In response to the mission challenge of post-Christendom in the West, all sorts of new expressions of church are arising. Many have helped us discover small cells that offer a place of intimacy and discipleship.

However, this book recounts a journey of discovery in an area where we thought we knew exactly how the church worked – the congregation. It tells the story and explores the principles that can radically reconfigure the mid-sized expression of church to recover true biblical congregation as extended family and community in mission.

It also charts a course for transitional church, from inherited models to thoroughgoing missional communities that can creatively express the transforming life of Jesus in as many different forms as the diverse cultures and contexts of our plural society.

As well as informing and inspiring, this is a handbook of the principles and practice that will equip leaders and people to go on this journey of discovery themselves.
 

The church in Antioch is one of the most fruitful and effective examples of a community of faith recorded in the New Testament. The accounts in Acts offer us an intimate insight into how this church was planted, how it grew and how it multiplied itself across Asia Minor and Europe.

With so much inspiration coming out of this church, whose mission context relates so much to ours, surely there are lessons we can learn that will impact how we seek to engage with God's missionary call to the church today.

Lessons from Antioch, the new book by ACPI team member Freddy Hedley has just been released - get your copy now!
 

The first in this two-part workbook series exploring strategies that will open up evangelism for all. This workbook in particular focuses on the biblical bases for evangelism, especially Jesus' principles and how they can apply to the many opportunities open to the church today.
 

Part two of the Strategies for Evangelism workbook series. This booklet particularly focuses on exploring an eight-sided shape to help us understand and implement evangelism in our lives.
 

An overview of recent developments in church planting. This detailed, practical and well-researched book describes the varied and exciting 'fresh expressions' of church being created. Includes questions and challenges to help local churches engage with the issues. Foreword by Rowan Williams.

Moving on in a mission-shaped church is a 16-page booklet that will help you to practically apply the concepts of Mission-shaped Church in your local context. Ideal for PCCs, house groups and deanery synods, it outlines how you can creatively respond to the challenges your church or diocese face and suggests ways of moving forward in fresh directions.

With General Synod's approval of Mission-shaped Church in February 2004, will this Church of England report about Anglican church planting and fresh expressions of church make any difference?  What does the report actually say? Where did the report not go far enough?  George Lings and Bob Hopkins introduce and comment on the issues at the heart of this report.

An 8 page summary of the Mission-shaped church report with application exercises.

A useful guide for applying the report to your context.

Thinking of starting a fresh expression of church? Need some wisdom and guidance? This booklet (available as a pack of five) sets you off in the right direction.

All over the country Christians are stepping out in faith and beginning to start new forms of church that meet the needs of our changing culture. This simple and readable guide draws together some of the lessons learnt so far and enables churches to think through and discuss the various issues involved.

This training resource can be used on its own or in conjunction with the companion DVD - Expressions - The DVD - 1: stories of church for a changing culture.

Keen to start a fresh expression? Before leaping into action this booklet encourages churches to develop the tools to 'listen for mission'. This involves developing an attitude where you learn to 'multi-listen' to God, to society, to your community, to your church - so that you can find out what God is doing and know how best to join in.

This short and accessible guide can be used with church councils, deanery synods, circuit meetings and house groups.

This is of the best books around for personal discipleship.   'Lifeshapes' - eight simple shapes, could transform your life!

This book is for individuals.

As a church leader, how do you disciple your members? Let 'Lifeshapes' transform your church!

This book is for church leaders.

Although a little dated, this book contains many examples of different Church Plants reflecting the rich kaleidoscopic diversity of Anglican church plants within UK. It also has chapters giving important principles of planting. This classic is only available from ACPI at this discount price.

A training and resource book to aid those thinking of or embarking on planting a new church. The work book can be photocopied for use with your team and includes many exercises. Each of the five sections is split up and includes some of the following elements: Introduction page, briefing paper, discussion paper, collection of ideas and illustrations.
This book is not a source of ready-made answers.  Instead it offers practical, experience-based guidance for the whole of the church planting process.
A printable version is available from this site - you may like to look at it before you buy. Stocks are available.

A 4 page mini-guide giving useful background and different ways of implementing Cell.

Ian Freestone is an Australian Church Army Evangelist. He draws from his experience of planting many cells and presents a strong case for Cell Church and gives practical help for both transitioning & planting cell churches. As far as we are aware, we are the only UK stockists of this valuable booklet.

4 fascinating and very different stories of Cell life in Anglican churches sandwiched between pithy comments from Bob.

The Challenge of cell church explains how tapping into the hidden potential of small groups can help your church grow. Sharing his own experience he covers issues including shared ministry, discipling, communication, community, evangelism, prayer and worship.

This book is packed with practical insight for leaders who want to get involved in cell church.

Howard Astin's story of the transformation of his church in Bradford from an inward-looking parish church to a Christian community where every member really counts, thanks to cell church theory.

In Hope for the Church the author takes a challenging look at recent church attendance figures and sets out to interpret their message for today´s Church. Bob Jackson highlights areas where the Church is growing, analyses causes of decline and outlines strategic responses to the problem of declining numbers. Hope for the Church is, in essence, a plea to the church not to lose heart, but to be pro-active in the face of rapid social change.

Features up-to-date analysis of church attendance figures and practical growth strategies for all levels of leadership.

If you are involved in or considering becoming involved in cell church in the UK, this is the book for you. Laurence Singlehurst clearly and concisely explains the concepts of cell church, gives clear advice on making the transition to cell (including the Moving To Cells booklet as an appendix), and gives lots of practical help on how to make cell church and cell meetings work. A practical ‘how to’ book, with a major focus on loving the lost through New Testament community.

The Christian gospel is the best story ever told. Yet many of those who hear it perceive it as a threat. Laurence Singlehurst believes that much of the threat would be removed if Christians would respect and understand the people they are approaching. This short, crisp and often humorous book is full of seeds of wisdom for those who long to make permanent disciples for Jesus. Discover the reasons why evangelism may have been difficult in the past and learn new ideas to help you share your faith in a relevant way.

‘For many churches, identifying how we are church and how we could be church better is likely to prove the most costly, yet the most fruitful, and creative outcome of engagement with the whole healthy church process.’ Robert Warren

Developed out of the Growing Healthy Churches material, this practical guide helps churches identify their strengths and weaknesses and discover what action to take in order to develop the health of their church. The focus is on the quality of the church’s life rather than just the numbers attending.

While not proposing a '60-minutes to the perfect church' type of solution, Robert Warren offers a realistic and positive process for revitalizing your church. The material is fully road-tested and has been used in local churches across the UK and beyond.

The Christian Church is dying in western Europe, but is in denial. People feel inhibited from saying how bad things really are, but neither denial, nor despair; nor instant solutions are appropriate.

In Scripture and tradition, the discipline of discerning the times, and seeing the way forward, is rarely easy, and never without cost. It is this task of discernment and vision that is the springboard for this book of essays and responses.

The contributors to this volume are all loyal Church of England, though from a variety of traditions within it, and do not seek a change in orthodoxy. What they do seek is a new way of being church. There is no blueprint here, but the church needs signposts, and the book offers a number:

Planting new congregations is a way of reaching the unchurched with a local, accessible centre of Christian Worship, witness and service.

This booklet contains stories of 12 different church plants in the Southwell diocese.

This booklet opens out some basic questions, including the biblical background to church planting. 

It also details church planting analogies, analysis and how to face criticism and challenges.

This first congregational booklet briefly explains the eight quality characteristics of growing churches in a user-friendly way.

Provides valuable check-lists on how you're doing in areas such as prayer, relationships, witness, purpose and management

Skater church . . . cell church . . . messy church . . . All over the country Christians are beginning new initiatives to connect with those who are currently outside church.

Presented by Diane Louise Jordan Expressions: the DVD tells 14 stories of these fresh expressions and describes some of the lessons learned so far. An excellent training tool for those interested in setting up or understanding more about fresh expressions. Be inspired!