Introduction to Pioneer Ministry and Church Planting (Mix of Online & Campus Based Classes) (10 credit points)

Pre-requisites for enrolment

None.

Special Information

None.

Content of Course

The course will be focused on five units, each with two sessions: 1. ourselves: spiritual and personal formation for mission; 2. our contexts: Scotland and religion; 3. our thinking: theory and practice of mission and church; 4. our work: beginning a fresh expression of church; and 5. our future: nurturing and growing a fresh expression of church. This will include material on spirituality; Scottish social and church history; the relationship of faith and culture; analysis of church and community; theologies of mission and church; and practical insight and engagement into beginning and sustaining a ‘fresh expression of church’.

OURSELVES: SPIRITUAL AND PERSONAL FORMATION FOR MISSION

First session: Introduction to Each Other and to the Course: Who are we? What do we each bring? What is pioneer ministry and church planting?

Second session: Personal & Spiritual Formation: mission as deep listening and discernment of ‘the other’; vocation, and discernment; missional lifestyle – prayer and personal faith, spiritual direction and practices, discipleship and discipling, nurturing faith; ministry and mission as reflective practice.

OUR CONTEXTS: SCOTLAND AND RELIGION

First session: Religion in Contemporary Scottish Society: ‘secularisation’ in Scotland and its effect on church and mission, and on traditional forms of church; faith and culture; humanism, atheism, inter-faith and ecumenical relationships.

Second session: Thinking through our Local Context and a Christian community: identifying our cultures and context: community audit and cultural analysis; crossing cultures in ministry and mission.

OUR THINKING - THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MISSION AND CHURCH

First session – ‘Missiology’ – ‘What is mission?'; ‘Constants in Context’: theology and practice of Christian mission over two millennia; present-day global mission theologies and Biblical roots.

Second session – ‘Ecclesiology’: mission-shaped church and the ‘mixed economy’; pioneer ministry and church planting: purpose, theory and practice; the ‘fresh expressions movement’ in Scotland, England, USA and Europe; and the Church of Scotland pathways.

OUR WORK - BEGINNING A FRESH EXPRESSION OF CHURCH

First session – Getting Started: seeing, listening and planning; building a team; leadership & entrepreneurship; starting a new worshipping community; and making connections and relationships.

Second session – How, Where and with Whom: partnerships and funding; institutional support; premises and people; navigating the institution; and lessons from past experience.

OUR FUTURE - NURTURING AND GROWING A FRESH EXPRESSION OF CHURCH

First session – Building a Christian Community: expressing faith in word and deed – social engagement and worship as mission; exploring discipleship and nurturing faith; ‘church’ taking shape – disciples in community; and lessons from past experience.

Second session – Application to Our Contexts and What Next? – a sharing of stories, lessons and reflections from the course, feeding into the final project; and ‘what next?’ - routes of development, support and further training for a ‘fresh expression’; routes into forms of ministry.

Teaching method(s)

The course will be context-informed, and will have key contributions from those with experience in practice and in training. It will be practically focused on the student’s potential or current experience of forming a ‘fresh expression of church’ in their context. The course will be delivered in a variety of ways, including short lectures and discussions based on set readings, to be read by the student in preparation for each class. There will be an optional final project, based on integrating course content with action and practice. The experiences of those taking the course will be drawn upon throughout, and a peer-learning supportive ‘network’ encouraged.

The course will be taught in partnership with the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Episcopal Institute.

Learning outcomes

Develop a stronger ability to reflect on personal and spiritual formation.

Develop a fuller understanding of how to analyse and interpret contemporary culture, the place of religion in post-Christendom Scotland, and the student’s immediate context in church and society.

Develop a critical knowledge of global theologies of mission and church, as applied to the local context.

Engage with the initial practical steps in forming a ‘fresh expression of church.’

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the important stages and pitfalls in nurturing and sustaining a ‘fresh expression of church.’

Sources

Core Readings

Jonny Baker & Cathy Ross eds, The Pioneer Gift: Explorations in Mission, (Norwich: Canterbury Press, 2014)

Stephen B. Bevans & Roger P. Schroeder, Constants in Context: A Theology of Mission for Today, (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2004)

Ryan Bolger ed, The Gospel After Christendom: New Voices, New Cultures, New Expressions, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012)

David Bosch, Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission, (New York: Orbis, 1991)

Church Army Research Unit: ‘Seeing the Bigger Picture’ four reports 2016, ‘The Day of Small Things’ (George Lings), ‘Who’s There’ (Clare Dalpra and John Vivian), ‘Sustaining Young Churches’ (Andy Wier), ‘What Happens after Research’ (Elspeth McGann).

Andrew Dunlop, Out of Nothing: A Cross-Shaped Approach to Fresh Expressions, (London: SCM Press, 2018)

Goodhew, Roberts & Volland eds, Fresh: An Introduction to Fresh Expressions of Church and Pioneering (SCM Press, 2012)

Alan Hirsch, The Forgotten Ways (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing, 2006)

Tina Hodgett and Paul Bradbury, ‘Pioneering Mission is a Spectrum’, Anvil, Vol.34(1), 30-34

Dave Male, How to Pioneer (Even if You Haven’t a Clue), (London: Church House Publishing, 2016)

Andy Milne, The DNA of Pioneer Ministry, (London: SCM Press, 2016)

Ann Morisy, Journeying Out: A New Approach to Christian Mission, (London, Continuum, 2006)

Michael Moynagh and Rob Peabody, Refresh: A Not-So-New Guide to Being Church and Doing Life (London: Monarch Books, 2016)

Michael Moynagh, Church for Every Context – An Introduction to Theology and Practice (SCM, 2013)

Stuart Murray, Church after Christendom: Church and Mission in a Strange New World, (Milton Keynes: Paternoster Press, 2004, 2011)

Stefan Paas, Church Planting in the Secular West, (Eerdmans, 2016)

Phil Potter, Pioneering a New Future (BRF, 2015)

Stephen Spencer, SCM Study Guide to Christian Mission, (SCM Press, 2007)

Web Sources

None.

Class Handouts

None.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.