Growing new congregations
Thinking and Praying about stepping out with something new?
What is a Fresh Expression of Church? (A new way of being church / a new church initiative)
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.
Renewed Expression – A re-expression or renewed expression of inherited models / aspects of church where a congregation and leaders develop a fresh vision for making church a ‘low threshold’ community that is outward looking, with accessible worship, good hospitality, seeking to maximise ‘come to us’ opportunities towards those in the local community that are connected through occasional offices, socially, through church serving community or present on the fringe of church community.(Barry Dugmore – Growing a mixed economy church)
Visit the Fresh Expression site to find out more, read some inspiring stories from rural, urban and city settings: www.freshexpressions.org.uk
Please contact the Mission and Ministry team if you’d like to discuss how to explore how to begin the journey toward trying something new.
Contact your local Mission Shed – (mission resource hub) to become part of the new network across the diocese for resourcing, enabling and encouraging you and your team to explore starting a new fresh expression, re-expression or missional initiative.
