Getting started as a Pioneer
As a pioneer, you know well that people beyond the church are exploring faith and seeking communities and rituals to help root them as they navigate our complex world. Some intentionally engage with nature, others discover journaling, or the power in the ancient practice of meditation.
A Methodist Way of Life provides pioneers with core themes in the Christian journey that they will be able to improvise with as they explore what deepening discipleship might look like for people new to faith. These are practices all of us can inhabit as we seek wholeness for ourselves and the world.
At the heart of the Methodist Way of Life are the rhythms and practices key to healthy pioneering: listening to God, the world and others. Find out more about how to listen when starting a New Place for New People, and other core practices that help us build new communities.
“One pioneer regularly swims in a local river with others. Each time before entering the water, swimmers take a moment to stop, look, listen, and notice the environment around them. To become aware of its beauty and danger and hold a moment of gratitude for the created world. An awareness for them that God is close, and a for those in the swimming community who are spiritual but not religious.”
Ideas to try
Every context and church community is different. The most appropriate ideas will be the ones that are authentic for the people and place you’re in. Here are a few ideas to consider – more can be found on the pages for each commitment, and on the MWOL resources page, including a series of outlines for groups and meetings.
- Ask people where they have experienced a ‘thin place’ in the past week. Use the coasters or postcards as conversation starters. Which practices do people recognise they already do? If it connects to one of the 12 practices of A Methodist Way of Life, give them a badge to symbolise this.
- Use the floor mat to encourage people to think about their spiritual journey. Do they think they’re on the train or on the platform, or outside the station? Is there a new station they would like to travel to?
- Think about how your activities as a pioneer relate to the 12 commitments. Are you doing something about connecting with nature or creation care? How could you be intentional in including something that explains why this matters to Christians and Methodists?
- Take a look at your planning documents, mission plans, or other vision documents. Plot out how making connections to A Methodist Way of Life might help you encourage people to go deeper in their spiritual journeys.
The Evangelism and Growth team of the Methodist Church run events and webinars throughout the year for individuals and church leaders to explore what A Methodist Way of Life means for your community, including ‘Rural and Rooted’, a series for rural churches.