Pioneer Ministry and Fresh Expressions of Church [Paperback]

I was asked to write a review of Pioneer Ministry and Fresh Expressions of Church by SPCK for 'Theology'.
I thought I'd stick the review up here to offer a additional perspective.

Angela Shier-Jones claims in her introduction that Pioneer Ministry and Fresh Expressions of Church was written to provide assistance in, i) identifying the God-given pioneering vision for particular communities, ii) in releasing the potential that God gives to each unique context and, iii) in helping pioneers to avoid common mistakes.

The book is made up of two parts, each comprised of four chapters. The first part is written for pioneers and explores various ways that a pioneering ministry might be begun and developed and a fresh expression of church initiated. The book is intended for lay and ordained pioneers and, although it avoids assumptions about denominational allegiance, Shier-Jones states her hope that pioneers will want to work with the inherited church.

The second part is written for congregations who are interested in working with pioneer ministers. It provides some practical guidelines for becoming a pioneering church rather than an inherited church that has a pioneer minister attached to it. Part two assumes a willingness on the part of the church to commit time and energy to pioneering ministries. This is not in order to increase church attendance, but for the sake of the gospel, and because God calls his people to follow him out of the church and into the world to minister to those who know nothing of Christ.

In relation to pioneer ministry, chapters one to four examine definitions, preparations, gathering support, communication, expectation, and the growth to maturity.
Here Shier-Jones provides a useful introduction to the terminology, theology and thinking behind the development of pioneer ministry and fresh expressions of church. She makes some important distinctions - pointing out that not every fresh expression of church will be initiated by a pioneer minister. She explains that pioneer ministry is not about trying to persuade people to belong to the church, but rather it is about belonging to the world in such a way that communities might be transformed into church. These chapters are a worthwhile starting point for those eager to think through issues relating to the identifying, training and releasing of potential pioneers. Attention is given to the marks of church as they relate to pioneer ministry, to an introductory discussion of the skills, gifts, and charisms required by those with a vocation to pioneer ministry, and to the shape of fresh expressions of church as they grow towards maturity and the potential for multiplication.

Chapters five to eight address the ways in which pioneering ministries and inherited models of church might understand, compliment and resource one another in a mixed economy of church. There is a focus on helping existing congregations to identify what is sacred and special in order that they might learn to coexist with other forms of church without fear. The final chapter deals with issues related to the failure and the success of pioneer ministry and fresh expressions of church.

Shier-Jones concludes by returning to a thread that runs throughout the book: an emphasis on the Kingdom rather than the church. The reader is reminded that the task of the church is to point to the coming Kingdom of God and to go out and invite those beyond its walls not to `come to church', but to hear and respond to the call of Christ to `follow me.'

I don't agree with everything in the book but overall Shier-Jones has done a good job of offering the church an introductory text that will serve as a starting place for those who sense the call of the Spirit to engage in pioneering mission in their local context.

Michael Volland is Director of Mission and Pioneer Ministry, Cranmer Hall, St. John's College, Durham and author of: Through the Pilgrim Door: Pioneering a Fresh Expression of Church: Survivor: 2009).

Through the Pilgrim Door

I have been trying to read this book but I am really struggling. I feel I ought to try to read it all, but I soon get overtaken with the thought that there must be better things I could be doing with my life. I know I don't always warm to particular books about Fresh Expressions but then these ones are often the ones that are not written for people in my situation. So I then try to think who the book would be good for and thus who I might recommend it to. This usually works, but not with this book.

From the structure of the book it operates like a `primer' for Fresh Expressions, a manual for understanding it and how to go about it. In a sense it is that, because certainly nothing new about Fresh Expressions is said here. Very basic things are said with mind-numbing regularity. In that sense it is quite like David Male's `Church Unplugged', which we use as a basic set book for the Pioneer Disciple course (our version of msm). But one thing militates against this use of the book. That is the language it is couched in, which is complex and dense and full of churchy and even preachy language. God preserve pioneers from adopting this way of speaking and writing! The whole thing feels like a very long sermon. Chapter 3 has five points, arranged as the acronym GRACE; and as if that wasn't cringe-worthy enough, chapter 4 also has five points, also arranged as the acronym GRACE. Aaarghhh! If she had written a book that was aimed at helping churchy people understand Fresh Expressions, people who are never going to do the stuff but could be sympathetic supporters, then I could see the point. But that is not its orientation. She really does seem to think that this book is going to help potential pioneers prepare themselves for pioneering work.

My other problem is that the whole thing feels like an arms-length quasi-theological assessment of the Fresh Expressions movement, pontificating on huge issues with sermon-style sweeping statements and selective quotes from other writers. I say quasi-theological because I think it doesn't really have a robust theology running through it, from which any critique of Fresh Expressions could be based. I just don't trust what I am reading. Towards the end of chapter 3, the E of GRACE is `Expect success', saying how disconcerting she finds it that few pioneers really expect their venture to succeed, as they retreat into cautious optimism and the language risk so that (she thinks) possible failure will be easier to bear. `This is completely contrary to the advice of Scripture.' (page 53). Really? Of course you can always find verses, which she does...

Overall, this book feels like `liberal churchy theologian meets fresh expressions and sees a different way to express previous convictions about being friendly church in relation to different kinds of people in our society knowing that the family of God really includes everyone anyway so it will all work out fine'. Somehow I don't think so.