Testing Fresh Expressions: Identity and Transformation

271 Pages·2014·1.205 MB·English

by  John Walker

TesTing Fresh expressions
This book breaks new ground. Fresh Expressions are one way the Church of England
and several Free Churches can be seen to be seeking to address long-established decline
affecting many European, Australasian and Canadian Churches today – yet their
empirical effectiveness has never before been rigorously and systematically tested.
This book does just that and, in the process, makes a real and original contribution
to our knowledge. An important and much-needed book.
robin gill, University of Kent, UK
Testing Fresh Expressions investigates whether fresh expressions of church really
do what is claimed for them by the fresh expressions movement and, in particular,
whether their unique approach helps to reverse trends of decline experienced by
traditional churches.
part i examines those claims and untangles their sociological and theological
assumptions. From a careful study of factors underlying attendance decline and
growth, part ii argues that long-term decline can be resisted only if churches
are better able to attract children, the non-churched or both. part iii tests
the comparative ability of a group of growing parish churches and a group of
fresh expressions to resist trends of decline and discovers some intriguing social
dynamics common to both groups. part iV argues that fresh expressions do not
fulfil the unique role often claimed for them but that they do have the capacity
to help reinvigorate the whole church.
Ashgate Contemporary ecclesiology
Series Editors
Martyn percy, ripon College Cuddesdon, oxford, UK
D. Thomas hughson, Marquette University, UsA
Bruce Kaye, Charles sturt University, Australia
Series Advisory Board
James nieman; sathi Clarke; gemma simmonds CJ; gerald West;
philip Vickeri; helen Cameron; Tina Beattie; nigel Wright; simon Coleman
The field of ecclesiology has grown remarkably in the last decade, and most especially in
relation to the study of the contemporary church. recently, theological attention has turned
once more to the nature of the church, its practices and proclivities, and to interpretative
readings and understandings on its role, function and ethos in contemporary society.

This new series draws from a range of disciplines and established scholars to further the
study of contemporary ecclesiology and publish an important cluster of landmark titles
in this field. The series editors represent a range of Christian traditions and disciplines,
and this reflects the breadth and depth of books developing in the series. This Ashgate
series presents a clear focus on the contemporary situation of churches worldwide,
offering an invaluable resource for students, researchers, ministers and other interested
readers around the world working or interested in the diverse areas of contemporary
ecclesiology and the important changing shape of the church worldwide.
Other titles in this series:
Mothering as a Metaphor for Ministry
Emma Percy
Anglicanism
Martyn Percy
Theology shaped by society
Robin Gill
Church growth in Britain
1980 to the present
Edited by David Goodhew
Testing Fresh expressions
identity and Transformation
John WAlKer
Diocese of Canterbury, UK
© John Walker 2014
All rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
John Walker has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and patents Act, 1988, to be
identified as the author of this work.
published by
Ashgate publishing limited Ashgate publishing Company
Wey Court east 110 Cherry street
Union road suite 3–1
Farnham Burlington, VT 05401–3818
surrey, gU9 7pT UsA
england
www.ashgate.com
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Walker, John (researcher)
Testing Fresh expressions : identity and transformation / by John Walker.
pages cm. – (Ashgate contemporary ecclesiology)
includes bibliographical references and index.
isBn 978–1–4724–1184–6 (hardcover : alk. paper) – isBn 978–1–4724–1186–0
(ebook) – isBn 978–1–4724–1187–7 (epub)
1. Church renewal. 2. Church development, new. 3. Church of england – Membership.
4. Fresh expressions (organization)
i. Title.
BV600.3.W35 2014
262’.03–dc23 2014002734
isBn 9781472411846 (hbk)
isBn 9781472411860 (ebk – pDF)
isBn (9781472411877 ebk – epUB)
V
printed in the United Kingdom by henry ling limited,
at the Dorset press, Dorchester, DT1 1hD
To Robin Gill, with grateful thanks
This page has been left blank intentionally
Contents
List of Figures ix
List of Tables xi
Foreword xiii
Acknowledgements xv
Introduction: Still Fresh? 1
PART I: FResh hoPe? 5
1 Changing Society 7
2 Changing Church 27
PART II: exIsTIng evIdence 45
3 Proportion 47
4 Secularization 65
5 Diffusion 77
6 Congregation 93
7 Generation 111
PART III: new ReseARch 125
8 Context 127
viii Testing Fresh Expressions
9 Why Try? 145
10 Why Stay? 161
11 Transformation 177
PART Iv: ImPlIcATIons 199
12 Strategy 201
13 Ecclesiology 217
Conclusion: Fresh, Still … 233
References 237
Index 249
List of Figures
3.1 Adjacent diocesan uSa change: Example 1, 1989–1999 55
3.2 Adjacent diocesan uSa change: Example 2, 1999–2009 55
3.3 Variation in English congregational change 1989–2005 57
3.4 Tearfund: Attendance patterns in England in 2006 59
3.5 Tearfund: Attendance patterns in England in 2006; revised
categories 60
3.6 Mission-shaped Church: Attendance patterns in England in
1996 61
7.1 British attendance patterns: BSA 2008 122
8.1 PC5 Total uSa 2000–2009 140
10.1 Deepening association with a community 161
11.1 Transformative factors: relationship 178
11.2 Transformative factors: dynamic relationship 178
11.3 The Transformative Cycle 179
11.4 Transformative factors: Neville 182
11.5 Transformative factors: Nick and Maggie 186
11.6 Transformative process: Maggie 188
11.7 Transformative process: Nick 189