Across the country, there is a growing number of Makerspaces—local spots in communities (often found inside of libraries or schools) that encourage learning, design, and general education about technology. What can you find in a Makerspace? Typically you’ll find both children and adults building robots, learning to code, fabricating tools, constructing small drones and other tech projects.

These spaces encourage education through a hands-on approach that teaches technological skills in a tangible and fun while giving future job skills.

By jason gessner via Wikimedia Commons

It’s simple: What if local churches saw themselves not only as places of spiritual direction and guidance, but also as places that empower and equip people through creative technological play? As it stands, many United Methodist Churches sponsor Scouting—which teaches a variety of life and vocational skills.

For the church, offering a Makerspace could show how faith and work intersect. Interested church leaders could use these opportunities to teach a valuable lesson: that faith and work need not be compartmentalized. Love of God breaks all molds.

Have you seen anything like this in the churches you serve, visited, or heard about? Are there churches that seek to become places that meet multiple needs within your community? How can churches take a holistic approach to empowerment and education to the next level? What if the next greatest innovation for the developing parts of our world emerged from the local church’s makerspace? Dream big, Church!

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