Categories: ecclesiastical-stuff, fresh-expressions, depression
Date: 18 September 2010 16:09:38
I have spent the last day or so at a conference, (sorry consultation), on Fresh Expressions and then an hour or so engaging in a formal conversation with Steve Taylor who the Methodists were putting on. It all sort of changed my mind a bit from what I wrote in yesterday's post, but only sort of.
The conference was basically about raising the questions of what sort of research needs to be done on Fresh Expressions, and the challenges they are raising. One of the most interesting debates was raised by Pete Ward, (the liquid church bloke), and related to whether we should be talking about fresh expressions of mission rather than fresh expressions of church. Jonny Baker also did an interesting presentation/ paper on curating worship which related to his new book.
The later session with Steve Taylor, which wasn't part of the conference, was one where he told the story of the development of his former church, via a series of postcards. The session was really useful in reframing some of my thinking and giving me some practical ideas to be working with. I was really disappointed with the turn out though; this bloke was somebody really useful to have around who we were really lucky to be getting but bugger all people really turned up to listen to him. Still, their loss I guess.
More stuff may or may not follow. I think the thing for me is trying to work out how I put any of this theory I'm learning into practice. I was aware that in many ways I was neither fish nor fowl at the conference. Yup, I'm an enthusiastic M Litt student who is doing practical theology, but it isn't about Fresh Expressions yet neither am I a practioner. God gently, but firmly has shown me that my passion for mission might involve some FE type stuff but is actually likely to be more broadly based. This awareness is something that I found useful through Steve's session. He was talking in a FE/ emerging type language but in a way and about things which went beyond this. He was talking about the type of stuff I might one day be involved in. I am not a leader and do not have leadership experience beyond the teaching job I left two years ago. In the Christian world I am a volunteer who is coming through into something which may involve leadership in the future, (within this I'm not including the LPT stuff because that's something different). That's a bit frustrating because I know, (I have been bluntly but kindly told), I need to be getting demonstratable leadership experience now. God is opening doors and giving exciting opportunities for service, but not for leadership....at the moment.