We have been involved with and exhibited at Greenbelt for some years and 2026 was no different! We had a great time connecting with friends old and new this August bank holiday, for the last time at Boughton.

The team had a great time meeting visitors and hearing their stories, joys, questions, and challenges. We were in a superb location which meant a steady flow of visitors through the days.

Our exhibition space was based on the book Fringe Dweller by Jonny Baker and David Cotterill. We had postcards of the striking artwork from the book to give away.

We also invited visitors to the stand the add their thoughts, reflections and answers to the questions we had displayed on the walls of our exhibition space. We had some great answers and really thoughtful contributions.

Jonny and David led a very popular seminar on a reflection from the book in the shelter venue. If you missed the chance to sign up for the Fringe Dweller emails, you’re not too late – you can sign up here.

If we met you there and you’ve been thinking about studying with us, please do take a look at our Prospectus. We’ll be announcing our open days soon so make sure you’re the first to hear by contacting us.

As Greenbelt is taking a breather in 2027, we’d love to hear about which festivals, conferences and events you’ll be going to next year so we can see you there. Please do drop an email to Jayne.runacres@churchmissionsociety.org to let us know.

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The post Greenbelt 2026: Finding fellow Fringe Dwellers appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

On Saturday 17 October 2026, we will be gathering with other pioneers to celebrate stories of hope, explore theology that sustains, and share practical wisdom for mission at the edges during the Multiply Pioneer Mission conference.

Tickets are just £15 and are on sale now.

This is your chance to spend time with others who are called to pioneer new worshipping communities in creative ways.

Together, we will look with hope to what God is doing on the margins, encourage those already stepping out in faith, and take up the call to reach new people in new and renewed ways with the love of Christ.

During the event there will be an opportunity to hear from leaders and teachers including our own Harvey Kwiyani, African Christianity Programme Lead and Acts 11 Centre Lead, and Jonny Baker, Britain Hub mission director at Church Mission Society. Bishop Mike Harrison, Phil Hoyle and Sally Mann will also be speaking.

Multiply Pioneer Mission is hosted by a new collaboration of Baptist, Methodist, Anglican organisations, including CMS, Fresh Expressions UK, CCX, the Methodist Church UK and Everyone Everywhere, united by a vision to see healthy churches planted and multiplied across the nation.

Take part

Book your ticket now

• See all pioneer events

The post Mission on the Margins: Multiply Pioneer Mission appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

Gain practical tools to understand God’s plan for you right now and become more confidently, authentically you.

Understanding your purpose and God’s plans for your life can help you become you but it’s also hard to know how to figure it out.

This webinar will give you practical ideas on getting started.

You will learn to recognise what the Holy Spirit is bubbling up in you then get to grips with tools you can use to discern what this means, plus how to get started.

You’ll hear stories of people who have joined in with what the Holy Spirit is doing and the process become more confidently and authentically themselves.

Speakers

Jonny Baker

Jonny is Britain Hub mission director at Church Mission Society.

He specialises in gospel and culture and applying creativity to worship.

He is author of The Pioneer Gift, Pioneering Spirituality, Alternative Worship and Curating Worship and has been networking with mission leaders and catalysing mission training for the last decade and more.

He teaches theological reflection, mission and worship modules.

Natalie Burfitt

Natalie is part of the pioneer training team at CMS. She is ordained in the Church of England and based in Gloucestershire.

She also works for a Diocese of Gloucester partner organization called Sportily. This offers sport, exercise and movement based activities, getting people moving more, building healthy communities and creating opportunities to explore Christian faith.

She has experienced long journeys of discernment and knows first hand ‘the gift of not fitting in’!

Take part

This webinar is free. Just book you place via eventbrite:

Book now

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The post Be You: finding your way as God calls appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

God is using the church in DR Congo to bring healing, reconciliation and lasting transformation to wounded communities. 

For over three decades, the district of Kibumba in the eastern DR Congo has been severely affected by armed conflict, forced displacement and deep trauma. Yet amid the shadows of war, a movement of spiritual restoration and practical aid is proving that fear will not have the final word. At the heart of this renewal is Rev Innocent Kwitonda and the ministry of St John’s Church, Buvira, where he is vicar.

Conversion and calling 

Rev Innocent’s commitment to the people of the Kibumba district comes from an intimate understanding of their pain. When he was just two years old, his father – a church pastor – was kidnapped during an outbreak of local violence. His family never recovered the body, and looters stripped their home of almost everything they owned.

By age nine, Innocent faced another crisis when he was sent home from school because his family could not afford the school fees.

“When I arrived home my mother was sick, I went into her room and I found an old Bible that my father used in his ministry,” Innocent recalls. “There and then, I made a personal oath with God: ‘Lord Jesus Christ… help me to study and when I grow up I will serve you faithfully and proclaim you in all nations.'”

The next day, God performed a miracle and a woman provided the money for his school fees. That answer to prayer sparked a lifelong calling. Innocent rose through Sunday school volunteering and leadership to graduate with distinction from the Lake Kivu Christian Centre. Since then, he has trained nearly 2,000 lay pastors across North Kivu, led 25 Portable Bible Schools and helped to plant six new churches. 

A church for others

For more than 30 years the population of the Kibumba region, north of DR Congo’s capital city Goma, have lived in a state of displacement, seeking refuge in Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps around Goma. “I was born in this area, and my life story is closely connected to the suffering and resilience of its people,” says Innocent. 

In response to this prolonged humanitarian crisis, St John’s Buvira chose to embody a church that walks alongside the suffering people. As thousands fled their homes, St John’s transformed into a sanctuary, welcoming war-displaced households and providing clean water, temporary shelter and essential supplies.

For Innocent, practical aid and the gospel are inseparable. The parish did not just offer physical relief; it offered spiritual hope to families who had lost everything. He quotes the teachings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer who describes a ‘Church for others,’ insisting that “the Church is only the Church when it exists for others.” 

Three new churches

After the M23 had taken Goma, a period of comparative peace allowed displaced families to return home and the community of Kibumba issued a plea to the parish of Buvira. Acknowledging how the church had stood by them during their suffering, residents asked for a permanent church presence to help them rebuild their lives, teach resilience and heal from war.

Since 2025, St John’s has planted three new churches in Kibumba that are growing steadily in both spiritual depth and community impact. These churches emphasise resilience, love, reconciliation and holistic ministry through their work in the communities around them.   

Women who suffered sexual violence and harassment are gradually rediscovering hope and dignity through biblical teaching, pastoral care and supportive fellowship. Children, who are especially vulnerable to the psychological effects of war, participate in trauma-healing sessions, educational activities and structured play that contribute to their emotional restoration.

Now studying for an MA in African Christianity with CMS while serving as the vicar of St John’s, Rev Innocent remains grounded in his core mission.

“Through all these experiences, we firmly believe that the Lord alone is the healer of broken souls,” says Innocent. “He heals the broken-hearted, and binds up their wounds (Psalm 147:3) and the Church remains his chosen instrument to bring healing, reconciliation and lasting transformation to wounded communities.”

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In April this year, Dr Harvey Kwiyani, African Christianity Programme Lead for CMS Pioneer Mission Training and Director of the Acts 11 Project, travelled to Jamaica to attend the African Forum on Religion & Government (AFReG).

by Harvey Kwiyani

30 July 2026

AFReG emerged roughly two decades ago as an effort to bring together African Christian leaders, government officials, business leaders, educators, and civil society actors around a shared vision for the transformation of Africa grounded in what is described as “God-centred values.”

From the beginning, AFReG sought to move beyond narrowly ecclesial concerns toward broader engagement with public life, governance, economics, leadership, and social transformation. Subsequent gatherings in Kenya, Zambia, and Ghana gradually expanded the movement’s Pan-African vision while strengthening relationships between church leaders, policymakers, and African diasporic communities.

The 2026 conference was the fifth event and brought together around 100 participants, representing 10 African countries alongside a strong Global African presence from the UK, the Caribbean, South America, and North America.

The fifth gathering, held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, marked a particularly significant development by foregrounding the relationship between continental Africa and the African diaspora within the framework of the African Union’s “Sixth Region” vision. Under the theme “Building Bridges: A Call for Pan-African Unity and Transformation,” AFReG 5 brought together leaders from Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Americas to explore questions of identity, governance, leadership, economic development, historical trauma, reconciliation, and the role of the church in public life.

What especially impressed me was AFReG’s refusal to separate spiritual renewal from social transformation. The conference treated trauma, mental health, governance, economics, education, technology, and theological decolonisation as deeply interconnected realities. There was a persistent insistence that prayer and spirituality must lead to ethical leadership, institution-building, economic imagination, and collective action. Discussions on healing explored the long shadow of slavery and colonialism not only psychologically but spiritually and culturally, while conversations on AI, leadership, education, and the African Union’s “Sixth Region” framework challenged participants to imagine new forms of African agency and global collaboration.

The range and calibre of speakers reflected the ambition of the gathering. Among them were the former President of Nigeria, President Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr Macaulay Kalu, (Director of the Sixth Region of Africa), Mrs Tsitsi Masiyiwa, (Zimbabwean philanthropist and Executive Director of the Higher Life Foundation), Professor Anna Bailey of Binghamton University, and Dr Lisa Pal, Head of Racial Justice Priority in the Diocese of London. Together, they framed a conversation that moved across public life, economics, diaspora identity, and the moral responsibilities of leadership.

My presentation was delivered in collaboration with Professor Stephen-Dione Jennings of the University of the West Indies. I argued for the need to decolonise not only African theology and missiology, but also the wider expressions of Christianity across both the continent and the Global African world. Professor Jennings offered a historically grounded account of the development of Christianity in Jamaica, providing a rich contextual frame for our shared concerns. Our contributions were mutually reinforcing and resonated closely with the work of Anna Bailey and Lisa Pal on fostering dialogue between Africans and the African diaspora. There was a clear convergence among us that any meaningful outcome from the conference will require intentional, sustained collaboration between us all, both in Africa and in its diasporas.

By the end of the conference, it was clear that AFReG is attempting something much larger than hosting inspirational events. It is helping cultivate a Global African Christian imagination capable of reconnecting fragmented histories, healing wounded identities, and mobilising Africans and members of the diaspora as architects of their own future rather than passive recipients of external agendas.

What I encountered in Jamaica left me deeply hopeful. There was a seriousness to the conversations, a willingness to think beyond inherited limitations, and a growing recognition that African Christianity has entered a new historical moment. The church in Africa and across Global Africa is no longer simply responding to agendas set elsewhere. Increasingly, it is beginning to ask its own questions, recover its own memory, and imagine its own future.

You can read more about Harvey’s trip here and here.

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Following our exploration of decolonising mission, Assembly 2026 asks a deeper question: what kind of spirituality is needed for the future?

Join with fellow pioneers, leaders, artists, activists, and seekers to explore a rooted and indigenous Christianity in the British Isles today. Together, we will consider how Christian formation can become more contextual, embodied, and attentive as we navigate a rapidly changing, post-Christian world.

Gather with us to explore faith, discipleship, and community shaped by:

• Place and Community
• Culture and Ecology
• The Way of Jesus

What does a truly indigenous spirituality look like within a postcolonial world? Let’s explore together!

• Download the flyer

Two ways to book for The Assembly 2026

Stay at Ashburnham

• Full board (arrive Tuesday, depart Thursday morning)
• Ensuite single: £175
• Standard single: £145
• Standard shared: £125pp

Book via Ashburnham website

Day tickets

• Lunch and dinner included. Breakfast not included.
• £50 per day

Book here via Eventbrite

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The post The Assembly 2026 appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

UK: upcoming PiM conference

CMS’s people in mission conference is coming up in just a few weeks. Pray for clarity and wisdom for CMS staff who are planning this event and bringing all the details together. Pray for the conference to prove useful, restful and encouraging to all who attend.

The post UK: upcoming PiM conference appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

When we first gathered around a table with paints, brushes and a handful of people, I don’t think any of us imagined what would emerge.

There was no grand strategy. No detailed blueprint. Just a sense that creativity mattered, that people needed connection, and that God might be present in the simple act of making something together.

What began with 10 people meeting to paint has grown into a thriving creative community. Some participants had only experimented with art at school or picked up a brush occasionally; others arrive convinced they have no artistic ability whatsoever. Yet around the table those distinctions quickly fade. We are simply people creating, talking, laughing, sharing stories and discovering that we belong.

As a pioneer minister, I am continually struck by how creativity opens doors that traditional church activities sometimes cannot. Art offers a non-threatening space where people can come exactly as they are. There is no pressure to know the right words, hold particular beliefs or fit a certain mould. People arrive carrying grief, anxiety, loneliness, curiosity, faith and doubt. All are welcome.

Each session begins with a simple spiritual reflection connected to the creative theme for the day. It provides a gentle opportunity to pause, reflect and explore deeper questions before we begin creating together. For some, this is their first experience of engaging with faith in a meaningful way; for others, it becomes part of an ongoing journey of discipleship.

In many ways, our Art for Wellbeing community has begun to take on the characteristics of a Fresh Expression of Church.

Not because we set out to create one, but because the hallmarks of Christian community have begun to emerge naturally. Relationships deepen. People care for one another. Stories are shared. Hope is nurtured. Moments of prayer arise. Conversations about meaning and faith happen organically. We discover that God is already at work among us. Discipleship is taking shape in everyday conversations and shared experiences, and we have seen people take significant steps in faith, including baptism and the renewal of baptism vows.

At the heart of these stories is Jesus. Through the power of His Holy Spirit, we have seen lives changed in ways both quiet and profound. People who arrived feeling isolated have found community. Those carrying burdens have discovered hope and peace. As individuals encounter the love and grace of Christ, they begin to see themselves and their future differently. The transformation is not something we create ourselves; it is the work of Jesus, present among us and continuing to draw people to himself.

The creative process itself can be deeply spiritual. In a culture that often values productivity above all else, art invites us to slow down, pay attention and delight in beauty. It reminds us that we worship a Creator whose first act was not efficiency but creativity.

Again and again I see people surprised by what they are capable of creating. As confidence grows on the canvas, confidence often grows elsewhere too. People begin to see themselves differently. They recognise gifts they did not know they possessed. There is something profoundly hopeful about watching someone discover that they can create beauty.

Another unexpected gift has been the way new leaders have emerged from within the community. This year alone, seven different people have led sessions, sharing their skills, creativity and faith with others. These leaders are not only helping to shape our own community but are also taking what they have learned into other settings, extending the impact far beyond our weekly gatherings.

This year marked a significant milestone as our Art for Wellbeing group was formally recognised as a Fresh Expression of Church. It was a moment of celebration, not because it changed who we are, but because it affirmed what had already been taking shape over the years. The artwork on display at our fourth annual exhibition was remarkable, but what moved me most was not the quality of the paintings. It was the stories behind them. Stories of friendship, resilience, recovery and belonging. Stories of people finding community. Stories of people encountering the transforming love of Jesus and the renewing work of his Spirit.

Fresh Expressions of Church often emerge in unexpected places. Sometimes around a dinner table. Sometimes in a cafe. Sometimes on a housing estate around a paint-splattered table.

As pioneers, we are invited not simply to build new things for God, but to notice where God is already at work and join in. Through colour, canvas and community, I believe that is exactly what we are seeing happen.

The kingdom of God is appearing in brushstrokes, conversations and cups of tea. And that is a beautiful thing to witness.

Hayley Humphreys is an MA graduate of CMS Pioneer Mission Training.

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Harvey Kwiyani named in Top 10 list for outstanding books in mission studies

At CMS many of our staff regularly add books to our library bookshelves – by writing and publishing them. In fact colleagues have published more than 26 books!

One of these books has recently been recognised for a prestigious honour.

In August 2025, Dr Harvey Kwiyani – CMS Pioneer Mission Training African Christianity Programme Lead and Acts 11 Centre Lead – published Decolonizing Mission. Through the book, Harvey traces the history of Christian mission alongside the history of empire, showing the influence that one had on the other. Imagining what mission without imperialism would look like, he sheds light on the connection between colonialism and mission and invites readers to realign missional methods with God’s.

The book has had an international impact and been widely celebrated. Most recently, Decolonizing Mission has been named among the 10 Outstanding Books in Mission Studies, World Christianity, and Intercultural Theology for 2025 by the International Bulletin of Mission Research.

Speaking of receiving this esteemed acknowledgement of the book, Harvey said:

“There are moments in academic life that feel deeply personal, yet clearly point beyond oneself; moments that hint at a wider shift taking place within a discipline. I receive this recognition with genuine gratitude. But more than that, I receive it with a quiet sense of recognition that this is not simply about my work, nor even about one book. It feels, rather, like a sign that a conversation many of us have been carrying for some time – often from the margins, often against the grain – is now being heard more widely.”

Harvey is currently raising funds to publish Decolonizing Mission in Africa, with the aim of making it accessible to pastors, church leaders, teachers, students, and mission practitioners across the continent. If you would like to support this project, you can do so here.

Decolonizing Mission is available from SCM Press and other online book retailers.

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Meet South West Hub student Rachel Harrison-French, who shares her learning about participating in the life of God already at work in the world.

HH: Rachel, where are you based and what you do in your life?

RH-F: I’m based in South Devon and am part of Sherford Community Church, a church serving the growing new town of Sherford on the outskirts of Plymouth. My life sits at the intersection of community work, creativity and church ministry.

Over the past few years, I’ve been involved in several community initiatives focused on food insecurity and community resilience. During the pandemic I worked as a project manager with Feeding Devon, helping coordinate local responses to food poverty and supporting communities to develop sustainable food support projects.

Alongside that, I’ve worked as a teacher and forest school leader. That experience has shaped a lot of how I think about learning, creativity, and how people connect with place and community.

More recently, I’ve been developing my emerging ministry as a worship leader at Sherford Community Church, creating reflective and creative resources that help people engage with Scripture, prayer and worship in ways that are accessible for all ages.

You’ve been on the South West Hub pioneer course. Can you tell me how you got onto the course and what motivated you?

Several strands of my life came together in leading me to the pioneer course.

Through my work as a forest school leader and teacher, I became increasingly interested in how faith connects with everyday life and community spaces. At the same time, my involvement in community food projects opened my eyes to the realities many people were facing locally.

The Pioneer course raised questions that really resonated with me, particularly around rural mission. What does the Missio Dei look like in rural areas? How do we recognise where God is already at work in local traditions, spiritualities, and communities? And how can the church learn from rural communities about issues such as food production, ecology, sustainability, and social justice?

Those questions felt deeply relevant to Devon, and the course provided a space to explore them alongside others who were asking similar questions about mission and church in changing contexts.

Can you cast your mind back to lockdown and your work as a project manager of Feeding Devon? What were some of the highs and lows?

Lockdown was an extraordinary and challenging time for many communities. Through Feeding Devon, we were helping coordinate responses to food insecurity across the region, supporting local groups and connecting organisations working to meet urgent needs.

One of the real highs was seeing how quickly communities mobilised. Volunteers stepped forward, partnerships formed, and churches and community groups found creative ways to support their neighbours.  For example, I was involved in engaging local churches with developing food support strategies, including working alongside the lay pioneer Methodist minister in Horrabridge to help develop an affordable Food Hub, which is now also supported by the local Anglican church. We also supported the development of Food Hubs in several other towns and villages, all of which are now operating as independent organisations relying on local volunteers.

At the same time, the scale of need could sometimes feel overwhelming as many households were facing uncertainty and financial hardship. That experience strengthened my sense that the church has an important role to play in listening to communities and responding practically to the needs that emerge.

How did the pioneer course impact your emerging ministry as a worship leader?

The pioneer course has had a significant impact on how I approach worship and ministry.

One of the most memorable pieces of learning came during a module exploring different expressions of church. As part of the assignment, I created a hand-drawn board game called ‘From Pew to Pavement’. The game explored different “zones” of church life – from the traditional parish setting through to community initiatives and more experimental spaces where faith begins to emerge in places that don’t yet resemble church.

Creating the game helped me see mission less as a programme we run and more as participation in the life of God already at work in the world.

This insight has shaped how I now approach worship at Sherford Community Church. I’ve become more confident in developing creative and participatory forms of worship that engage people of all ages and all the senses. Through the Altogether services at Sherford I’ve had the opportunity to develop ideas collaboratively with our pioneer ministry team, Revs Jon and Tammy Oliver, creating spaces where people can encounter God through storytelling, imagery, reflection, and shared experience.

What does the future hold for you?

Right now, I feel very much in a season of listening and discerning where God might be leading next.

In Sherford, we are continuing to explore how church can respond creatively to the realities of a new and growing community. For example, delays in local facilities meant that access to affordable food became challenging for some families, particularly those working during the day. In response we developed an early evening food club so that households could collect food after work – a small but practical example of adapting to the needs of the local context.

I’m also exploring creative ways that churches can connect with communities through wellbeing, creativity, and outdoor learning. For example, at Sherford Day this year I’ll be offering face painting as a free gift to the community – a simple way of creating relational spaces within a local celebration. Alongside this, I’m currently studying for a Certificate in Therapeutic Skills for Outdoor Leaders. Through this I’m exploring how outdoor learning, emotional wellbeing, and creative practices can support children and young people. My hope is that over time these ideas might develop into accessible resources that churches can use to connect with schools and communities.

At the heart of this work is a simple conviction: creativity, community and the natural environment can become spaces where people encounter God in everyday life.

Finally, how can we pray for you?

Please pray for wisdom and discernment as I continue to explore the next steps in my calling and ministry.

I would also value prayer for churches and communities across Devon as they seek to respond creatively to the needs around them, and for more pioneers to be encouraged and equipped for mission in their local contexts.

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The post From pew to pavement appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

The next cohort of CMS Certificate students in the South West Pioneer Hub has got underway, including a group from Bristol Diocese who shared this report from the first weekend.

Over the last weekend of April, 34 students, eight facilitators and a course chaplain from the dioceses of Bristol, Exeter and Truro gathered at Sclerder Abbey in Cornwall for the first residential weekend and launch of the Church Mission Society (CMS) contextual pioneer mission course.

This first weekend was also the first of six modules that make up the course. The module was focused on ‘What is Pioneer Mission?’ and was facilitated by Jonny Baker, Britain Hub mission director for CMS, and Lindsay Smith, an ordained pioneer minister based in Portishead. The learning was a creative mixture of teaching, self-reflection, conversation, and physical movement, using the outdoor spaces at the abbey. The outside space was particularly helpful when Lindsay shared the Pioneer Spectrum with the students.

The weekend contained plenty of opportunities to reflect, visit the Green Abbey onsite, go for a walk or a nap, or speak with the course chaplain. The three days, perhaps due to their location, had the feel of a combination of a retreat and a learning space and gave time for people from across the South West to make connections, share stories, and learn from and with each other.

Lee Barnes, Bristol’s diocesan adviser for Curacy & Fresh Expressions of Church, said:

“It was exciting to see the Bristol cohort of students engaging in this new partnership with CMS. The beautiful sunny weather was an added bonus to what was already a weekend with a great atmosphere, energy and engaged conversations.”

On the Sunday morning, the group headed to a local beach and gathered there for a time of reflective worship and wandering.

One of the students said:

“I am excited to see where all these people will take their learning and what will emerge as a result. It’s really good to be part of that adventure!”

Another shared:

“It feels like I have been stretched and inspired, also, I have found my tribe.”

If you would like to know more about the course or if you would like to register your interest in a course next year,

• in Bristol Diocese, email Lee.Barnes@bristoldiocese.org
• in Exeter Diocese, email Jeremy.Putnam@exeter.anglican.org
• in Truro Diocese, email Lindsey.Morgan-Lundie@trurodiocese.org.uk

Republished with kind permission of the Diocese of Bristol

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Dr Gavin Mart recently completed his DTh exploring ultrarunning as a site of spiritual encounter. He is now working with the Methodist Church and the Church in Wales, helping to practically develop these ideas across outdoor, community enterprise and pioneering contexts.

Dr Cathy Ross, lecturer and tutor with CMS Pioneer Mission Training talks to Gavin about his doctoral research experience.

Cathy: First of all, congratulations. How does it feel to have completed the DTh?

Gavin: It still feels slightly unreal. It’s been one of the hardest things I’ve done, so thanks for being a great supervisor! But it’s also one of the most stretching in terms of how I think and see the world.

The doctorate didn’t just give me answers. It changed the questions I’m asking.

What led you to study this area?

I’d completed both the FdA (Foundation degree in Arts) and MA in Pioneer Mission through CMS and was keen to attempt to answer some of my own research questions. The starting point was very simple. I was already involved in outdoor community and endurance sport, and I kept noticing that people were having profound experiences, myself included. Awe, connection, even moments of what they described as something “bigger than themselves”.

But there was almost no theological language to engage with that.

At the same time, a sports ministry report highlighted a lack of in-depth theological thinking in sport and wellbeing contexts, particularly at ground level. Practice had moved ahead, but theology had not kept up.

That gap became the focus. What is actually happening in these environments, and how might theology respond to it?

So what did you discover?

The core discovery is this:

Ultrarunning can function as a site of spiritual encounter.

Not in a forced or imposed way, but through embodied experience. Through endurance, suffering, landscape and community.

People consistently described moments of awe, surrender and connection, even if they didn’t use religious language. Statements like, “I’m not religious, but I pray when I run,” came up repeatedly.

So, the thesis doesn’t claim that every experience is spiritual. It asks how we might interpret these experiences theologically, and what it means to take them seriously.

That sounds quite different from traditional approaches to mission.

Yes, it shifts the starting point.

Instead of asking, “How do we bring people into church?” it asks, “Where is meaning already happening?”

I draw on John V Taylor here, a former Anglican bishop and missiologist whose work focused on recognising the activity of the Spirit beyond the boundaries of the institutional church. In 1959 he became Africa Secretary of the Church Missionary Society, and in 1963 he succeeded Max Warren as its General Secretary, remaining in post until 1974. His thinking was significant because it gave theological permission to take seriously what is happening in the wider world, not just within church structures.

He describes the Spirit in very physical terms, in the strain of muscles, in the contact between people, in what happens between us.

That opens up a different posture. Not imposing meaning, but noticing where something is already unfolding.

Can you give an example from your research?

One runner described what he called “the crack” around 60 miles into a 100-mile race. A point where something in him gave way.

After that, he spoke about feeling like he was between two worlds, even sensing the presence of dead relatives. He didn’t frame it as belief. He described it as experience.

Others spoke about moving through the night and emerging changed, not necessarily stronger, but clearer.

Rather than deciding whether that is “spiritual” or not, I explore how traditions like the mystics might interpret it. There are clear resonances with ideas like the dark night of the soul and transformation through endurance.

The key is not to reduce the experience, but to take it seriously.

What implications does this have for pioneer ministry?

It suggests a different way of engaging.

I describe something I call the “adventurous pause”. A moment of attentiveness before we rush to explain or act.

In that pause, we begin to notice what is already happening. How people are searching for meaning, how community forms through care and hospitality, how environments shape encounter.

Pioneer ministry, in that sense, becomes less about creating something new, and more about recognising what is already there and joining in with it.

You also explore community and digital culture. What did you find there?

There’s an interesting tension.

In ultrarunning, you see very raw forms of community. People helping each other at their weakest, often without any shared belief system. There is a kind of radical hospitality that emerges naturally.

But then that experience is translated online.

One participant said, “If it’s not on Strava, it didn’t happen.”

There’s a kind of modern confession and affirmation loop. We offer the experience up and wait to be recognised.

You might describe this as being alone together. Connected, but not fully known.

So, you get this split between embodied, real experience and its digital reflection, I find this area of research fascinating.

What happens next for you?

The work doesn’t feel finished.

If anything, it feels like it’s opening out.

I’m working on a consultancy basis now both with church organisations and those interested in community wellbeing and enterprise development, and beginning to explore how this kind of attentive, embodied approach can take shape in practice.

What’s becoming clear is that many organisations sense something is shifting culturally, but don’t yet have a framework for engaging it. They can see that people are searching for meaning, but they are not sure how to respond.

That’s where this work is starting to land.

And if people want to explore this further?

I’m already in conversations with churches and organisations who are asking similar questions, particularly in outdoor, wellbeing and community contexts, but also organisations who want to change their approach and posture in the community.

Sometimes organisations want to reimagine their building as an events or creative enterprise space, sometimes they want to get out of the building altogether and venture more meaningfully into the community.

More and more, leaders are asking not how to attract people in, but how to recognise what is already happening and respond well.

This research is really just a starting point for that kind of work.

Find out more about doctoral research with CMS and the University of Roehampton.

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