In the discussion around planting in rural UK some of us have also come to feel it isn’t any longer to be taken for granted that it is best to either ‘reboot’ or plant an attractional congregation-based form of church. This is for a whole bunch of reasons, including the diversity of rural and small town populations and their geographical spread, and rural church economics, as well as the realities of postmodern and largely post-Christian context. The church outside the cities in the UK is already only reaching that small population group that can handle ‘going to church on Sunday’, mainly retireds.

So I would very much endorse a disciple-making and small group focussed approach, with networking, a wider mentoring-leadership that works on creating an environment that fosters an integrated approach to mission, and a big emphasis on developing and sending out each believer to grow as a planter and leader.

I would add though, that moving from denominational structures, with their various safety nets that help protect against abuses of power, puts a priority on finding a way of both educating everyone in small groups in healthy church and also putting in place safety nets appropriate to the emerging new forms of church. (Otherwise I can just hear grandma saying ‘It will all end in tears!’) :0)