The role of the priest
There is a skill set around holding together the time-honoured and new expressions of church.
Artwork by Sophie Killingley of Perish & Fade
I am not a pioneer.
by Greg Bakker
I have a heart for pioneers and my personal practice of ministry reflects a pioneering disposition. This is seen in my curiosity with people who aren’t connected with a faith community and my desire to birth new congregations shaped with and for those we seek to engage. While I like to be among those unconnected with the church as much as possible, I recognise that I have different calling than pioneer colleagues.
I am a parish priest.
We live in a time when many parish priests and church leaders feel devalued by the emphasis on the new. I too thought for some time that my role was less significant than that of the glamorous vocation exercised by pioneer colleagues. Then, unexpectedly, I was led by the Spirit to a place of deep insight. I came to a realisation about the immense significance of what God had called me to be and do as a parish priest.
What God showed me is that the role of priests in a pioneering parish is to enable newness to emerge by creating space for theologically grounded innovation and to hold that space in the face of opposition which resists change. This vital work is known as ‘pioneer advocacy’ or ‘pioneer accommodation’.
There is a skill set involved in advocating for the emergence of newness in the church. There is also a skill set around holding together the time-honoured and new expressions of church. We have developed a tool box for clergy and leaders wanting to make the pioneering parishes journey. Our training aims to help you to identify the gifts of pioneers who can start new Christian communities alongside the parish church, nurture dreamers in your congregations, and enable whole congregations to act in a pioneering way as the body of Christ.
Pioneering Parishes affirms that parish priests and church leaders have a significant role in God’s mission. Join us as we explore together the pioneering parishes journey.
Find out about how you can hold together the time-honoured and new expressions of church on the next Pioneering Parishes course.
