1. A Case Study: Fresh expressions of Church & Pioneer Development Workers www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014

2. “The Church should act so that what it does is meaningless if God does not exist.” Stanley Hauerwas www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014

3. 1m people 300k in diverse city 5 uni/market towns lots of very rural 313 church buildings 30 larger (100+) worshipping communities 225 smaller ones (less than 50 worshippers) 50 worshipping communities of less than 10 www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014

4. Changing the landscape… Lincoln 2010 www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014

5. ‘You called, You shouted, You broke through my deafness, You flared, blazed and banished my blindness, Your lavished Your fragrance and I gasped…’ Augustine of Hippo (354-430), Confessions X.27 www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014

6. The calling… 1.As many mature, growing fresh expressions of Church in 2030 as inherited/continuing ones; 2.The vast majority (98%) led in the first instance by teams of licensed Pioneers (most lay, volunteers) with a detailed package of support, accountability, training and development (with hopefully some growing into being paid and/or being called to ordination); 3.Nearly all diocesan ‘fresh expressions of Church’ resources going into supporting these licensed Pioneers. www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014

7. A calling linked more to anecdote than evidence...but a new equation was being formulated…. + = ( ) www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014

8. People: Sent to Now SentNowRatio Adults50312292.4 Children1405864.2 TOTALS64318152.8 www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014

9. Note: the team sent out make up a majority of the Christians present www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014

10. The weight of discernment… Part of long term Diocesan vision At same time as national Strategic Development Funding comes on stream Increase ownership across Diocese More resources needed Lives and communities transformed in God’s grace Strong evidence for what was previously anecdotal www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014

11. The gifts of God… Mads Jonathan Matt Morgan Dowman Pitt 1.Discerning, enabling, training, accompanying and coaching lay volunteer teams of licensed Pioneers 2.Grounded in a particular fresh expression of Church (a day a week-ish) 3.Each taking the lead in one specialism:  Jonathan - learning & teaching  Mads - developing practice  Matt - research www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014

12. A range of qualitative, quantitative and holistic measures are used in measurement. 2019 mid way points based on ‘The Diffusion of Innovations’ by Everett Rogers

13. “People say, ‘what is the sense in our small effort?’ They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time. A pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions. No one has the right to sit down and feel hopeless.” Dorothy Day

14. Are there any specific questions you’d like to ask or comments to make about this case study? Where you are, what has the learning been in taking ‘evidence to action’? www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014

15. Almighty God, we praise You that, in Your mercy, You have kindled fresh expressions of Church in Leicestershire with the fire of Your Spirit, grant that in Your grace You may bring to fruition that vision to which You have called us; Help us not to rely merely on human strength, the affirmation of others, the wisdom of academia or the weight of experience, www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014

16. but to first fall daily on our knees seeking Your inspiration, courage and imagination, that as we hope in You, we might soar on wings like eagles; and a whole new generation of churches might proclaim good news to the poor, freedom to those enslaved, recovery of sight to the blind and set the oppressed free. We ask in the power that raised our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and for glory of the blessed Trinity. Amen. www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014

17. A Case Study: Fresh expressions of Church & Pioneer Development Workers www.fromevidencetoaction.org.uk @ChurchGrowthRD #EvidenceToAction From Evidence to Action 4 th December 2014