The Guide

The Guide contains how-to-do-it advice on starting, developing and sustaining fresh expressions of church based on shared experiences.
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FAQ

Below is a list of the 41 questions (with answers) included in the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) pdf file which can be downloaded here. Each of these 41 questions will soon be available on individual webpages, so that you don't have to download the whole file just to read one question and answer, and so that comments can be left on relevant pages.

If you have a question that isn't covered in the FAQ, or if any of these questions and answers spark off more questions, please leave a 'comment' at the bottom of this page so that the whole Share community can respond and help you find answers.

Alternatively, you could provide an answer for someone, or comment on someone else's answer.

Frequently Asked Questions:

  1. A question markHow do you define a fresh expression of church?
  2. Is the opposite of a fresh expression a stale expression of church?
  3. Are fresh expressions really church?
  4. What is covered by the term fresh expressions?
  5. So when two Christians meet at a bus stop, is that a fresh expression of church?
  6. Are fresh expressions 'fresh expressions of mission' or 'fresh expressions of church'?
  7. Is there a difference between fresh expressions and church plants?
  8. How can I start a fresh expression?
  9. What is happening in the Church of England?
  10. What is happening in the Methodist Church?
  11. What is happening in other denominations and streams?
  12. How can I find out more?
  13. Can fresh expressions just do their own thing or are they accountable in some way?
  14. Are fresh expressions trying to build church or kingdom?
  15. Young people at Garage PraiseWhen will fresh expressions join the proper church?
  16. Is it right or biblical to form congregations made up of the same kind of people?
  17. How are fresh expressions funded?
  18. Is there any biblical basis for fresh expressions of church?
  19. Will fresh expressions last or will they just be yet another fad?
  20. What part do the sacraments play in fresh expressions of church?
  21. Are fresh expressions really having an impact on the rest of society?
  22. Isn't the more traditional or inherited way of being church more appropriate?
  23. Do fresh expressions work better in suburban areas rather than in rural or urban ones?
  24. Are fresh expressions really reaching people who have never been members of the church or who left a long time ago?
  25. How do fresh expressions relate to the rest of the church when they are so individual?
  26. Do fresh expressions really reach out to people across the social spectrum?
  27. My minister is not interested in fresh expressions. What can I do next?
  28. Aren't fresh expressions really just pandering to a consumer society?
  29. An outside baptismWhat is the difference between fresh expressions and emerging church?
  30. What about communion and baptism in fresh expressions?
  31. Hasn't the church always done this kind of thing? It's not particularly new is it?
  32. What's driving all of this? Is it just declining numbers?
  33. Are fresh expressions really reaching people right outside the churches or just those on the edge?
  34. The numbers involved are very small, aren't they? Is this really a significant movement?
  35. What statistics are you basing your activities on?
  36. Is all of this just for the evangelicals?
  37. So how will we hold together the old and new in one church?
  38. Are there any dangers in moving forward in this way? Haven't there been scandals in the past?
  39. What is a pioneer minister?
  40. What is a Bishop's Mission Order?
  41. What kind of training is available for those wanting to start or be involved in fresh expressions?

 

Comments

Christian Goths

Posted by Craig Andrew Gilman on 10 October 07 - 11:27

I'm trying to build a network of Christian Goths in the UK. I've got links to a few like the Goth Eucharist in Cambridge, Asylum London, and Ara Nights Manchester..Oh and I believe Coventry cathedral are doing a Compline service on Wednsdays for Goths... anybody else?

Posted by Alison Noakes on 10 October 07 - 15:20

Pauline Warner is involved in the Coventry cathedral project with Goths - I'm sure she would love to hear from you, and is a wealth of information. Hopefully you can find her email address online (Superintendent in Nuneaton Circuit of Methodist Church) as wouldn't want to publish her email address here without her permission.

where to expand to?

Posted by Sara Ball on 02 December 07 - 00:28

Hi guys, beautiful site, thanks. We are a group of friends who've been meeting together for about a year expressing church by trying to allow space to love each other, love God and love our community. This mostly involves talking (sometimes about God) and eating, telling godly play stories to the children, and working on developing a fair trade cafe for the villages. Surprisingly, this seems to be attractive as church, and we are growing. We now have 6-7 regular families, which including children can be 27 people if everyone comes, and we have at least two other families who are interested. BUT we can't really invite them because they won't fit into any of our houses. What do we do? Split up? Limit numbers? Move to a village hall and change our character completely? I think this is a common problem/stage (thank God!) and would really appreciate other people's stories/advice.

Posted by Andrew Wooding on 14 December 07 - 14:46

Thanks for the nice words, Sara, and what a great problem to have.

I wonder if you might find the following page helpful:

God grows church through reproduction
http://www.sharetheguide.org/section1/2/reproduction

God bless,

Andrew

school based congregation

Posted by Michael Whittock on 18 February 08 - 18:23

We are preparing to begin a school based congregation.We want to find out from the school community what they think . Does anyone have experience of doing this which they could share?

Car Heaven?

Posted by John Parker on 25 April 08 - 10:30

As a confirmed petrolhead & having met many others [Christian & other], I am eager to explore the idea of running something which mingles the mission role I am engaged in & my interest in cars. Has anyone heard of or experienced anything similar, or anything which has a different focus [motorbikes etc]but uses a model I might use? John

Green expressions

Posted by Rosie Ward on 18 May 09 - 14:44

I've been pondering connections between the urgency of environmental issues and FX. Been thinking about what a 'green' based Fresh Expression of church might look like but not found anything come up on the site under 'environment', 'green' etc. I feel God may be calling me to this area and am interested in linking with anyone else thinking in a similar way. What might a fresh expression arising around green issues look like? Has anyone tried?

Posted by Andrew Wooding on 18 May 09 - 19:32

Hello Rosie,

Have you heard of A Rocha. Their UK website is here. Maybe worth checking out?

http://www.arocha.org/gb-en/home.html

The Sheffield Centre (part of Church Army) has written a booklet about them as part of their Encounters on the Edge series. You can find it here (it's issue 26):

http://www.encountersontheedge.org.uk/

FX and insurance

Posted by Joanna J L Dobson on 16 June 09 - 15:49

Has anybody worked out to be insured or outside of church activities when normally as C of E we would run an activity by the PCC and Ecclesiastical Insurance would cover the event. I don't have a PCC or one particular church behind me, rathr a deanery of churches. I know I can do risk assessment and what's reqired of me in terms of safe quarding but some of the events I do are in an open field or in a pub beer garden, or just along the street in a village. Any suggestions would be very helpful, thanks.

Posted by Joanna J L Dobson on 20 June 09 - 12:00

Sorry the first line of my question reads really badly because of being in a rush! It should say 'Has anybody worked out HOW to be insured for 'outside of church activities'?

Posted by Pam Smith on 21 June 09 - 16:58

It's an interesting question, can't help wondering whether the average revival would have got insurance with all that falling over and weeping! ;)

There must be some sort of cover for people working for groups of churches eg youth workers, would it be worth contacting Ecclesiastical and asking them how their employers liability insurance works? Also would it be worth talking to your Diocesan Secretary?

Celebration of Faith (Confirmation)

Posted by Ellie Griffin on 12 July 09 - 16:01

A couple of ladies having attending an exploration course would like to acknowledge this step of faith they have made. Both were baptised as babies. One was confirmed as a young teenager but left soon after. We are planning a BBQ but want to have something as part of that to mark the occasion for them. Anyone done this kind of confirmation stuff where more traditional stuff just int right?

Messy Church - some advice

Posted by Catherine Lewis on 30 July 09 - 20:16

We have just held our 8th Messy Church - in a year - we host them each school holiday - and we are discovering the older boys don't want to return - but their Mums/ Dads ?grandparents etc and sisters do return. ANyone got any hints or tips - or anything that has worked for you - to help us make Messy Church enjoyable for boys aged 10+. We really don't want to get the computer games out though!

Posted by Andrew Wooding on 03 August 09 - 13:03

Hi Catherine,

Congratulations on the good work. Hope you get your answer here, but in the meantime I wonder if the official Messy Church website might help:

http://www.messychurch.org.uk/

Sorry if you already know about this site!

Andrew

Posted by Catherine Lewis on 04 August 09 - 21:10

Thanks Andrew,

Yes, we have tried the website - nothing on there really that could help.

We are continuing to pray and discuss it though!

Catherine

Primitive Methodism

Posted by Leigh Walker on 13 August 09 - 19:31

Hi all,

I'm interested in the history of the above religion and was wondering how Primitive Methodists would have celebrated Christmas. I live in an area where this was practised (late 19th Century) and I'm facinated as to how Christmas was percieved religiously.

Great site by the way.

Leigh

Who's/Whose 'Planting' Fresh Expression?

Posted by George Runacus on 18 February 10 - 21:56

I want to share my experience of Jesus which I guess would be called mission. Fresh Expressions I guess is mission as well. There is no doubt that St Paul had an uphill struggle to get to the Hierarchy (Gal. 2:1) St Paul was surely a fresh expressions man. He used his knowledge of the times and his understanding of people to get the gospel message across - in whatever way he could. He planted here there and everywhere realising it is horses for courses. However, he preached the same gospel (Eph. 4:4-6) which was not watered down. Why do our Fresh Expressions seem to offer a quick fix and a 'happy Meal' like McDonalds rather than a nurturing over a longer period. 'Softly Softly' but Honestly Honestly. Have I missed something here?

How did you introduce Jesus into a new group?

Posted by Alice Sullivan on 05 March 10 - 15:54

We've been through the identifying a need and planning and preparing to meet it stages. We have time, day, place and people ready to go, and prayers and support from the parent church. What we need help with now is making an overtly Christian context without being "too church" and risking being offputting to those with little or no previous involvement in church. In other words, how do we make it clear in a non-threatening way that Jesus is part of the group, the reason for it and one of the members?!

Many thanks for any suggestions,
Cerian, Sian and Alice