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A call to be involved with fresh expressions may come through:

• Your interests and passions;
• Circumstances;
• Experiencing a tension between reality and the ideal;
• Scripture, prayer, a dream or vision;
• Other people.

How might a call to fresh expressions come? (including two examples)...

There are lots of ways in which someone might be a gift to fresh expressions – for example, by: 

• Becoming a pioneer;
• Joining a church planting team;
• Networking;
• Enabling a fresh expression by giving permission, mobilising support or providing training or mentoring;
• Supporting a fresh expression through prayer, financial giving and encouragement;
• Leading a fresh expression to the next phase, once a pioneer has finished his or her job;
• Researching fresh expressions.

How might you be a gift to fresh expressions?

What qualities might be required in someone leading a fresh expression? The Church of England believes that individuals who are ordained to pioneer ministry should display the following qualities (taken from Ordained Pioneer Minister Guidelines, appendix 1).

• Vision for planting fresh expressions of church within contemporary culture
• An authentic, integrated understanding of the particular ministry envisaged
• Capacity to innovate and initiate
• Mature and well developed devotional life
• Well developed abilities to initiate change and enable others to face it in a flexible, balanced and creative way
• Demonstrable maturity and robustness to face the demands of pioneering mission and ministry
• Self-motivation
• Well-developed understanding of the interaction between gospel and culture
• Clear vision of the place of their envisaged ministry within the wider church's response to God's mission to the world
• The ability and desire to work in a team and collaboratively
• Commitment to reshaping the church for mission

These might be helpful criteria to use in testing the call of anyone seeking to pioneer a fresh expression, whether a couple of people doing so among their friends or someone being appointed to a full-time post.

We would emphasise the important quality of being able to develop a form of church that fits the specific context.

Helpful questions for someone to ask as they prayerfully discern God's call might include:

• Do you have a passion or interest you could share?
• Are you fully committed to the principles behind fresh expressions?
• Do you want to work with your friends or people in a different cultural context?
• Can you see any opportunities for a fresh expression?
• From whom might you seek advice?
• Might you take time out for extended prayer and reflection?

How might you discern God's call?

Someone might grow in preparation to (help) lead a fresh expression by:

• Surfing Share and clicking on some of the links - to explore what fresh expressions involve.
• Visiting a couple of fresh expressions – better still, joining one!
• Paying careful attention to his or her spiritual and personal growth.