Re-Generating the Church Church in a Changing Culture January, 2007

www.freshexpressions.org.ukwww.freshexpressions.org.uk

Re-Generating the ChurchRe-Generating the ChurchChurch in a Changing Church in a Changing

CultureCultureJanuary, 2007January, 2007

Christians are Christians are starting starting

forms of church forms of church

for a changing for a changing cultureculture

The Church of The Church of England and England and

Methodist Church Methodist Church have named these have named these “fresh expressions “fresh expressions of church” and are of church” and are encouraging them.encouraging them.

All churches shaped All churches shaped by missionby mission

Fresh Expressions Fresh Expressions alongside alongside traditional traditional

churches in a churches in a mixed economymixed economy

rowan williams | archbishoprowan williams | archbishop

fresh expressions:a mixed economyfresh expressions:a mixed economy

the mixed economy churchthe mixed economy church

a midweeka midweekall-age after schoolall-age after schoolserviceservice

Parish CommunionParish Communion

a Sundaya SundayEvening DeaneryEvening Deanery

Youth congregationYouth congregation

A networkA networkof midweek cellsof midweek cells

assembling monthlyassembling monthlyA small communityA small communityin a new housing areain a new housing area

Changing SundaysChanging Sundays Church at different timesChurch at different times

Changing relationshipsChanging relationships Church for different networksChurch for different networks

Changing culturesChanging cultures Church in different culturesChurch in different cultures

Less knowledge of faithLess knowledge of faith Church for beginnersChurch for beginners

Deeper spiritual hungerDeeper spiritual hunger Church for disconnected Church for disconnected explorersexplorers

fresh expressions of churchfresh expressions of church

Listening to a changing Listening to a changing worldworld

BaptismEducationMarriageFestivalsSundaySicknessCrisisBereavementDeath

The mission task: Draw the people who come from the door to font to the altar

The mission task becomes: • Go to where people are• Form communities• Make disciples there

Luke 5.1-11Luke 5.1-11

• Put out into deep waterPut out into deep water• Let down the netsLet down the nets• We have caught nothingWe have caught nothing• A miraculous harvestA miraculous harvest• PartnershipPartnership• Go away from me LordGo away from me Lord• A commissionA commission• They left everything and followedThey left everything and followed


Portsmouth Readers Portsmouth Readers ConferenceConference

Mission Shaped ChurchMission Shaped Church

The Five Marks of MissionThe Five Marks of Mission

• To proclaim the good news of To proclaim the good news of the kingdomthe kingdom

• To teach, nurture and baptise To teach, nurture and baptise new believersnew believers

• To respond to human need by To respond to human need by loving serviceloving service

• To seek to transform unjust To seek to transform unjust structures of societystructures of society

• To strive to safeguard the To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and integrity of creation and sustain and renew the earthsustain and renew the earth

““Mission is Mission is finding out finding out what God is what God is doing and doing and joining in”joining in”

• Ethiopian eunuchEthiopian eunuch• Peter and Peter and

CorneliusCornelius• Ananias and SaulAnanias and Saul• BarnabasBarnabas• LydiaLydia• CorinthCorinth

• 12 Disciples12 Disciples• SynagogueSynagogue• Hall of TyrannusHall of Tyrannus• Signs and WondersSigns and Wonders• Wider MissionWider Mission• Public preachingPublic preaching• ““You know how I You know how I

lived”lived”

Prayer and Support

Connection

Listening and Following a Call

Prayer and Support

Connection

Listening and Following God’s call

Loving Service

Evangelism andDisciple- Making

Forming Community

EvolvingWorship

a definition a definition a definition a definition

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

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

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

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

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

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

““If “church” is what happens If “church” is what happens when people encounter the when people encounter the Risen Jesus and commit Risen Jesus and commit themselves to sustaining and themselves to sustaining and deepening that encounter in deepening that encounter in their encounter with each their encounter with each other, there is plenty of other, there is plenty of theological room for diversity theological room for diversity of rhythm and style, so long of rhythm and style, so long as we have ways of as we have ways of identifying the same living identifying the same living Christ at the heart of every Christ at the heart of every expression of Christian life in expression of Christian life in common”common”Archbishop Rowan WilliamsArchbishop Rowan Williams

Growing to MaturityGrowing to Maturity

Up

In Out

Of

Worship

Fellowship Mission

Belonging

One

Holy

Catholic

Apostolic

A DistinctionA Distinction

Beginning afreshwith a new community

A fresh expression of what we are already doing

A fresh expression of what we A fresh expression of what we already do: Shift 1already do: Shift 1

Something the Church doesSomething the Church does

Something which is Church Something which is Church

MidweekMidweekActivityActivity


Youth GroupYouth Group

Bible StudyBible Study

Service in ResidentialService in ResidentialHomeHome

A fresh expression of what we A fresh expression of what we already do: Shift 2already do: Shift 2

One Service at the Heart of EverythingOne Service at the Heart of Everything









Portsmouth Readers Portsmouth Readers ConferenceConference

Session 02Session 02

Moving ForwardMoving ForwardMoving ForwardMoving Forward

• DVD’s; booklets; tabloid; DVD’s; booklets; tabloid; websitewebsite

• Vision daysVision days

• Six week courseSix week course

• Mission Shaped Ministry: the Mission Shaped Ministry: the one year courseone year course

• Online guideOnline guide

• DVD’s; booklets; tabloid; DVD’s; booklets; tabloid; websitewebsite

• Vision daysVision days

• Six week courseSix week course

• Mission Shaped Ministry: the Mission Shaped Ministry: the one year courseone year course

• Online guideOnline guide









Discipleship: Mission Shaped Discipleship: Mission Shaped LivingLiving

Whole life,Kingdom focussedOutwardly facingMission shaped

Light structuresOutwardly facing

Making and sustaining disciples

Reader Ministryas focussed discipleship

Ministry in a mixed economy Ministry in a mixed economy ChurchChurch

Sustaining missionary community

Beginning new

communities

Connecting and Sending

[Apostles and

Prophets]

Evangelists Pastors and Teachers

Episcope: Oversight Ministries

Presbyteral Ministries

Diaconal Ministries

Reader as builder

Reader as pioneer

Reader as leader in mission

“…“…in honour and dishonour, in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good repute. in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as imposters and yet We are treated as imposters and yet

are true, are true, as unknown and yet are well known,as unknown and yet are well known,as dying – and see we are aliveas dying – and see we are aliveas punished and not killedas punished and not killedas sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing yet possessing as having nothing yet possessing

everything”. everything”.

Documents

Re-Generating the Church Church in a Changing Culture January, 2007