Mission Statement

Urban Expression is an urban mission agency that recruits, equips, deploys and networks self-financing teams pioneering creative and relevant expressions of the Christian church in under-churched areas of the inner city.

Urban Expression:
• Is a pioneering mission agency
• Works only in the inner city
• Is concerned with under-churched areas
• Aims to plant new churches
• Operates through self-funding teams
• Encourages creativity and experimenting
• Is not interested in imposing models of church
• Provides pastoral support and training

Urban Expression is a pioneering mission agency. Our purpose is to call Christians into mission activities in areas that are recognised as frontiers of mission work today, and to operate in an innovative way.

Urban Expression works only in the inner city. There are many mission opportunities in other places, but this is our focus. Inner city Britain represents one of the most diverse, challenging and exciting environments for mission today.

Urban Expression is concerned with under-churched areas. We do not wish to compete with others or to work in areas that already have strong churches. We are interested in the gaps, where churches are weak or non-existent.

Urban Expression aims to plant new churches. Although we engage in various forms of mission, our primary purpose is to establish new communities of faith that will proclaim and demonstrate the gospel.

Urban Expression operates through self-funding teams. We recruit and work through teams but we do not provide financial support for these teams. Each team is responsible for its own support.

Urban Expression encourages creativity and experimentation. In many inner city areas established forms of church are not working. Teams are expected to think in fresh ways, to dare and dream, to explore new ways of being church.

Urban Expression is not interested in imposing models of church. There is no one model of church that we advocate. Teams are expected to listen very carefully to the local community and to discover ways of being church that are rooted in this culture.

Urban Expression provides pastoral support and training. We recognise that inner city work is demanding and that this mission approach is high-risk and long-term. We provide strategic and pastoral support, and a programme of ongoing training.