Fresh Expressions, a global movement sparking innovative forms of church, is excited to announce Shannon Kiser as its new North American Director. This leadership transition comes as Dr. Chris Backert, founding leader of the North American movement, shifts his focus to a new area of ministry. With a strong background in coaching and leadership, Kiser is ready to guide Fresh Expressions into new territory. Chris will stay on as Founding Director, offering valuable insights to a movement that has already sparked thousands of new church expressions, including the popular Dinner Church movement across North America.
For more information on Fresh Expressions, visit https://freshexpressions.com.
A New Chapter for a 20-Year-Old Movement
What began as a bold experiment in 2004—to breathe new life into faith communities—has since flourished into a global movement. From its roots in the Anglican and Methodist churches of England to its growing presence across North American denominations, Fresh Expressions has consistently reimagined what church can be for people who may never set foot in a traditional service.
Since its U.S. launch in 2010, under the leadership of Chris Backert, Fresh Expressions has expanded rapidly across the continent by empowering established churches to explore fresh, authentic ways of building Christian community with new people in the everyday spaces where life happens. Discover more about this remarkable journey at https://freshexpressions.com/our-history.
As Shannon steps into her role as Senior Director, she reflects on the moments that have shaped her journey so far:
“There is a tremendous amount of creativity and courage in the North American Church today. I’m familiar with the stark statistics regarding the decline of church affiliation in our culture. Yet, if you look more closely, there are some beautiful new forms of Christian community bubbling up on the edges.”
“The church I serve runs a seven-day-a-week coffee shop that has become a community hub, and the God-stuff that is happening every day in the natural rhythms of life is both inspiring and humbling. I believe that every church has unique opportunities to foster new forms of Christian community, and Fresh Expressions is committed to calling forth this spirit of mission”.
As Fresh Expressions North America moves into 2025, we are dedicating significant focus to supporting churches in embracing these opportunities, from rethinking how their buildings can be a hub for community connection to reimagining how mission projects can become missional communities.
“While we will continue to offer vision casting training events to introduce the Fresh Expressions approach, we are also forming Cohorts, Communities of Practice, and Team Cultivator Training to help leaders and congregations take incremental steps from vision to practice.”
Heading into 2025, Fresh Expressions is launching a series of exciting events and initiatives designed to ignite and equip church leaders nationwide:
- Gathered to Scatter: A microconference crafted for everyday churches seeking to spark hope and unleash transformation among their communities.
- The Dinner Church Summit: A powerful gathering of leaders committed to helping their neighbors encounter Jesus over a shared meal.
- Fresh Expressions Immersions: Immersive, on-the-ground experiences like Dinner Church and Missional Entrepreneurship, where leaders witness fresh expressions of church in real-time, learning by doing.
- New Book Releases: Practical guides to help both established churches and pioneering leaders innovate with new approaches to evangelism, discipleship, and community building.
Reflecting on this exciting transition, Chris Backert shared his optimism for the future:
“My experience over the last 15 years of working with churches, leaders, seminaries, denominational bodies, and other mission and ministry organizations is that the vision, mission, and methodology that undergirds the Fresh Expressions movement is more integral to the future of the gospel in North America than ever before.”
“It is for this reason that I believe Fresh Expressions North America is primed for a new season under new leadership. Shannon has proven herself time and again as an effective local practitioner, an excellent communicator, an impactful coach, and a highly trustworthy leader in all regards. Her presence on our North American team has been a core reason for the growth of the movement over much of the last decade. I’m excited for her to step into this role, for her new book coming in 2025, and to continue to support her and the team in the days ahead.”
Learn more about Shannon and the team at https://freshexpressions.com/team.
North America Needs a Fresh Approach to Church
The need for fresh approaches to the Christian faith in North America has never been more urgent. Today, nearly 30% of Americans identify as religiously unaffiliated, a number that Pew Research Center projects could rise to over 50% by 2070. Ryan Burge, author of The Nones, describes this shift, stating, “The big picture of America’s changing religious landscape, then, is the rise of religious disaffiliation and the decline of Christian affiliation in the U.S. population” (The Nones, Burge, 2021). Between 1972 and 2018, “the percentage of Americans who identify as Christian declined, while the percentage who claim no religious affiliation increased by nearly 500%.”
Yet many of these individuals still hold spiritual beliefs—they’re just looking for something different. This is where Fresh Expressions thrives. Instead of abandoning traditional churches, Fresh Expressions seeks to revitalize them, equipping long-standing denominations and churches with creative new ways to engage their communities. By maintaining the value of Sunday gatherings while embracing innovative expressions of church, Fresh Expressions helps leaders envision new ways to bring people together in meaningful, authentic Christian community.
Some recent examples include:
- Miracle of God: A church built specifically to serve families with special needs.
- Church at the Opry: A worship community based in the heart of Georgia’s country music scene.
- Church of the Flying Disc: A faith exploration group that connects believers and skeptics alike through disc golf.
You can explore more stories like these at https://freshexpressions.com/category/snapshots.
By empowering churches to meet people where they are—whether that’s in coffee shops, parks, or around dinner tables—Fresh Expressions helps create authentic, relational spaces that foster real connection. As Shannon Kiser, the new North American Director, puts it:
“We have the opportunity to reclaim the heart of Christ’s Church, which is not primarily about a building but a mission. God is already at work in the everyday spaces of life, and church can unfold wherever life happens—whether that’s around a dinner table, at a coffee shop, or in the middle of someone’s everyday routine. We’re helping churches connect with people in those real-life moments.”
Learn more about how Fresh Expressions offers a new pathway for churches to thrive in this shifting religious landscape at https://freshexpressions.com.
Shannon’s Vision for the Future
As Fresh Expressions enters its next season, Shannon envisions a future that combines innovation with deep, meaningful mission. After nearly a decade of helping leaders dream big and build community, Shannon is excited to see what’s next.
“I see Fresh Expressions helping struggling congregations cultivate a more hope-filled future and inspiring vital congregations to step into a more integrated mission and ministry in a changing world.”
Her leadership will focus on empowering churches to explore new ways of engaging their communities while staying true to the heart of the movement: relationships. “Most congregations recognize they can’t continue doing the same things and effectively engage a changing world, yet they aren’t sure how to make the missional turn to the future. What we hear from leaders is the need for a supportive environment to develop an actionable Fresh Expressions approach unique to their setting and the prayerful encouragement, coaching, and resourcing to live out that approach.”
“In this next season, we’re going to focus on capturing and sharing the diverse stories from this movement that serve to expand imagination for what is possible, convening conversations among those who are implementing the Fresh Expressions vision in their setting, creating practical tools and resources to support congregational leaders and pioneers, and pressing into the priority of prayer which is the fuel for any Spirit-driven mission.”
A couple of areas Shannon is particularly excited about are Dinner Church and Rural Renewal—places where new expressions of faith are already changing lives.
“I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of a shared meal to bridge divides and unite people from all walks of life in authentic, life-giving community. I firmly believe that any church, regardless of its size, has the potential to start a Dinner Church—one that not only reconnects with the surrounding neighborhood but also breathes new life into weary hearts. I also recognize that some of the most overlooked and underappreciated opportunities right now are in the rural church, where new forms of church, grounded in creativity and community, can offer fresh hope to rural areas.”
How to Connect with Fresh Expressions
Fresh Expressions invites individuals, churches, and denominations to explore what church could look like in this new season of mission. Whether you’re a pioneering leader or part of an established church, there’s room for everyone to create something new.
- For Individuals: If you’re ready to start something fresh, Fresh Expressions offers training and coaching to help you bring your ideas to life. Events like Pioneer Cohort will give you the tools to dream big and act boldly. Learn more at https://freshexpressions.com/training.
- For Churches: Churches ready to try something different can use tools like the Dinner Church Encounter to turn shared meals into something transformative. Workshops and consulting will ensure your church is equipped to connect beyond its walls. Find out more at https://freshexpressions.com/training.
- For Denominations: Denominations seeking to inspire church multiplication can benefit from programs like Regional Coaching Certification, which helps equip teams to lead and grow across multiple communities. Discover more at https://freshexpressions.com/training.
The future of the church isn’t confined to its walls. It’s alive and moving in coffee shops, around dinner tables, and on hiking trails—wherever people are living, working, and seeking connection. Fresh Expressions is here to help churches meet them there.
