Seeking insight from the real-life development of the earliest expressions of emerging church from their birth, through times of adolescent angst and into the reality of adulthood, this book offers a unique insight into the long-term sustainability of fresh expressions.

Steve Taylor

Copyright information

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Part 1: Introducing first expressions

1. Definitions and a roadmap

2. Birthing first expressions: empirical and ecclesiological

3. Body-ing forth in innovation

Part 2: First expressions 11 years on

4. Tried

5. Tried and died

Part 3: Fresh Expressions

6. An apostle of Fresh Expressions: Rowan Williams’s missio-ecclesiology and the birth of Fresh Expressions

7. Birthing Fresh Expressions as an organizational innovation

8. Moves in mission

Part 4: Becoming in ecclesial innovation

9. One in authenticity

10. Becoming apostolic in ambient witness

11. Becoming holy in making

12. Becoming catholic in sacrament and structure

13. Coda: A theologic of first expressions

Bibliography

\- Fills a gap, in providing a longitudinal study of fresh expressions - Spans the gulf between academia and practice, as empirical research is placed in conversation with missiology, ecclesiology and anthropology - Offering practical insights in sustainability for practitioners in mission and leaders of churches, denominations and missions - Written by an internationally recognised missiologist with a keen instinct for reflecting on contemporary cultures - Relevant for theological education courses that include missiology, ecclesiology and ministry practice.

Seeking insight from the real-life development of the earliest expressions of emerging church from their birth, through times of adolescent angst and into the reality of adulthood, this book offers a unique insight into the long-term sustainability of fresh expressions. Presenting the lived practice of the church in mission through a longitudinal lens, and eschewing the rose-tinted approach, it considers the reality of emerging churches - their birth and death, their creativity and conflict, their dreams and despair. A picture of a church that is neither gathered and parish nor independent and networked emerges as the biographies of mission are brought into dialogue with a very ancient expression of mission, the birth of Philippians as a first expression of church in Europe..

"First Expressions provides a rich practical theology of how God could be bringing a new ecclesiology for a secular age to birth through the witness of the communities who pioneered new ecclesial communities. Taylor has done a great service to future mission by paying close attention to what has been embodied in the past at the fringes and how this needs to transform the centre of thinking and practice in the future."

"This book honours ecclesial innovation in a unique way. It offers a theological framing and affirmation of the impulse towards innovation while grounding it in the specific decisions and actions of particular first expressions. It contains rich data, thoughtful and creative reflection, confrontingly close readings of scripture, and the frank vulnerability of an author with plenty of skin in the game. As we move from a 'knowledge economy' to a 'wisdom economy', books like this are crucial. Refreshed imaginatively and ecclesiologically by reading it, I'll be using this book when I teach."

Acknowledgements ix Part 1 Introducing first expressions 1 Definitions and a roadmap 3 2 Birthing first expressions: Empirical and ecclesiological 20 3 Body-ing forth in innovation 33 Part 2 First expressions 11 years on 4 Tried 51 5 Tried and died 73 Part 3 Fresh Expressions 6 An apostle of Fresh Expressions 97 7 Birthing Fresh Expressions as an organizational innovation 109 8 Moves in mission 132 Part 4 Becoming in ecclesial innovation 9 One in authenticity 149 10 Becoming apostolic in ambient witness 166 11 Becoming holy in making 188 12 Becoming catholic in sacrament and structure 207 13 Coda: A Theologic of first expressions 225 Bibliography 233 Index of Names and Subjects 245

Acknowledgements ix

__Part 1 Introducing first expressions__

1\. Definitions and a roadmap 3

2\. Birthing first expressions: Empirical and ecclesiological 20

3\. Body-ing forth in innovation 33

__Part 2 First expressions 11 years on__

4\. Tried 51

5\. Tried and died 73

__Part 3 Fresh Expressions__

6\. An apostle of Fresh Expressions 97

7\. Birthing Fresh Expressions as an organizational innovation 109

8\. Moves in mission 132

__Part 4 Becoming in ecclesial innovation__

9\. One in authenticity 149

10\. Becoming apostolic in ambient witness 166

11\. Becoming holy in making 188

12\. Becoming catholic in sacrament and structure 207

13\. Coda: A Theologic of first expressions 225

Bibliography 233

Index of Names and Subjects 245

First Expressions

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First Expressions

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Seeking insight from the real-life development of the earliest expressions of emerging church from their birth, through times of adolescent angst and into the reality of adulthood, this book offers a unique insight into the long-term sustainability of fresh expressions.

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