Day: 18 September 2015

Fresh Expressions Young Adults Hub (South)

We are happy to announce that Fresh Expressions has some new things planned for practitioners, organisations and youth workers who work with young adults. We are creating 'hubs' in different parts of the UK for people to gather together to for encouragement, practical training, and strategic thinking as we all work together to reach out to the 'lost generation' of 20-30s in our communities.

We are gathering three groups: two groups of practitioners and organisations working with young adults (meeting in the South – London and the North – Sheffield), as well as a youth worker consultation (meeting in London). The goal of the meetings is simple: to learn together how to multiply fresh expressions of church in our networks.

You may be asking yourself: where do I fit? Well, to put it simply, if you are involved with a fresh expression of church amongst young adults, or you work for a charity or organisation that works to reach young adults, then we want you to join in! If you are a youth worker, our initial consultation will help us to begin thinking through a new strategy for fresh expressions in the youth work context.

Please book your free place using the link at the foot of the page. We are very much looking forward to meeting you!

To be kept in touch with the latest news and updates from the young adults hub, please email youngadults@freshexpressions.org.uk.

Click the link below to RSVP!

Practitioners and Organisations – South (London)

Friday 5th February 2015

11.30-15.30

Lunch will be provided.

Fresh Expressions Young Adults Hub (North)

We are happy to announce that Fresh Expressions has some new things planned for practitioners, organisations and youth workers who work with young adults. We are creating 'hubs' in different parts of the UK for people to gather together to for encouragement, practical training, and strategic thinking as we all work together to reach out to the 'lost generation' of 20-30s in our communities.

We are gathering three groups: two groups of practitioners and organisations working with young adults (meeting in the South – London and the North – Sheffield), as well as a youth work consultation (meeting in London). The goal of the meetings is simple: to learn together how to multiply fresh expressions of church in our networks.

You may be asking yourself: where do I fit? Well, to put it simply, if you are involved with a fresh expression of church amongst young adults, or you work for a charity or organisation that works to reach young adults, then we want you to join in! If you are a youth worker, our initial consultation will help us to begin thinking through a new strategy for fresh expressions in the youth work context.

Please book your free place using the link at the foot of the page. We are very much looking forward to meeting you!

To be kept in touch with the latest news and updates from the young adults hub, please emailyoungadults@freshexpressions.org.uk.

Click the link below to RSVP!

Practitioners and Organisations – North (Manchester)

Friday 12th February 2015

11.30-15.30

Lunch will be provided.

Youth Work Consultation Hub (London)

We are happy to announce that Fresh Expressions has some new things planned for practitioners, organisations and youth workers who work with young adults. We are creating 'hubs' in different parts of the UK for people to gather together to for encouragement, practical training, and strategic thinking as we all work together to reach out to the 'lost generation' of 20-30s in our communities.

We are gathering three groups: two groups of practitioners and organisations working with young adults (meeting in the South – London and the North – Sheffield), as well as a youth work consultation (meeting in London). The goal of the meetings is simple: to learn together how to multiply fresh expressions of church in our networks.

You may be asking yourself: where do I fit? Well, to put it simply, if you are involved with a fresh expression of church amongst young adults, or you work for a charity or organisation that works to reach young adults, then we want you to join in! If you are a youth worker, our initial consultation will help us to begin thinking through a new strategy for fresh expressions in the youth work context.

Please book your free place using the link at the foot of the page. We are very much looking forward to meeting you!

To be kept in touch with the latest news and updates from the young adults hub, please email youngadults@freshexpressions.org.uk.

Click the link below to RSVP!

Youth worker consultation (London)

Thursday 4th February 2016

11.30-15.30

Lunch will be provided.

What is a fresh expression?

What are fresh expressions of church?A fresh expression of church is a new gathering or network that engages mainly with people who have never been to church. There is no single model, but the emphasis is on starting something which is appropriate to its context, rather than cloning something that works elsewhere.

Over 3,000 of these new forms of church now exist in almost every denomination and tradition in the UK.

Fresh expressions of church:

  • serve those outside church;

  • listen to people and enter their context;

  • make discipleship a priority: journeying with people to Jesus;

  • form church.

Definition

Our more formal working definition is that:

A fresh expression is a form of church for our changing culture, established primarily for the benefit of people who are not yet members of any church.

  • It will come into being through principles of listening, service, incarnational mission and making disciples;

  • It will have the potential to become a mature expression of church shaped by the gospel and the enduring marks of the church and for its cultural context.

Is it a fresh expression of church?

A phrase like 'fresh expression of church' can be vague and unclear. Sometimes the label is used to cover almost anything – even a new church noticeboard! But the important thing is intention: When a new mission project or group begins, what is the intention?

A fresh expression of church is not:

  • an old outreach with a new name (‘rebranded’ or ‘freshened up’);

  • a bridge project, to which people belong for a while before going to ‘proper’ church – some people do end up moving into a more traditional church, others see the fresh expression as their church, while others again have a foot in both.

If the intention is to work towards establishing a new community or congregation especially for those who have never been involved in church (un-churched) or once were, but left for whatever reason (de-churched), then it is a fresh expression of church in the making. A fresh expression of church like this may look very different to traditional church.

If, though, the intention is to do mission better or more imaginatively in order to attract people to an existing church, it isn't a fresh expression (although doing that is always an excellent idea). The aim of a fresh expression is not to provide a stepping stone into existing church, but to form a new church in its own right. So it is important to decide the direction you are heading in, before you begin the journey.

For more details, see What is a fresh expression of church? in the Guide.

Will fresh expressions last or will they just be yet another fad?

Time will tell, but we believe that there are certain things you can do in a fresh expression to encourage sustainability:

  • it is important to keep it fresh by holding on to Scripture and tradition but by also interacting with the surrounding culture;

  • it is vital to develop disciples and help new Christians engage in lifelong learning;

  • it is essential to train new leaders, offer mentoring and encourage everyone to use their gifts;

  • it is necessary to have wise patterns of governance and accountability to the wider church (perhaps through formal structures, but not necessarily);

  • it is wise to move towards financial stability as soon as possible;

  • steady growth is important too – in holiness, in worship, in service and in mission.

Most important of all, it is vital to dig deep foundations at the beginning. If you start out having listened attentively to God, to the people you are called to serve and to the experience of other Christians, you will be more likely to initiate a venture with a long life. Too many fresh expressions suffer because not enough time was spent listening at the start.

Where can I find a fresh expression near me?

There is not a central database of fresh expressions of church – they are simply too numerous to list.

Sometimes they can be fluid and fragile and always they are locally and contextually formed, suggesting that a national 'register' of fresh expressions is neither possible nor desirable.

We have featured a number of stories on our website and you can search these on our map (or by keyword).

If you have a local FEAST (Fresh Expressions Area Strategy Team) then they may be able to put you in touch with a local fresh expression of church.

Some networks of fresh expression have their own databases – for instance the cafechurch network or Messy Church.

Your local Church of England diocese, Methodist district, URC synod or other local church grouping may also have information about fresh expressions of church in your area.

When will fresh expressions join the proper church?

As they mature, fresh expressions become proper church. Imagine a group of congregations of which some are traditional, perhaps meeting in a chapel or parish church, and others are fresh expressions of church, perhaps meeting in a café or skate park or school, or maybe over the internet. Both 'types' of church are real.

Fresh expressions of church may need to develop some aspects of their mission and ministry to become mature church, but just as a baby is a proper human so fresh expressions are proper church.

When two Christians meet at a bus stop, is that a fresh expression of church?

A fresh expression is more than just an occasional meeting. Fresh expressions are about working with those who don't go to church in a way that has the potential to grow into mature church.

Any new community will to be outward-looking from the very beginning, not just a different way of meeting together for Christians. It will also have the goal of growing in the UP, IN, OUT, and OF dimensions of church.

What training is available for those wanting to start or be involved in fresh expressions?

A number of organisations offer training of one kind or another.

Fresh Expressions offers:

vision days

Introductory days for you to discover more about fresh expressions of church.

mission shaped intro

A six-week freely downloadable course exploring mission-shaped thinking and the need for new ways of being church.

mission shaped ministry

A one-year part-time learning journey in a supportive community to equip you for a lifetime of good practice and learning in growing fresh expressions of church.

The Guide

Online free advice on starting, developing and sustaining fresh expressions of church.