Several words have been used to describe first impressions. These include the first time you meet someone, making a presentation to an audience, or debuting on the stage. First impressions can be very meaningful, but they can also be misleading. The first time you meet someone is the first time you will likely get another shot. So, you need to make sure you give off the right vibe at all times.
The first impressions of the church are profoundly saturated with meaning. They are value-directed. They assume that cultures will change and that new approaches to discipleship and witness will be in vogue. They are also theory-laden. They offer theological reflection. They are the first experiments in ecclesial innovation. They can be both the most fun and the most challenging to implement. But, what are the first impressions of the church and what might they mean to the wider church? What do they tell us about how innovation has changed the church over time? How do they relate to the church's tradition and the church's mission? How do they make the church more visible?
First impressions of the church can be found in the smallest details. In the book, First Expressions: A History of the Mission-Made Church, authors Stephen Smith and Christopher B. Smith attempt to name the best and the worst of the first expressions of the church. In the book, they studied ten first expressions in the United Kingdom. The best first impressions are the ones that spawned the best organizational, theological, and missiological models. This book offers a useful window into the long-term sustainability of fresh expressions.
The best first impressions are the ones that make the most of the opportunity to interact with the broader church. They are the ones that make the most of a community's uniqueness and its resources. They are the ones that make the most sense to the people who will be affected by them. This is especially true for those who are not members of the church.
First impressions are important to the church because they provide an avenue for innovation. They give the church a new direction in its mission and ministry. They also enable the church to become more visible, and make conversion of Spirit visible. They also help the church to become more like Christ. They can also be the ants in the pants of the body of Christ.
The book also cites the first expressions of the church that are most likely to have been spotted in the United Kingdom. Among these are the Mission-Shaped Church and the alternative worship movement. The book also provides a brief history of the emerging church movement and the first Fresh Expressions organization, as well as a brief history of the First Expressions Movement. First Expressions: A History of the Mission-Made church is an important resource for those interested in learning more about the early innovations of the church. It can also serve as a reference for those who are interested in learning more about first expressions in general.