Loving First™ 

A practical framework for evangelism, spiritual formation, and congregational renewal.

For more than twenty years, the Fresh Expressions movement has been helping churches recover an ancient yet often-forgotten approach to mission. Rather than asking, “How do we get people to come to church?” Fresh Expressions begins with a different question: “How do we love our neighbors well enough to earn the right to share life together?” 

This incarnational, neighbor-centered approach has helped thousands of congregations move beyond attractional ministry by cultivating authentic relationships, listening deeply to their communities, and discovering where God is already at work. At the center of the movement is a simple but powerful framework: the Loving First Journey. These six spiritual practices can help any congregation engage its community and nurture disciples who participate in God’s transforming work. 

Michael Moynagh and I first developed the Loving First Journey in our book 21st Century Christian. Since then, that work has continued to evolve into a broader framework for helping any congregation, regardless of size, denomination, or context, cultivate deeper community engagement, spiritual formation, and missional vitality. 

Today, Love First is being used by conferences, synods, denominations, seminaries, and local congregations as both a philosophy of ministry and a practical system for congregational renewal. 

Whether your church is launching new ministries, seeking to reconnect with its neighborhood, or simply asking, “How can we become more faithful in our mission?” Loving First provides a practical pathway forward. 

The Six Spiritual Practices 

Love First is built around six simple practices that help congregations become more attentive to God’s work in their communities. 
Listen 

Practice holy attentiveness to your neighbors, community, and the movement of the Holy Spirit. 

Love 

Respond to real hopes and needs through authentic relationships rather than transactional outreach.is is a flexible section where you can share anything you want. It could be details or some information about feature three.

Build Community 

Cultivate spaces of belonging where trust, vulnerability, and friendship can flourish.

Explore Spirituality

Create natural opportunities for people to ask questions, explore faith, and encounter Jesus.

Form Church 

Allow Christian community to emerge organically through shared rhythms of worship, discipleship, and mission. 

Multiply 

Release new leaders, ministries, and communities to continue God’s mission in new places. 
These are not simply steps to accomplish some preconceived goal. They are spiritual practices that can help every congregation become more neighbor-centered and more faithful in making disciples.

Our Offerings 

Loving First Workshop

An engaging keynote or workshop introducing the Loving First framework, trauma-informed evangelism, and practical strategies for community engagement and discipleship. 

Ideal for: 

  • Annual Conferences  
  • Synods  
  • Presbyteries  
  • Clergy gatherings  
  • Church leadership retreats 

Loving First Pathway

A cohort-based learning community that guides churches through a year-long process of implementing the Loving First practices. 

Includes: 

  • Three in-person training gatherings  
  • Monthly coaching  
  • Learning community  
  • Pre- and post-assessment   
  • Training the trainers  

Perfect for congregations, conferences, districts, and networks seeking long-term congregational renewal.

Loving First Assessment Tool (LFAT) 

The LFAT is a research-informed assessment instrument that helps congregations evaluate missional health through the six Loving First practices. 

Rather than relying primarily on attendance, membership, and financial giving, the LFAT measures: 

  • Community listening  
  • Relational engagement  
  • Spiritual exploration  
  • Community formation  
  • Emerging church life  
  • Leadership multiplication  

The assessment provides practical insights for congregations while contributing to ongoing research into congregational wisdom and missional vitality.

Loving First Coaching

One-on-one and team coaching designed to help congregations interpret their assessment results, develop adaptive strategies, and implement sustainable change. 

Coaching focuses on: 

  • Spiritual growth 
  • Missional discernment  
  • Strategic intentioning  
  • Leadership development  
  • Congregational renewal  
  • Community engagement  

Conference & Denominational Consulting

Partner with conferences, synods, dioceses, and church networks to build cultures of experimentation, adaptive leadership, and missional engagement. 

Consulting areas include: 

  • Missional metrics  
  • Congregational vitality  
  • New faith communities  
  • Blended ecology  
  • Leadership development  
  • Strategic intention  
  • Innovation systems 
  • Wise space usage  
  • Multi-vocational clergy  
  • Spiritual entrepreneurship   

Why Loving First? 

Most churches measure activity. Loving First helps churches discern faithfulness and fruitfulness. 

Traditional metrics like attendance, membership, and giving remain important, but they tell only part of the story. Loving First helps congregations ask deeper questions: 

  • Are we truly listening to our neighbors?  
  • Are relationships becoming deeper?  
  • Are people exploring faith?  
  • Are disciples being formed?  
  • Are leaders being multiplied?  
  • Is our community experiencing God’s love in tangible ways?  

These are the kinds of questions that help churches move beyond institutional maintenance and toward faithful participation in God’s mission. 

Let’s Begin the Journey

Whether you’re interested in a keynote, a year-long pathway, the Loving First Assessment Tool, or coaching for your congregation or conference, we’d love to partner with you. 

Contact us to schedule a conversation and explore how Loving First can support your ministry. 

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