2023 FBDI Summit: The Evolution of a Movement
On Nov 9, we held our 2023 FBDI Summit – Faith-Based Community Development: The Evolution of a Movement. We had nearly 800 people register for the event from around the country to consider how this national movement has continued to grow and evolve, particularly in response to the pandemic.
Thanks to FBDI Sustaining Sponsor Wells Fargo and Presenting Sponsor Capital One for their support!
- Faith-Based Development
Opening Session
Welcome to the Summit!
Rev. David Bowers kicks off the 2023 FBDI summit and introduces a demonstration of Enterprise’s Faith-Based Development Guide, a free, online resource platform for houses of worship.
There is a need in the land. There are people living in great distress. But there is also good news, my friends. Houses of worship own a tremendous amount of land in communities across the country, and there is opportunity, literally, in the land.
Fireside Chat
A Denominational Perspective
Church of God in Christ Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard and Derric Scott, who chairs the denomination's faith-based development initiative, discuss their vision, progress, and lessons learned.
[Houses of worship] need to understand what development really entails, not just from a financial perspective. There are other costs: time, risk, and even a cost to moving a little too fast. There must be intentionality behind your development.
Panel
New Realities, New Responses
The pandemic created new realities for houses of worship. This panel discusses how houses of worship adapted their properties to address housing and other community needs.
Don’t talk about all the other things you could do if you don’t know how to use it. Work with the community to design and reimagine something. Then you know what you’re building and putting tons of money, effort, and time into is something that works.
Panel
Meeting Community Needs
Community development can take many forms, from homeownership to retail, office space to day care. This panel explores how houses of worship are meeting community needs.
You got to make that real estate work for that church to do what it was positioned to do in your community. As a pastor, I’ve always told my churches, ‘I'm not called by God to serve a church. I'm called by God to serve the community in which the Church resides.’
Panel
New Public and Private Investments
Financial support, technical assistance, and training help houses of worship navigate the development process. This panel discusses public and private approaches to supporting faith-based development.
If we really want to increase mobility and close the racial wealth gap, if every cent we’re investing in faith institutions or other community institutions is not circulating in the communities we’re trying to have the greatest impact on, we’re failing. That’s an opportunity for all of us.
Closing Remarks
A Conversation with Mark Elsdon
Mark Elsdon discusses his collection of essays, Gone for Good: Navigating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transition with Rev. David Bowers, who is also a contributor to the book.
We don't want to rush past real grief as we say goodbye to some of these beloved places or the way they used to be. But it's also a remarkable opportunity. Let it be reborn in the faith tradition of resurrection into something new and beautiful, life-giving and restorative.
Speakers
Read the full agenda and speakers.
Thank You
| FBDI Sustaining Sponsor: | ||
|
Image
|
||
| Presenting Sponsor: | ||
|
Image
|
||