The language we use

It appears that there are plenty of misconceptions about fresh expressions around at the moment, so it seems timely that we’re launching our section on the Church of England website and this blog.

We’re hearing plenty about the mixed ecology in these post-Covid times: do they mean the blending of different expressions of church, or are they meaning the way we are needing to be both digitally and physically gathered now? Pioneers are both praised for their creativity and said to be ruining the long-established settled pattern of ministry. Fresh Expressions are the same as Church Plants, right?

I often finding myself saying, in the words of the delightfully fictional Inigo Montoya from the 1987 romantic comedy film The Princess Bride: “You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means”.

Language is important, and the concepts and ideas behind them need to be teased out so we can all understand each other better and explore both what is next for both mainstream and fresh expressions of church in this country.

So, in our first series of blogs to follow, we’ll be busting some myths about the world of New Christian Communities, with posts from those of us in the national church institutions, practitioners and enablers from all over the country. There’ll be things to agree and disagree with, stories to encourage, disappointments shared and learned from, but most importantly I hope there’ll be space for conversation as - in the words of the reassuringly real Ralph Waldo Emerson - we “do not go where the path may lead, but go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”