Fresh Expressions--A Christian movement built on unity, not uniformity
For several years, I've been excited about a Christian movement that is releasing oneness in the body of Christ by combining Spirit-inspired, creative freedom and unity in the Spirit. This movement is encouraging and helping Christian churches of numerous denominations to plant new congregations that meet differently than the planting church.
Their focus is on loving others and fulfilling Christ's mission, rather than on getting people to agree with each other and all look and think the same. They practice heart-felt unity in Christ rather than uniformity in doctrine or practice.
Their goal is not to propagate a particular religious format. Instead Fresh Expressions seeks to find new ways of Christian expression that can reach both people who haven't been involved with church (the Nones), and people who are done with church (the Dones).
Fresh Expressions began in 2004 as an outreach of the Church of England and the British Methodist Church. It has helped established churches plant more than 1,000 new forms of church that are diverse and creative Christian communities which can more effectively reach unchurched and dechurched people in our post Christian culture.
The movement has spread to many denominations in several countries around the world, including the USA. Fresh Expressions is committed to "a unity around the mission of God the Father through the resurrected Son in the power of the Holy Spirit."
Fresh Expressions believes that "the key to doing this is by partnering with pioneering leaders, dynamic pastors and existing churches' denominational streams and agencies who are committed to make disciples who make disciples, raising up leaders with a passion to join with God in the mission edges where new forms of church can flourish."
For more information, check out their website @ http://freshexpressions.org.uk/
