An Ecumenical Field Guide to Fresh Expressions

Learn the essentials of fresh expressions for your church.

This is a practical manual for understanding and implementing Fresh Expressions for a church in any denominational setting.

Fresh Expressions is a new way of thinking about the local church and a new way of doing church as a congregation. It refers to new (fresh) iterations or types (expressions) of ministry, usually outside the confines of the church building. These iterations or types of ministries are formed intentionally and organically wherever people are in the community. They are based on shared activities or interests, places where people are already gathering, and where people are open to and interested in learning about Jesus. Christians share their own stories of how Jesus is a part of their lives. Often, these gatherings become regularly attended and begin to increasingly adopt the practices of a church community in example of worship, service, study, and giving. Thus, they become fresh expressions of the church from which they originated.