Www.freshexpressions.org.uk Springtime in the Church?

www.freshexpressions.org.uk

Springtime in the Church?


Bubbling of new life and creativity

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Agreement of policy and support

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Appropriate resourcing

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A new movement of mission?


Some Stories

some examples


Changing Times


Changing Sundays

... we need opportunities for worship on other days


Changing Relationships

• less about where we live• more about networks• churches need to relate to networks

and areas


Changing Cultures

The church used to be at the centre of a stable, single culture


Changing Cultures

We are now at the edge of our culture…trying to get back to the centre….


Changing Cultures

…but there are now lots of different cultures


Changing Cultures

….and everything keeps moving around…..


Changing Cultures

God calls us to take the gospel to allof these different cultures and groups


Less knowledge of faith

With every generation, people understand less about Christian faith……


% child population in Sunday School UK, 1900-2000

55

35

14

64

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1900 1940 1970 1990 2000

% o

f ch

ildre

n a

ttendin

g

0

10

20

30

40

50

60


Less knowledge of faith

• With every generation, people understand less about Christian faith……

• The culture of church is a foreign land.

• …..we need churches for those who need to begin at the beginning.


From religion to spirituality

• 68% of people regard themselves as Christians

• 48% of population regard themselves as Anglican members or affiliates

• 84% of people want a religious funeral service

• 25% claim to go to church monthly


The Spiritual Search

• 38% of people admit to an awareness of the presence of God (27% in 1987)

• 37% admit to an awareness of receiving help in prayer (25% in 1987)

• 25% of people admit to an awareness of the presence of evil (12% in 1987)


Changing Sundays Church at different times

Changing relationships Church for different networks

Changing cultures Church in different cultures

Less knowledge of faith Church for beginners

Deeper spiritual hunger Church for disconnected explorers

fresh expressions of church


For discussion

• How do these changes affect your family, your community and your church?

• What other changes can you think of which are not mentioned here?

• What different cultural and social groups are you aware of? Are there already members of your church from these groups?


We believe...


In God

• Maker of heaven and earth• Who loves the world and each person in

the world

• Mission is finding out what God is doing and joining in….


In Jesus Christ

• Who became a man and lived among us• Who went always to the edge and the

lost• Who went to where people are• Who died and rose again


In the Holy Spirit

• God sends the Spirit in every generation to equip the church for mission

• The Spirit makes us restless and pushes us out

• The Spirit guides our journey• The Spirit equips us for service and

sharing faith• The Spirit breathes life into fresh

expressions


In the Church

• One• Holy • Catholic (for the whole world)• Apostolic (founded on apostles’ teaching

and sent)• But exists in different forms in different

places in worship, community, mission.


For discussion

• What do you think God is doing in your own community outside the church?

• What might we have to set aside to enter the culture of people beyond the churches?

• How is the Spirit making you restless to carry the gospel to new places?


Learning to be a Both-And Church


40/60


60% but from diverse cultures


The Challenge of the next Decade:

Both-And


Both-And

Continue to grow and develop the Church as it is

Establish fresh expressions of church


Every Church Mission-Shaped…

• A welcoming and open community• Ways for all ages to learn about faith• Deep and relevant worship and

preaching• Inviting people to life changing

discipleship and service


The Mixed Economy Church


Methodist Priorities 2004“In partnership with others wherever possible, The Methodist Church will

concentrate its prayers, resources, imagination and commitments on this priority:

To proclaim and affirm its conviction of God’s love in Christ, for us and for all the world; and renew confidence in God’s presence and action in the world and in the Church.

As a way towards realising this priority, the Methodist Church will give particular attention to the following:

• Underpinning everything we do with God-centred worship and prayer• Supporting community development and action for justices, especially

among the most deprived and poor – in Britain and worldwide• Developing confidence in evangelism and in the capacity to speak of

God and faith in ways that make sense to all involved.• Encouraging fresh ways of being Church• Nurturing a culture in the Church which is people centred and flexible”


Fresh ExpressionsGrounded in prayer…..

• Renewing Vision• Gathering News• Supporting Growth• Developing Training

…..excellence in communication


For discussion

• Do you agree with this both-and direction for the future?

• What can be done to make your own church more mission shaped?

• What needs to be done locally to put this both-and thinking into practice?

Www.freshexpressions.org.uk Springtime in the Church?

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