What is a Fresh Expression?
“Fresh Expressions are new forms of church that emerge within contemporary culture and engage primarily with those who don’t ‘go to church.’”
Fresh Expressions is a a growing movement of ordinary people across all denominations who are passionate about connecting with those who don’t know Jesus and forming new communities of faith with the people they meet in the places where they meet them. From new housing to rural, urban to suburban, messy church and third age to forests, coffee shops, beaches, pubs, barns, online and even church buildings!
FRESH EXPRESSIONS USUALLY EMERGE WHEN
- The Spirit of God speaks to people about the missional needs of an area, people group or culture
- People come together to try and explore something new or take the church to new ground
- A local need or hope inspires faithful people who sense God’s prompting to do something about it
- The sense of call leads to action, usually in forming a community or serving people locally to start with. We use a model called the ‘Fresh Expressions Journey’ that marks out the steps to forming a growing worshipping community in more detail
EXAMPLES OF FRESH EXPRESSIONS
Fresh Expressions are rooted in and shaped by the context in which they’re established which means no one Fresh Expression is the same. If you’re looking for inspiration of what’s possible or some new ideas of ways in which you can grow or develop your fx then these stories are a great place to start….
FX VALUES
Fresh Expressions are rooted in and shaped by the context in which they’re established which means no one Fresh Expression is the same. If you’re looking for inspiration of what’s possible or some new ideas of ways in which you can grow or develop your fx then these stories are a great place to start….
FX JOURNEY
The Fresh Expressions journey is a 6-part framework underpinned by prayer that can help take you from discerning your calling to a group, network, need, demographic or geographical location to forming community, making disciples and church taking shape.
OUR STORY
Fresh Expressions of Church have been emerging and evolving since the late 1980s. In the late 1990’s and into the New Millennium, a number of Church denominations and mission agencies worked together reflecting on the 90’s church-planting movement and beginning a process of investing and encouraging the pioneering of new forms of church expression.
THEOLOGY
Fresh Expressions of Church are showing how believers can take the church with them when they engage with the world. As they join fellow Christians in serving others in a segment of their lives, they learn discipleship where life happens.
