We’re continuing in our mission to help equip our ministry leaders with new and innovative measures for the Kingdom.
This past Tuesday, in partnership with Fresh Expressions (FX), the CGGC hosted a workshop and webinar online. Lead by Pastor Matt Lake, and Director of Training Heather Jallad, about 20 church leaders gathered to work through new strategies for ministry in our communities. The group consisted of lead pastors, regional directors, staff, and even retired pastors who still have ministry to do.
Pastor Matt provided review of material shared at our Triennial Conference, including the next steps any church can take to start a Fresh Expression of church in their community. Afterward, Heather lead those in attendance through some innovation questions and discussion, helping them consider their own contexts, what each of their churches’ strengths are, finally naming one next step each leader could implement in the next 30 days.
"Fresh expressions" may seem like a buzzword that denotes something "new" for it's own sake. But Pastor Matt describes a Fresh Expression as a “Form of church for our changing culture established primarily for the benefit of people who are NOT YET members of the church.” And crucially, a fresh expression of church is not a rejection of traditional church. Instead, it's a method to reach those who are unlikely, or will never, come into our church buildings. The concept then is to be intentional about using different styles, forms, gathering spaces, systems, and environments to help disciple people.
Fresh expressions are also an acknowledgement that the form of discipleship that Jesus left us is far broader than Sunday morning worship services and Wednesday evening Bible studies. Jesus "converted" the vast majority of his followers outside of the synagogue, often while they were working their day to day jobs, in entirely secular circumstances. At work, over meals, on walks, and through service, Jesus discipled, mentored, and brought people into His ministry.
We need to recognize that there are generations of people waiting for us to follow in Jesus's footsteps.
Using examples from his own ministry, Pastor Matt provided the following next steps for any church to take, regardless of their size or community.
- Listening: Listening to the needs the rhythms of life in your community, and begin to understand what the most crucial areas, deepest needs, and most hurtful pain points are. (EX: hunger, loneliness, child care)
- Loving and Serving: Meeting the needs of the community in specific ways. (EX: Opening a food pantry, meeting with shut-ins, opening a day care or church based preschool).
- Building Community: Building trust with the people you’re serving by spending more time with them.
- Exploring discipleship: Answering questions about faith, bible studies, and demonstrating the gospel alongside them.
- Church Taking Shape: Formalizing the meeting and gathering around the disciples.
It is exciting to see those present commit to a next step, and we’re going to continue pushing in on these innovation strategies as one way the church can to adapt to our ever-changing culture without changing the message of Christ.
You can watch the entire Workshop/Webinar above. Or, better yet, following along with the questions Heather asks, and generate your own ideas for a new expression of church in your community.
If you’re itching for even more of this kind of innovation, or if you’re team is ready to dive deeper, watch more from Pastor Matt Lake with the following playlist from our Triennial Conference. We have almost 3 hours of rich content, filled with strategies, new ideas, and encouragement for a church of any size, anywhere, to make inroads into their community.
CGGC eNews—Vol. 19, No. 33
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