by Leslie Newton.
In the early days of the Fresh Expressions movement the then Archbishop of Canterbury, the Rt Revd Rowan Williams, coined the phrase ‘mixed economy’ to describe how the Church of the future could embrace both the ‘old’ (or ‘inherited’ or ‘time-honoured’) expressions of church, and the ‘new’ emerging patterns of Christian mission and community. That was such a helpful image and insight. Over time the phrase has in some quarters been augmented, or succeeded, by the phrase ‘mixed ecology’ embracing helpful metaphors of nature. Michael Beck, United Methodist and influential Fresh Expressions leader in the United States now talks of ‘blended ecology.’ His deliberate substitution of the word ‘blended’ is to emphasise the need to ensure that the ‘inherited’ learns and gains from the ‘new’, and the ‘new’ is inspired and fed by the treasures of the ‘inherited’. The ‘old’ and the ‘new’ need each other!
However, finding ways to enable a ‘blended ecology’ to develop healthily and fruitfully is hard and challenging. It’s not easy to get to the point where the ‘inherited’ and ‘new’ can really both flourish side by side, in such a way that the result is becoming more than the sum of their parts. Many circuits, and leaders of both inherited and new contexts, have stories to tell, sometimes with great pain and sadness, of how hard that is proving to be.
An insight I find helpful as we travel this journey is that of ‘Dual Transformation.’ The research underpinning this approach identifies the need to recognise that the work of developing the ‘inherited’ and pioneering the ‘new’ are very different pieces of enterprise. One is about working with ‘what is’ to support greater health and flourishing. The other is about creating ‘what is not yet’ to become healthy and flourishing.
The principles of ‘Dual Transformation’ highlight that we can’t do both things well under the same rules: inherited patterns and polity really struggles with new creation! Working with ‘what is’ and ‘what is not yet’ require two entirely different leadership models.
So, although the ultimate aim is for a flourishing ‘blended ecology’, what is needed first of all is to create lots of space for both the ‘new’ and the ‘inherited’ to be valued, supported and encouraged as very distinctively different types of ministry and mission. As both ‘new’ and ‘inherited’ then flourish within their own ecosystem, the ways in which they can benefit each other become apparent.
In Acts 15 we read of a key moment in the early Church as they wrestled with the interplay between the ‘inherited’ and the ‘new.’ The Council at Jerusalem were struggling to discern what to expect of the new Gentile believers: effectively how much of their ways of being Christian should be expected from those of a completely different background. Their conclusion was courageous, faith-filled and liberating. In verse 28 we read that they recognised the prompting of the Holy Spirit to declare that they should not place any extra burdens on the new believers. This message was received with ‘rejoicing’ by the Gentiles in Antioch (verse 31). This pivotal declaration fuelled the continuing growth and expansion of the early Church by encouraging diversity to burgeon. And over time the ’blended ecology’ of mutually enriched mission and ministry did emerge.
As we give thanks for the lead of this year’s Methodist Conference in making the development of the God for All strategy a continuing priority in the next few years, I think it’s important for us to take all this on board. For the creation of the ‘new’ to really flourish we may need to give it more creative space from our inherited structures than we’ve yet considered. For the ‘inherited’ to be renewed and play its vital ongoing part we may need to ensure its contribution is more fully honoured and valued than is sometimes evident.
In travelling this path, we must also be careful to remember that ‘creating distinctive space’ for both streams is not about pursuing ‘separation’ and must never lead to ‘competition’. As Michael Beck identifies: ’The blended ecology is not healthy if both inherited and emerging forms do not have some influence on the other. As both grow and influence each other, the whole church is strengthened.’[1]
[1] Michael Beck in Deep Roots, Wild Branches , Revitalizing the Church in the Blended Ecology, 2019, page 10
Theology Everywhere 
I like this! It brings to my mind how a functional extended family works so well for everyone. The traditions, values, experience and wisdom of the grandparents can influence and help mould the youngsters, and the new ways of living embraced by the youngsters can have a positive impact on the older generation. How many grandparents out there have turned to their grandchildren for advice on technology? And how many grandchildren consult with Grandma or Grandad for help with homework?
I think maybe the clergy of today have become the ‘sandwich generation’. They are the ‘mums and dads’ doing their best to incorporate and respect the needs of the generation above them, while at the same time trying to meet the demands and desires of the generation below. Very trying and challenging times!
May God bless them and guide them, and may we all support and encourage them as they do their best to serve us all on this difficult journey.
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Thanks Yvonne – what a really interesting and helpful image – of today’s clergy (and other leaders) as the ‘sandwich generation.’ Worth reflecting further on – thank you!
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Thanks Leslie – thought-provoking stuff, such that I find myself neither in total agreement or disagreement with what you have written!
I remember in Sheffield in the 1990’s, when I was minister of a then large suburban church, hearing quite a bit about the concept of multiplex churches – where different things were happening and different models operating under the same roof. What I discovered in that church was that people’s primary belonging was quite obviously to their ‘bit’ and fostering a sense of belonging to the overarching ‘whole’ was really hard. So while I wholeheartedly agree that avoiding competition and working against separation is vital, my feeling is that it happens anyway…
Your exegesis of Acts 15 reads well to a Gentile Christian – not sure if it would have felt the same to a Jewish Christian – who inevitably became a minority, and it is hard to see how the inherited patterns of church won’t go the same way! So when you say that ‘we can’t do both things well under the same rules’ while I am sure you are right, it begs the question as to which rules might be non-negotiable, and who decides? One of the delights of the pandemic period was to discover that the sky didn’t implode when we bent some of our rules in order to keep going, and that asked questions of how some of our rules are written and traditionally interpreted.
In 1963 Cricket introduced its own brand of Fresh Expressions with the introduction of the Gillette Cup, as one-day cricket became a thing! Over the past 60 years we have learnt that First Class cricket and One-day cricket can’t exist with the same rules, and there has been a fragmentation of one-day cricket with different competitions having different playing regulations, albeit that the majority of the Laws of Cricket apply across the board. But there can be little doubt that the inherited form of cricket is in crisis, and I wonder how many of those going to the new forms will sustain Test matches for many more years, even if ‘Bazzball’ has given it a go!
I must stop rambling… and again thank you for what you have written. And thank you to Yvonne for her comments. Yes the concept of inter-generational sharing is hugely important, but whereas the older generation may require help with things that are now fundamental to daily living, ensuring that what they have to offer is not simply dismissed as ‘about living in the olden days’ – as my grandchildren put it – and may instead, at least sometimes, as containing some wisdom!
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Thanks Keith – really helpful thoughts – and you raise such valuable points – I like your response to the Acts 15 exegesis. And your analogy with one day cricket etc! None of this is ‘easy’ is it – and perhaps we shouldn’t expect it to be! Michael Beck and others who continue to write positively about their experience of developing ‘blended ecology’ do speak of the ‘new’ bringing riches which renew and revitalise the ‘inherited’ – and I continue to hope that this might be something we can experience more fully. Thanks again, Keith.
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