It is comparatively quick and easy to set up an event in an attempt to gather some new people into church. It is quite another thing to reconnect to a community, the greater part of which gets by just fine without reference to the church at all – so says Bishop Graham Cray, Archbishops' Missioner and leader of the Fresh Expressions team.
There is no quick fix solution to the re-evangelisation of the United Kingdom. As it has taken decades for Church and society to grow apart to the degree that they have today, so it will take time to bring them back together again.
One of the characteristics of the Mission of God in which we share, is divine patience – 30 years of divine patience before the public ministry of Jesus began, endless patience with each sinner to keep open the possibility that they might repent. God does take His time, whatever time is necessary. In the same way, patient, incarnational ministry, an avoidance of short cuts and a commitment to the long term, need to mark the development of fresh expressions.
The story (so far) of Tulloch NET illustrates this well.