training pioneers FX Indaba

Mission Shaped Church Report 2004 The Church of England’s Mission Shaped Church Report to General Synod (2004) recommended that: ‘The Ministry Division of the Archbishops’ Council should actively seek to encourage the identification, selection and training of pioneer church planters, for both lay and ordained ministries. . . . Patterns of training should be appropriate to the skills, gifting and experience of those being trained.’

identifying pioneers The Church of England’s Mission Shaped Church Report to General Synod (2004) recommended that: ‘The Ministry Division of the Archbishops’ Council should actively seek to encourage the identification, selection and training of pioneer church planters, for both lay and ordained ministries. . . . Patterns of training should be appropriate to the skills, gifting and experience of those being trained.’

identifying pioneers Ordained Pioneer Ministers are usually identified and sponsored as such as part of the selection process for ordination training. Candidates are required inter alia to have: • a realistic and informed vocation to plant fresh expressions of church within contemporary culture • a clear vision of the place of their envisaged ministry within the wider church's response to God's mission to the world • demonstrable maturity and robustness to face the demands of pioneering mission and ministry • a demonstrable track record of innovation and initiative • the capacity to evangelise beyond the culture of the Church

types of pioneers 1. Pioneer-starters - who are brilliant at initiating things, but who get bored quickly and need to know when to move on, before they begin to destroy what has begun. 2. Pioneer-sustainers - They are gifted at starting things, seeing them mature and enabling the flourishing of indigenous leadership. 3. Sustainer-innovators - traditionally trained and gifted to bring to birth new ventures within an existing church. 4. Sustainer-developers - gifted are in the effective maintenance or the slow evolution of what already exists.

sodalic and modalic pioneers You could classify types 1 and 2 as sodalic types and 3 and 4 as modalic types: Sodalic pioneers are working outside existing church structures, developing new ways of being church within specific communities or contexts. Some have leaders who are ordained in the Church of England with Bishop’s Missions Orders, others are led by lay-pioneers.

sodalic and modalic pioneers You could classify types 1 and 2 as sodalic types and 3 and 4 as modalic types: Modalic pioneers are developing new ways of being church within existing church structures and parishes.

what is a fresh expression? ‘A fresh expression is any venture that works mainly with non-churchgoers and aims to become church. A fresh expression is ... Missional – it intends to work with non-churchgoers Contextual – it seeks to fit the context Formational – it aims to form disciples Ecclesial – it intends to become church

training pioneers misfits marked with a holy discontent, prophetic imagination and urgency to go to those not part of the church rather than draw them in to existing models sent to a different culture or social group and so not necessarily ‘of’ the host culture - challenging, exhausting, ground-breaking work pioneers need regular formational gatherings as leaders - a dedicated time together where they are learning and sharing with others with an apostolic, prophetic gifting where they are not a misfit but understood, prayerfully supported, encouraged, and accountable.

training pioneers missional working with non-church-goers requires creative, fresh ways of discipling. Pioneers need permission to re-imagine, experiment (try and succeed or fail) and then help to reflect, evaluate, adapt and re-apply learning. Gatherings of pioneers use ‘Learning Loops’ so that Action-Reflection or Orthopraxis is at the heart of how pioneers reflect, learn together and lead.

training pioneers Contextual – it seeks to fit the context pioneers need more time in the field than in the classroom to learn and develop contextual mission pioneers need specific training from more experienced theologian-practitioners prayer and spiritual warfare pioneer mission peace and reconciliation ministry in the power of the Spirit disciple-making at the margins missional entrepreneurship

training pioneers Formational – it aims to form disciples Discipleship DNA - Discover (Hear and Understand), Choose to follow (Obey), Share with others (Reproduce) Pioneers cannot use traditional church metrics to help them discern and share stories of growth. They need new ones because they are discipling people who are pre-faith in Jesus Pioneers need to be supported not to short-circuit the disciple-making processes to appease funders or silence nay-sayers

training pioneers Ecclesial – it intends to become church Pioneers need to be supported to discern what form of church a FX will become with those they are discipling NOT pressured to determine what shape it will take before the journey of discipleship has taken place ‘When will your FX grow up and become a proper church?’ - that question from the mainstream church betrays old paradigm thinking.