How Fresh Expressions Saved This Pastor’s Ministry (And Her Sanity).
Many church leaders find themselves exhausted by traditional programming that no longer connects with their changing neighborhoods. In this episode, discover how fresh expressions can move you beyond fixing declining programs to creating vibrant new forms of faith community. Host Dwight Zscheile speaks with Shannon Kiser, Senior Director of Fresh Expressions North America, about her transformation from VBS burnout to pioneering fresh expressions that bring diverse families together through shared activities like soccer and art.
Shannon shares the “loving first journey” – a listening-first approach to developing fresh expressions that begins with discerning where God is already at work in your community rather than planning in committee rooms. Learn how to identify and release pioneers, supporters, and permission givers for fresh expressions in your congregation, and discover why fresh expressions actually energize inherited churches rather than competing with them. Whether you’re struggling with volunteer recruitment, seeking to connect with your neighborhood’s diversity, or wondering how to move from membership-focused to discipleship-centered ministry, this conversation offers practical insights into fresh expressions that create space for authentic community engagement and spiritual formation.
Resources Mentioned:
- “Opening Space: A Vision for Fresh Expressions of Church and Creative Mission” by Shannon Kiser
- Fresh Expressions North America
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