Learn

Grow the leaders your places need.

Build confidence, connectons, capacity and courage through courses, cohorts and communites of practce.

Turn talents into strengths, and strengths into local practce.

Every route is field-tested.

“Ministers matter; but they are not messiahs.”

CORE PATHWAYS

Flagship Pathways

Change Makers

Three weekends or an eight-day intensive. Discover your gifts, learn asset-based community development, and pitch your idea to a resource panel. Graduates can earn the NCFE Level 3 Certificate in Sustainable Community Leadership.

Newbigin Pioneering Hub

Eleven months, six local practices, coaching throughout.

A route to URC Assembly Accredited Lay Pioneer.

School for Shalom

BA, MA and PhD routes with Nazarene Theological College, where your neighbourhood becomes your laboratory.

Communities of Practice

Commons

One day to name your story, your strengths and your next step

Equippers

Half-day to three-day sessions in your own place, for churches, community groups and regional bodies.

Pilgrimages

Short sessions with live peer coaching, run quarterly

MORE WAYS TO LEARN TO GET FOLK STARTED

More ways to learn

Passion & Purpose Days

One day to name your story, your strengths and your next step

Local Discovery Workshops

Half-day to three-day sessions in your own place, for churches, community groups and regional bodies.

Finding your online courses

Short sessions with live peer coaching, run quarterly

More Cohorts

Change Incubators

Three months online and two weeks on the Thai-Burma border, helping young leaders from Myanmar launch enterprises and community projects.

Not sure what learning is right for you?

Book in a conversation

Try our readiness survey

Recognised Routes

Route	Recognised through:	Best for
Academic	Nazarene Theological College, validated by the University of Manchester	Rigorous theological and academic grounding
Practice Based	Birmingham Christian College (NCFE)	Recognised qualificaIons rooted in local pracIce
Denominational	United Reformed Church Assembly accreditation	Pioneers seeking recogniIon and resourcing
Bespoke	Your own organisation or denomination	Pathways shaped around your local people and places

Stories

Wendy Hall

Groby, UK

For decades Wendy sat on the outside edge of church, journaling one question:

“Does God want me to be a Pioneer?” Through the Newbigin Pioneering Hub she launched Under the Willow Tree for families of children with special educational needs, and in 2024 became the first URC Assembly Accredited Lay Pioneer from the Hub.

“I had a calling?

Who, me?”

Anita

TanC Estate, Australia

Anita was saying yes to every need and drowning. Change Makers helped her focus on what she loved. Her Fantastic Food project now brings neighbours of every age together to cook, and its recipe book funds the next round.

“I learned to mobilise, not carry.”

“Ash has spent decades proving that faithful presence is the most powerful path to flourishing. At the Scent of Water is not only an inspirational guide to joining in God’s dream, it’s an invitation to start right where you are.”

Tim Soerens

Co-founder of the Parish Collective and author of "Everywhere You Look: Discovering the Church, Right Where You Are”, SeaSle, USA

I have read many books Ash has written. His writing in At the Scent of Water is some of his best. It is truly scents-ative. Ash reminds us that the green shoots of community in our cities will only grow again when we tend to the hidden springs in our neighbourhoods that nurture them.

Dave Andrews

Activist and author, Brisbane, Australia.

This book shows that ordinary lives oﬀered to God can become part of a spring of hope

in, with, and to the world. This isn’t a book you can read passively, it will change your life.

Rev Dr Deirdre Brower

Principal, Nazarene Theological College, Manchester, UK

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