Ordained pioneer ministry is a significant and growing presence in the Church of England and the Methodist Church and in denominations around the world. Here leading practitioners and theologians in the pioneer movement including Doug Gay, Liz Sercombe, Beth Keith and Gerald Arbuckle reflect on emerging trends, practices and the key theological challenges of pioneer work, offering critical reflection on emerging forms of mission and church in changing social contexts. They explore how people experience transformation, contextual engagement, dissent as a form of leadership, emerging patterns of urban ministry, whether the language of sin and guilt works today, assumptions about how pioneer ministry is learned, and more.

"A spiritually potent and tough-minded approach to mission in the contemporary UK and European society...There is a deep wisdom throughout the book." - Church Times

"'The pioneer gift offers a wealth of research and reflections about mission by the Church.'" - Youthwork