The Mission-Shaped Church
By the Mission-Shaped Church Working Group of the Church of England
192 pages
Publisher: Church House Pub. (October 2007)

Authors: a working group of the Church of England’s Mission and Public Affairs Council (ix). The working group consists of eleven officials (bishops, vicars, directors, archdeacons, rectors, secretaries, and team leaders).

Point of View: Realizing that the Church of England parochial system was no longer fully effective, the working group recognized the need for a variety of ecclesial approaches (xi), also known as “fresh expressions.”

Organization:

• Chapter 1 describes England’s changing culture.
• Chapter 2 narrates changes since the 1994 publication of Breaking New Ground, in which church planting was first recognized as a valid mission endeavor.
• Chapter 3 defines church planting and its significance.
• Chapter 4 describes several fresh expressions.
• Chapter 5 explicates a theology of a missionary church.
• Chapter 6 offers principles and methodologies.
• Chapter 7 describes a framework by which the church planting aspirations of Breaking New Ground might be realized.
• Chapter 8 offers recommendations flowing from the insights and experiences described in Mission-Shaped Church.

Intention: To have Mission-Shaped Church studied/discussed at all levels of the Church of England and such groupings to be encouraged to respond appropriately (x).


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