly bring your own notebook/journal of choice. Computers, tablets, and phones are to stay in your room. We consider it a gift to retreat from our devices as we engage in deeper thought, conversation and fellowship with one another - we hope you will, too!

PARTICIPATION: The quality of the peer and mentor experience is largely dependent on the level of participation from each of the founders.

With your peers, we will have a few intentional times of group sharing and reflection. We have found that this format is key to building your shared experience together. We know that there are varied comfort levels here, but we encourage you to be an active contributor in both sharing and active listening.

With the mentors, you will be in small group sessions and one-on-ones, and they will look to you to drive the questions and discussions. During informal times and meals, take the initiative to walk with or sit next to a mentor you’d like to get to know better. They will welcome it!

CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE: Submitting ourselves to honest humility and self-awareness will allow all members of the community to flourish.

• Honest optimism > glossy pitch. The old adage applies strongly to our mentors who may have the ability to give: “ask for money and you’ll get advice, ask for advice and you may get money.” Our mentors expect to help with your biggest challenges, not get pitched, and they understand that not everything is working perfectly.

• Consider your cohort. There’s an intentionally humble way among our community members, and you don’t want to stand out for the wrong reasons. If you tend to be long-winded, be concise to create space for others. If you’re typically first to speak, make sure to listen. If you’re ‘in the majority’ in some way, create space for the voice of others.

• Value diversity. Don’t assume everyone’s theology, socioeconomic, social or other background is the same - in fact, assume that it’s not! Our central hallway is belief in and pursuit of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and beyond that, we are hopeful to widely represent the body of Christ and learn from each other in humility.

• Act virtuously. We believe our community’s collective witness is best understood by our way of life, not merely the work we do. We hope that our events and program are a clear representation of a group of people that embody the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love and the cardinal virtues of wisdom, moderation, courage, and justice. This applies to everything as lofty as the courage to have an abundance mentality with your relationships (i.e., if you know someone that may be interested or could help one of your peers as much as you: introduce them!) to hyper-practical decisions such as moderation of alcohol consumption and how you treat the staff who are serving us.