Protestant pioneering in the polder
Nadine van Hierden MA
PhD-student |
pioneer consultant PCN
[email protected]
Supervisors:
Prof. dr. H.P. De Roest
Prof dr. J.J.M. de Hart
Dr. R. Brouwer
Mixed Economy of Church and church renewal
in the Protestant Church in the Netherlands
DEFINITION
DEVELOPMENT OF FRESH EXPRESSIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS
Mixed Economy of Church as a strategy for transforming
into a Mission-Shaped Church
The concept of Mixed Economy of Church
turns out to be nothing more than pocket
money for pioneers and a good night sleep
for the established church.
First used by Archbishop Rowan Williams in the foreword to
a Church of Walesreport:
“We may discern signs of hope. These may be found
particularly in the development of a mixed economy of
Church life . . . there are ways of
being church alongside the inherited parochial pattern.”

The concept of Mixed Economy of Church
fuels the conversation about the nature
and mission of church, but its assumed
condition of mutual commitment turns
out in practice as a source of friction – and
can thus lead to an internal focus on
stabilizing church organization.
(Cited in Church of England Report Mission-Shaped Church, 2004:26)
A Mixed Economy of Church means that fresh expressions
and inherited forms of church existing alongside each other,
within the same denomination, in relationships of mutual
respect and support.
ttps://www.freshexpressions.org.uk/guide/about/mixedeconomy, 07-04-2016)
QUESTIONS
1.
2.
3.

What do you see as the most pressing question
concerning Mixed Economy of Church as a strategy in
practice, related to issues of bridging inherited and
fresh expressions of Church? How would you describe
the key issues on this terrain?
What are your experiences working in a Mixed
Economy Church – both on a national level or in a
local context? According to you, what are the key
issues?
Do you know examples of practices where proposed
elements of Mixed Economy of Church (f.e. crossfertilization, mutual fellowship between inherited and
Fresh Expressions of Church) are being realized in
practice? How do these examples contribute to a
mission shaped church as a sharing place of different
forms of church?
PROVOCATIVE THESES AND QUESTIONS
To realize a a Mission Shaped Church
with a Mixed Economy strategy
good management
is both lacked ánd needed.

AIM
The aim of this part of my research is to clarify the conceptualization of Mixed
Economy of Church and to examine its usability in practice.
I want to show the impact of developing Fresh Expressions as – an effectuation of
the strategy of Mixed Economy – on transforming practices, meanings and
definitions of church. The aim for ecclesial practice is that this research will
provide useful reflection for future designing of the church community to a more
adequate and meaningful ‘sharing place’ .
References: The Archbishops’ Council (2004) Mission Shaped Church, London: Church House Publishing; Moynagh, M. (2012), Church for Every Context (2012), London: SCM Press; Watkins, C., Shepherd, B., ‘The Challenge of ‘Fresh Expressions’ to Ecclesiology – Reflections from the Practise
of Messy Church.’ in: Ecclesial Practices Vol 1. No. 1 (2014), pp. 92-110; Dutton, C. ‘Unpicking Knit and Natter – Researching an Emerging Christian Community’, in: Ecclesial Practices, (Vol 1 No1), 2014, Leiden/Boston: Brill, pp. 31-50; Roest, H.P. de (2012) ‘Pionieren en lekepreken. Een
praktisch-theologische analyse van de nieuwe missionaire dynamiek in de Nederlandse kerken, met name de Protestantse Kerk in Nederland.’ Diësrede. Website PThU, Paas, S. ‘Church renewal by church planting: the significanse of church planting for the future of christianity in Europe’, in: Theology
Today (2011), pp 1-11; Ward, P. (2002), Liquid Church, Carlisle:Cambria. Nelstrop, L. and Percy M. (2008) Evaluating Fresh Expressions: Exploratings in Emerging Church: responses to the changing face of ecclesiology in the Church of England, Norwich: Canterbury.
Innovation starts at grassrootlevel.
Therefore, the task of policy officers,
practitioners and researchers is to listen
and facilitate, not to prescribe, plan and
control.