2. Fresh Expressions International Conference, 16th Feb
Training Pioneers
for future church
Fresh Expressions International Conference, 16th Feb

3. My story

4. What did you hope to come away with?
Why did you choose this Indaba?
What did you hope to come away with?

5. What kind of leaders do we need? Should all clergy/leaders
What are the key questions ?
What kind of leaders do we need?
What is a Pioneer?(Pastor plus model?)
Can you train Pioneers?
Should all clergy/leaders
be Pioneers?
How do you create a
pioneering culture?

6. ‘one who takes a lead in, or provides the first
Archegos
‘looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfector of our faith’
Hebrews 12;2
‘in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer
of their salvation perfect through sufferings.’
Hebrews 2:10
‘and you killed the pioneer (author) of life, whom God raised from the dead’
Acts 3;15
God exalted him at his right hand as Pioneer (Leader) and Saviour’
Acts 5;31
‘one who takes a lead in, or provides the first
occasion of anything.’

7. Archegos Christocentric uniquely centred on cross and resurrection
costly and sacrificial
derived pioneering

8. There is a spectrum of pioneering
Starter
Pioneer
Sustainer
Sustainer
Enabler
Sustainer
Developer

9. ‘metaphor rather than definition
Danger of one model/image for pioneering
‘metaphor rather than definition

10. Pioneers are people called by God who are the first to see and
creatively respond to the Holy Spirit’s
initiatives with those outside the church;
gathering others around them as they seek
to establish new contextual
Christian community

11. Fresh start Pioneers Church based Pioneers
Two places to from Pioneer from
Fresh start Pioneers
Church based Pioneers
Expectations of Pioneers
This is the main focus of their ministry
Most time is spent with those outside the church
There is an intention to create a new ecclesial community.

12. Christianity Rediscovered: An Epistle from the Masai (1978)
In working with young people do not try to call them back to where they were, and do not try to call them to where you are, as beautiful as that place might seem to you.
You must have the courage to go with them to a place that neither you nor they have ever been before.
Christianity Rediscovered: An Epistle from the Masai (1978) 12

13. Come
pastoral model. Temple
Go and then come Jerusalem
planting model
Go and stay Antioch
pioneer model

14. Environment Exposure Experiences Education
What do Pioneers
need to flourish?
Environment
Exposure
Experiences
Education

15. What do Pioneers need to flourish?
Those released to work among non churched people
engaged well with their context and were more
positive about the wider church.
Those sent to existing structures struggled to
engage with non churched people and vocalised
more frustration with the wider church.
Beth Keith. Experiences of Pioneers Report, 2010.

16. Pioneers have a particular vocation.
Spend a greater proportion of their time engaged in
community leadership roles, intentional outreach & social media
Engaged in the highest levels of role crafting
Some of the highest levels of autonomy and feedback
Least likely to look solely to the Diocese for Continuing Development
Greatest willingness to make sacrifices and greatest
frequency and size of sacrifice.
Highest level of attendance growth and discipleship growth
2013 Church of England Experiences of Ministry Survey

17. Reflecting on the experience. Character – Skills/gifting.
How do Pioneers learn?
Theory - Praxis
Praxis –Theory
Where do they learn?
In a class room.
In the experience
Reflecting on the experience.
Character – Skills/gifting.

18. How do you create a pioneering culture?
Imagination
Imagine the future in fresh ways.
‘Perhaps our greatest need is of a baptism of
imagination about forms of church.’ MSC 2004
Tinkering is not enough.
‘You will never solve problems using the same
thinking you created them with.’
Allow for unpredictability
Mission is often described as if it were a planned
extension of an old building. But in fact it has
usually been more like an unexpected explosion.

19. How do you create a pioneering culture?
Normalised language of mixed economy.
Everyone is a mixed economy minister
The starting point
‘Start with Church and the mission will probably
get lost. Start with mission and it is likely that
the Church will be found.’ MSC 2004.

21. Questions for discussion?

22. when we are too well pleased with ourselves,
Disturb us Lord,
when we are too well pleased with ourselves,
when our dreams have come true
because we have dreamed too little,
when we arrived safely
because we sailed too close to the shore.
Sir Francis Drake