Month: September 2015

The precise definition of a fresh expression of church has evolved over time. The term was coined by the Mission-shaped Church report. It was taken from the promise made by Anglican clergy every time they take up a new post: 'to proclaim the Gospel afresh in each generation'.

Fresh expressions:

• serve those outside church (they are missional);
• listen to people and enter their culture (they are contextual);
• make discipleship a priority (they are formational);
• form church (they are ecclesial).

More formally, currently we think this is the most helpful definition:

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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.

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The important things to notice are that fresh expressions have an emphasis on mission, that they are culturally appropriate, that they come into being only after a time of listening to the local community and that one day, as disciples are made, they will become a mature expression of church.

By celebrating diversity as a gift not seeing it as a threat. As Britain becomes ever more multi-cultural and multi-ethnic more diversity is needed if we are to be truly effective.

Theologically by knowing themselves to be part of the one body of Christ. In these days of many different denominations and expressions of church we may need an understanding of 1 Corinthians 12 that sees the members of the body in congregational as well as individual terms.

Creative thought and prayer needs to be given to ways in which individual churches (established and fresh) can visibly demonstrate their oneness in Christ, particularly in local areas.

Are fresh expressions proper church?

God values unity across diversity

Oversight and accountability are of course essential. This is especially effective when sought 'from below' rather than imposed 'from above'. Barbara Glasson's story of Somewhere Else is an excellent example of how a unique fresh expression ensured it remained in good relationship with the rest of the church.

Former Methodist President Graham Carter has stressed the need for fresh expressions to be held in relationship by love rather than by regulation.

Further reading

Mixed Up Blessing: A New Encounter with Being Church

Barbara Glasson, Inspire, 2006, 978-185852305-7

It is really important to start by listening to the community or network you want to reach. You might literally walk the streets and listen to what people have to say, invite a group to a pub for a meal and ask them what church might look like for them, or get on the internet and do statistical research.

How might we start a fresh expression?

A fresh expressions journey might start as Christians serve their area or network, a community then begins to form, evangelism leads to disciple making and eventually a culturally relevant form of church emerges.

How do fresh expressions develop?

Our essential guides explore how to start a fresh expression of church.

Fresh Expressions has also published a series of Share booklets to help groups in churches move forward. They are an excellent place to begin.

Resources

You can log on to our website, check out our stories for inspiration, sign up for our regular e-newsletter and check out our booklets and DVDs. Fresh Expression publications are available from our online shop.

The Guide has practical advice on how to start a fresh expression and what fresh expressions are all about.

Training

You could also consider coming to a vision day, running a mission shaped intro course or signing up for mission shaped ministry.

This varies from place to place.

Some fresh expressions of church are funded by the diocese, district, benefice, parish or circuit. Often where this is the case a sliding scale of support has been agreed (100% in year 1; 75% in year 2; 50% in year 3 and so on).

A few are self funding (through the giving of members) and one or two have developed clever commercial ways of helping with funding (such as the proceeds from a coffee shop, skate park, training course and so on).

Our eleventh Share booklet, Self-supporting ministry, explores ways of being self-supporting as a pioneer.

You can read about the funding of the Fresh Expressions core team on our partners and the organisation page.

Some of the things we call fresh expressions have been around somewhere for a long time (such as midweek services for parents and toddlers or an additional all age service). However, they may be fresh and different in a particular benefice, parish, circuit or church.

Others are a different approach to things that churches have done for a long time. Many traditional midweek activities have been seen as stepping stones into a Sunday congregation. They are now being seen more and more as expressions of church in their own right. Therefore they need to build and grow in community, discipleship, worship and mission.

Still others – such as the internet communities or network churches – really are very new. We are still learning how to do them well.

The new thing that seems to be happening is that Christians are beginning to see that the attractional model ('come to us') needs to work alongside an emerging model ('go to them, stay with them and see what kind of church emerges').

They are both. In the past we have had a 'come to us' approach to mission – 'let's set up church the way we like it and then invite others to join us'. We now realize that for the bulk of society this doesn't work. Many people ignore the Christian faith because the church seems so alien to them.

Fresh expressions are about a 'we'll come to you' approach to mission, which involves allowing new converts and the Spirit to shape the form of church – when, where and how it meets. As we follow the prompts and leading of the Spirit, we may start with a fresh expression of mission, but this will become a fresh expression of church as it develops the marks of church.

There clearly are many different fresh expressions of mission. These are new forms of outreach that aim to draw people into existing Christian communities.  However if the aim is to be or create a new Christian community, the venture is more likely to be or become a fresh expression of church.

Not necessarily. If you look at our website stories or our DVDs you will see a whole range of fresh expressions – some in rural areas and others in the inner city. They meet in village halls, city centre flats, old chapels, and stately homes!

Recent research from Church Army suggests Anglican fresh expressions work in all kinds of areas.

The important thing is that a fresh expression needs to be relevant to the context it finds itself in and that involves a lot of listening and research before you begin to serve the local community and establish a new church.

Yes, they do. To pick just a few examples:

• In one Lancashire town there is a fresh expression for former prisoners and others living on the edge.
• In Hampshire there is a fresh expression reaching out mainly to wealthy people living in the countryside.
• In Manchester there is a fresh expression reaching those who live in the newly developed city centre.
• In Grimsby there is a fresh expression which works with young people in an area of significant social deprivation.

God's vision is to reach all people, regardless of social status, age, gender or any other division.

Some fresh expressions of church begin as independent churches. However, the majority belong to and are accountable to one denomination (or sometimes to more than one if they are an ecumenical partnership).

• In the Church of England, fresh expressions may be accountable to a parish or benefice just as any other congregation. They may also be accountable to a deanery or to a diocese. Where this is the case, that accountability will increasingly be expressed through a Bishop's Mission Order.
• In the Methodist Church, accountability will normally be through the local circuit. One or two districts are experimenting with accountability to the district.
• Other denominations are developing similar structures and ways of relating.

All the denominations that take fresh expressions seriously recognise the need for great flexibility, dialogue and support in terms of working out this accountability in practice. It is meant to safeguard rather than restrict what God is doing.