The Vision
Reaching those with little or no connection to church
Pioneer ministry stands in the widening gap between the church and contemporary culture with the aim of reaching those outside the church in new ways and in different places.
All current parishes and ministries were at some point ‘something new’, and a means of connecting with the culture and community of their own age and context. Pioneering is not a new idea, but something intrinsic to the church throughout history. The vision is for Pioneer Ministry to be a movement which will offer a renewed focus for the church to connect in fresh ways with those with whom it has lost connection. It will advocate for, champion, support and encourage every parish, chaplaincy, ministry and network within the Church of Ireland in reaching those with little or no connection to church.
new ways
different places
What is Pioneer Ministry in the Church of Ireland?
Pioneer Ministries emerge alongside traditional forms of Church in the Church of Ireland. They seek to engage people where they are, rather than inviting them to come to us. What this looks like will vary depending on the cultural distance between a church and the people it is reaching out to.
Why Pioneer Ministry?
Over the last 50 years, attendance and membership of the Church of Ireland has progressively declined, as has also been observed in many other Christian denominations in Western societies. This has resulted in a narrowing of the fringe of people with whom traditional church can connect. There are now more people in our communities who have no engagement with the Church and no understanding of the Christian message. New approaches to ministry - Pioneer Ministries - are needed to cross cultural barriers to enable the Gospel to be shared with people who are well beyond the fringe.
Where does Pioneer Ministry fit within the existing Church?
Pioneer Ministries exist in addition to, rather than instead of, traditional approaches that the Church is currently using to reach out to and engage with those around it. Pioneer Ministry plays its role within a Mixed Ecology of the Church, with traditional and new ministries complementing each other and honouring each other through mutual prayer, respect, recognition and learning.
Find out more about the why and how of Pioneer Ministry by watching this video.
How is Pioneer Ministry a central part of the Church of Ireland?
Pioneer Ministry is fully endorsed by the House of Bishops, will be rooted in each diocese, has received significant financial backing from the Representative Church Body and is a body of the General Synod through the established Pioneer Ministry Council, chaired by Bishop David.
The Objectives
Identify, train, deploy and equip Paid Pioneers
A large focus is the formation of a recognised and contextualised training course for funded pioneers in partnership with CITI and Church Army. Our first training programme starts in September 2024.
Creation of Pioneer Diocesan Ministry Hubs
A hub is a group of people who can plan for new initiatives, secure funding, release training and advocate for pioneering in their context.
Establish new pioneer Communities and Churches
Learning communities will be established as opportunities for pioneers and volunteers to meet and grow together, share stories and develop new ministry ideas.
Recognition and Resourcing within the Church of Ireland
Pioneer Ministry will grow and be embedded within the culture and structures of Church of Ireland at every level (parish, diocese, Representative Body, Standing Committee and General Synod).
Form and Approve the Pioneer Ministry Council
A Pioneer Ministry Council will be established as a body of General Synod to uphold and advocate for the vision of Pioneer Ministry and oversee the delivery of its objectives and values.