They came from six states and as many denominational families. Some are clergy—most are not. All are pioneers seeking to be the church among people who are far from God.
In addition to classroom presentations and discussion, our 2015 Pioneer Learning Community retreat participants took to the streets to practice their learning.
How Most Fresh Expressions of Church Begin
Most fresh expressions of church begin by listening to the needs of the community and to God. But in our noisy culture it’s easier said than done, particularly once we’ve lived in a place for a while and have become accustomed to the way things are rather than the way things could be.
The practice of listening helped the pioneers to slow down. It gave permission to get out of the routine and off the beaten path. Through the listening process, the leaders began to notice and began to ask God how a little stretch of neighborhood and shopping district might resemble the shape of the Kingdom.
The listening activity went like this:
- Walk and pray, what do you notice? Where might God be at work?
- Talk with someone, find out something about them.
- If it’s appropriate, pray with them.
- Bring back something from the experience to share with the group and think about how you might do the same where you live.
The pioneers met shopkeepers and people along the street. They noticed pets and kids. They noticed that some of the people had plenty, while others didn’t have enough. And they began to ask why. When the pioneers began sharing their experiences with one another back in the classroom setting they realized that after just a couple of hours of intentional listening and observation, they pieced together a story for the neighborhood and discerned some of the needs.
How might this sort of activity take shape where you live?
