News and Views

New ministries being hatched

In a nod to the ancient past and the undreamed-of future, a different kind of church is being born. Fresh Expressions unleashes the Holy Spirit to move beyond the sanctuary and create a new kind of church for the Post-Christendom world in which we live.

Several leaders from the Baltimore-Washington Conference recently attended the Fresh Expressions National Gathering, “Steeple to Street,” held March 15-17 in Reston, Va.

Church grounded by irrelevance

Research from the Barna Group indicates that in 2016, while 73 percent of Americans identify as Christian, only 38 percent are active churchgoers; 43 percent count themselves as “unchurched.”

Alan Hirsch, one of the keynote speakers at the Fresh Expressions national gathering, went a step further, suggesting that “50 to 60 percent of people around us are not coming to our churches no matter how well we do things.

“The maps don’t fit the territory,” said Hirsch about the church in today’s culture. “Christendom is just plain old obsolete because it was formulated for an entirely different set of conditions. Apple trees don’t produce oranges.”

The challenge for the “inherited church” is to reconsider its notion of church and ask the questions, “How much of what we call ‘church’ are we willing to give up to be the church? Are we open and ready to rethink the day and time of when church gathers, the location, giving up the sermon, our expectations of success, the offering plate and even what membership means?”

Movement migrates to U.S.

Fresh Expressions “began” in England in 2004. Attendance at the big steeple churches was down, but Church of England leaders were observing new, unusual kinds of faith communities popping up in coffee houses, gyms, pubs and other “third places,” where people gathered when they weren’t at home or work.

Sensing the Holy Spirit might be at work, they began to invest. A few years later, the Baptist General Association of Virginia brought the idea of intentionally organized Fresh Expressions to the U.S. In recent years, United Methodists in the Alabama-West Florida, Kentucky, Florida and North Georgia annual conferences began investing in and forming Fresh Expressions.

They’re really nothing new, Hirsch said. “We are authentically ‘church’ when we are most aligned with the original and originating understanding of church, namely that of a transformational movement.”

Defining Fresh Expressions

Within the official Fresh Expressions Community (Fresh Expressionsus.org ), a definition has evolved. “A fresh expression is a form of church for our changing culture established primarily for the benefit of people who are not yet members of any church,” said Travis Collins, who led an introductory workshop at “Steeple to Street.”

This is not for people in the pew to do mission, or renew a small group, or increase membership in some way. Fresh Expressions are not temporary. They are specifically designed for people unlikely to connect with a traditional church.

However, they exist in a “mixed economy,” in which the inherited churches invest time, money and leadership into creating and operating the Fresh Expression.

Each Fresh Expression, Collins said, “is contextualized. It fits into, and is tailored for, the local context.” These expressions are generally much smaller than a local church. But they do reach up to God, out to people beyond our circle, inward as they commit to discipleship and fellowship, and they recognize themselves as part of the universal church.

It’s not easy to understand Fresh Expression until you see one in action. “The most important thing to understand is that this is a ministry about ‘and,’” said Collins. Anything and everything is possible as one seeks to listen to the spirit and bring Christ to a community, to a micro-culture, that the church does not traditionally reach.

There are Fresh Expressions led by jazz musicians, baristas, Zumba instructors, mural painters, Narcotic Anonymous group leaders, chatty women at retirement communities and food truck owners.

Some Fresh Expressions are led by clergy. More seem to be led by bi-vocational lay people.

Each is created to be unique and allow people of faith to take church to the people in their communities.

First steps to taking flight

Fresh Expressions begin with a foundation of listening, service, incarnational mission and making disciples. The process varies for each church, but there are some shared processes. Collins shares:

1. Cultivate a missional culture. Embrace evangelistic passions, courage and curiosity.
2. Find out who might want to join the adventure. Not too many people from the inherited church should be involved. The best number is between three and 12. Also make sure to include others who pray for the venture.
3. Decide whom to engage – think “who,” not “what.” Who are you drawn to? Are you a part of some micro-culture? One key part of this decision is to start by looking at everyone as created in the image of God. Your team of pioneers should also include one “person of peace” (as in Luke 10), an insider within the culture you’re serving who will introduce you to people, open doors and show you the ropes.
4. Love and serve. Start with an agenda no more complicated than loving and listening. First, listen to God’s spirit. You are simply joining God in God’s mission and finding your place in it. Ask deep questions and listen to the answers.
5. Build community. Be proximate with the people of the community. Where you stand determines what you see. Relationship is everything.

Then, learning to soar

These first five steps can take two or three years, or even more. The point is to share your life and serve someone. Jesus will be present, but this is not about persuasion, or selling God. For some people, choosing service over worship has an element of “bait and switch.” Keep your intentions grounded in God, but don’t try to integrate the Fresh Expressions people into the traditional congregation.

The next step is to explore discipleship, helping people find a deeper and more meaningful relationship with Jesus. During this stage, Bible study often focuses on the stories of Jesus and revolves around four simple questions: what is the story about, what does it mean to you, what will you do in response to the story, and with whom will you share the story?

During the final stage, church begins to take shape. But be careful not to revert to styles comfortable to already-believers. Be relevant and creative, follow Jesus’ model of incarnation and explore various approaches to see how best you can communicate divine truth.

“A true encounter with Jesus results in discipleship,” Hirsch said. We follow him and pattern our lives after him and are transformed.”

These steps are not self-contained. They overlap. The key is to be open to the Spirit and consistently plan for sustainability.

Creating a Fresh Expression can be done expensively. Some churches set aside $50,000 in their budgets; others just spend the cost of renting a room for an hour or two a week. The investment will come in time and energy.

Taking wing, finding life

One question that is often asked is, “Will a Fresh Expression result in growth for the long-standing congregation that launches it?” The answer is “possibly.” But, said Hirsch, “It seems that when the church engages the fringes, it almost always brings life to the center.”

To learn more, visit FreshExpressionsUS.org. Churches or individuals in the Baltimore-Washington Conference interested in starting a Fresh Expression are encouraged to contact the Rev. Rodney Smother, director of Leadership and Congregational Development at or 410-309-9958.