Mission Service

Pioneering and Fresh Expressions

Pioneering: Passionate believers, daring dreamers

Encouraging, supporting, training and deploying pioneers across the UK and Ireland.

The landscape of the church in our territory is changing at a radical pace. It is vital, therefore, that we are in tune as a whole movement with what is needed to reach our neighbours and communities with the good news of Jesus.

In recent years we have seen many new fresh expression of church start, with communities being transformed and peoples lives changed by Jesus, because a leader, leaders and or teams have taken a step of risk and faith.

We recognise that while some are pioneers the whole movement is called to pioneering.

Events and training

  • Pioneer Gathering: An annual event for people interested in pioneering. In recent years we have also offered an online gathering.
  • First Steps in Pioneering: Six short sessions based around the basic principles of pioneering.
  • Forge: We partner with Forge England and Wales, who offer a training hub for missional practitioners and organise events throughout the year.

Apply for the next Forge session

  • Suitable for: Soldiers, adherents and leadership teams within our corps and centres.
  • Commitment: Online sessions lasting approximately 2 hours, once or twice a month for a year.
  • Purpose: Mobilise Christians to see how they can engage in mission beyond church walls.
  • Cost: £300, but this should not be an obstacle to anyone attending.
  • Further information: Download the Forge England and Wales leaflet or contact Major Andrew Vertigan via pioneeringevents@salvationarmy.org.uk.

Recommended networks

  • Learning Communities from Accessible Prophecy: A network of people who have a heart for growing and developing prophetic culture and ministry in their local churches.
  • The Movement Leaders Collective: An initiative from Alan and Debra Hirsch, and Rich Robinson that seeks to help people move away from the solo, heroic model of leadership by connecting dynamic leaders who share insights, experiences, innovations and learning.

Meet the team

Majors Andrea and Andrea Vertigan are the Territorial Pioneer and Fresh Expressions Enablers and are supported by a number of Pioneer Enablers. These enablers are all practitioner officers or pioneer leaders with experience over a number of years

Connect with us

Major Andrew Vertigan

'We are a pioneering movement in our DNA'

Major Andrew Vertigan unpacks what pioneering really means with Simon Hope.

Read article

One of The Salvation Army’s primary roles has always been to break new ground with the gospel.

This online course is an introduction to pioneering and forming fresh expressions of church.

Continuing a series on pioneering, Simon Hope finds out about Plexus, an online corps.

Simon Hope finds out how mission and environmentalism is intertwining in the Forest of Dean.

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