Out On The Edge

What is a fresh expression of Church and why do we need them?

There have always been fresh expressions of church from the very begining. When Paul first took the good news to the gentiles he was involved in a fresh expression of Church and nobody quite knew how that would work out. Every century and every generation draw fromtheir own culture and context the shape and patterns within which the principles and message of Jesus can be easily communicated and absorbed.

In Brittian, whenever the church has got too stuck in the mud new movements within it have broken out to challenge the status quo, some creating their own form and shape, and on the whole the established church has learned its lesson and reshaped aspects of its church life in response.

For many years the context and culture have changed but slowly and the church has managed to nearly keep up, the culture within the church has been at least relativly familiar to those outside of it. However over the last generation or two the speed of cultural and technological change has increased so fast that often there is a huge gulf between what goes on within the church and what goes on outside the church. The culture is also so fragmented that the response to the need is far more varied and wide ranging than ever before.

To take up the challenge of this situation requires courage and encouragement from everyone. There are no experts in this field and the movement and organisation of fresh expressions is an attempt to pool resources and share experience as we journey together. As we try and keep the essential message of the gospel and communicate it in word and action to new and different generation and culture. We continue to fulfil Jesus commission to 'go make disciples of all nations' including our own.

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