Our synod works hard to ensure that our staff, our congregations, and our neighbors have the opportunity to grow and develop, especially when it comes to cultural competency and racial equity. We have several different tools and devices to support that development.

Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)

The Intercultural Development Inventory is a tool used by a team of trained synod volunteers committed to working with leadership, staff, congregations and individuals in growing their awareness and agility in understanding and navigating cultural difference and commonality.

This tool and the subsequent training is designed to develop and grow intercultural competence.

Our IDI training team use this tool to provide individuals, teams and staff with a framework for their developmental work in gaining cultural competence.  The assessment provides a baseline and starting point for this work and helps identify developmentally appropriate learning and interventions.

Congregations and racial justice teams interested in improving cultural competence through the use of the Intercultural Development Inventory please contact Pastor Melissa Pohlman or Pastor Steve Bonesho.

Center for Leadership and Neighborhood Engagement (CLNE)

Vision

The CLNE mobilizes congregations and leaders as powerful neighborhood-based agents for positive social change. CLNE’s vision is built upon a foundation of the experiences of its Executive Director, Pastor Kelly Chatman, who has navigated a dominant white culture as a Black child and man.  Utilizing the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) and an asset-based approach to community development, CLNE offers experiences designed to help leaders and congregations transform their thinking and deepen their understanding of what it takes to address individual and systemic racism, and promote racial equity.

Mission

To offer transformative learning experiences that strengthen and inspire leaders and congregations.

The Center partners with community organizations to provide access to coaching, training, programming and immersion experiences that teach:

  • Cultural competency
    Individuals, students, community leaders and congregations will discover their current ability to serve in a diverse context. Follow-up work on a customized development plan will enable them to engage neighbors and the community with increased awareness and cultural competency.
  • How to engage neighbors through asset-based community development.
    Through programming and immersion experiences at selected sites in North Minneapolis, participants will experience first-hand the asset-based community development of an organization or congregation that has established deep relationships with neighbors, and partnerships with other neighborhood organizations.  Participants will learn to uncover their strengths and assets, forge partnerships, and develop a just and healthy community together.

Ongoing coaching in these developmental areas will help teams create long-term change in culture and neighborhood engagement.

For more information, please visit www.clne-mn.org.

Resources