Other Possibilities
OTHER CHURCH PLANTING POSSIBILITIES:
In addition to the above noted models, the EC Church and KEC have partnered with Fresh Expressions for alternative Kingdom ministry models. Below is a brief introduction to Fresh Expressions and the Dinner Church Movement.
FRESH EXPRESSIONS (from their website)
A Fresh Expression is a form of church for our changing culture, established primarily for the benefit of those who are not yet part of any church.
Around the world, Christians are stepping out in faith and beginning fresh expressions of church, new or different forms of church for a changing culture.
Each fresh expression of church is unique and designed for their particular context. They can be rural or suburban, in public spaces, housing projects and college dormitories. Some are aimed at specific groups, ranging from “Messy Church” for families with children to “Amore Groups” led by married couples. There is biker church, cowboy church, church for artists, church at or after work; the sky’s the limit. Each is an adventure in bringing the power of the Gospel to people who might never experience Christian community and the transformational and self-giving love of Jesus.
Four guiding principles tie fresh expressions together. Each one is:
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Missional – Joining God’s mission by going to those not currently served by any church
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Contextual – Grounded in the language and culture of the people in and for their particular context
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Formational – Focused on discipling people in the way of Jesus
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Ecclesial – Forming local, tangible Christian communities that are able to step out as church in their own right
DINNER CHURCH (from their websites)
Church for People Who Don’t Go to Church
Dinner Church is practiced in various ways across the country. The practice is strongest when it’s adapted for your context, theological background, and cultural realities. We think Dinner Church is characterized by:
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a meal that is explicitly sacramental in nature. The meal is a celebration of communion and is framed with a prayer marking the bread as Christ’s body and the cup and Christ’s blood.
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a blurring of the boundaries between the “sacred” and the “profane.” By celebrating the Eucharist at an ordinary table with through an ordinary meal, we encounter Christ as present in all the ordinary places in our lives, not just those marked as “holy.”
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a focus on participation. Congregants are invited to cook the meal, set the table, and clean up afterward, all as an integrated part of the liturgy. The meal is, quite literally, the work of the people.
