Ridley Hall, Cambridge

Courses: Pioneer Ministry

Pioneer training at Ridley

In September 2006, the Revd David Male came to Cambridge as Tutor in Pioneer Ministry Training in a joint project between Ridley Hall, Westcott House and the Diocese of Ely (to which he is Fresh Expressions Adviser). His main role is to supervise the training and to develop the pathways of designated ordinand Pioneer Ministers as well as working with all students at Ridley to explore pioneer mission and ministry. He also organises 'Break Out', a national annual gathering of pioneers.

In the seven years prior to joining Ridley, David planted one of the first Anglican fresh expressions, The Net in Huddersfield. (www.netchurch.org.uk) He has a wealth of experience and is involved with fresh expressions throughout the country and in America and Australia. His new book on fresh expressions, Church Unplugged: Remodelling Church without losing your soul (Authentic Books) looks at how to create a new church through ten essentials that create an indispensable framework.

Ordained Pioneer Ministers are people who are identified, trained and deployed to pioneer new initiatives and fresh expressions of church. The report Mission-Shaped Church, published in 2003, recommends that the initial training of all ministers should include a focus on cross-cultural evangelism, church planting and fresh expressions of church. (Recommendation 10). However it also recommends that Ordained Pioneer Ministry should be a particular focus within the one ordained ministry. OPM is designed for individuals who are clear that their vocation is to serve and guide the whole church in developing fresh expressions of church life. Such candidates should either already have a proven record of effective pioneer ministry or the obvious potential to do so.

Requirements

• Particular experience and a track record in pioneering ministry
• Gifts in enabling in evangelism and concern for those outside the church
• Appropriate potential as an ordained pioneer minister

Ordained Pioneer Ministers may be stipendiary, non-stipendiary/self-supporting or Ordained Local Ministers.

As pioneers they should be prepared to be flexible in their future ministry. Some may spend their whole ministry as a pioneer, for others it will be part of their ministry. Pioneer ministers ‘may well need to alternate between periods of stipendiary and self-supporting ministry throughout their working life’.

For more details on Ordained Pioneer Ministry see the Guidelines on th C of E website

At Ridley there are a number of ways of pursuing Ordained Pioneer Ministry which combine both academic excellence and practical experience.

• Full time study at Ridley through a Pioneer pathway with particular emphasis on mission and practical experience with local fresh expressions
• Mixed mode study which enables you to carry on working in a pioneer situation for half of your time plus half time study which will mainly be at Ridley Hall but will include some local academic supervision.

Ridley has a large cohort of pioneers and there is teaching for them together on specific pioneer issues using the resources of Cambridge and beyond. This includes looking at issues such as entrepreneurship, how to start and develop a fresh expression,cultural hermeneutics, vision, leadership, the theology of fresh expressions, and ecclesiology. Some of the top speakers on these issues such as George Lings, Paul Bayes, Fuzz Kitto, Maggi Dawn, James Lawrence, Terry Tennens and Jason Clark have made themselves available to the pioneer group.

If you would like to know more about training for Ordained Pioneer Ministry at Ridley Hall please contact David Male at dm432@cam.ac.uk

Some useful websites

Fresh Expressions - The Archbishops National Initiative

The Sheffield Centre - The Church Army’s Research Unit particularly looking at fresh expressions. They produce excellent booklets on fresh expressions. Number 19 Net Gains is on The Net Church in Huddersfield.

Articles

Two articles on pioneer ministry which appeared in the Spring edition of the CPAS Church Leadership magazine:

• Pioneering Intentions - an interview with Tim Yau, who trained at Ridley
• Pioneers just can't help it! - an interview with Dave Male about his work as tutor in pioneer ministry at Ridley Hall and Westcott House

Two articles by David Male on Fresh Expressions:

• The challenge of church planting, Church Times, January 2007
• Really fresh expressions, Church of England Newspaper, January 2007

To discover more about David Male's work download the CPAS 'Pioneer Spirit' Resource (pdf).