Updated guidance strengthens governance, safeguarding and leadership accountability across new worshipping communities following recommendations from the Scolding Review.
The General Synod has today approved a revised Code of Practice for Bishops’ Mission Orders (BMOs), marking a significant strengthening of the Church of England’s framework for mission initiatives operating under the Mission and Pastoral Measure 2011.
The amendments reflect extensive work undertaken following the Independent Scolding Review into Mike Pilavachi and Soul Survivor, published in September 2024. Several of that review’s recommendations addressed governance, leadership culture and safeguarding within new worshipping communities, particularly those operating under BMOs, prompting the House of Bishops to undertake a careful process of revision.
The updated Code replaces the previous edition issued in 2018.
The revised Code of Practice introduces a clearer and more robust framework for governance and safeguarding across mission initiatives, particularly those operating outside normal parochial structures. It restates that all new worshipping communities belong fully within the life of the Church of England and must operate within its policies and structures, emphasising that this shared ecclesial identity is essential for healthy culture and safeguarding.
The amendments set new expectations at the earliest stage of exploring a Bishop’s Mission Order, requiring bishops to discuss governance and safeguarding arrangements with leaders from the outset and encouraging dioceses to learn from previous experience in establishing new initiatives.
Further changes strengthen the structures that support accountable leadership. The Code adds the development of a healthy leadership culture as a criterion for assessing mission initiatives and requires the use of an updated skeleton BMO template incorporating best practice from the Church Representation Rules, including clearer trustee term limits, separation of leadership and trustee roles, and increased transparency.
The role of the Visitor is expanded, designating them as the first point of contact for bullying, harassment or whistleblowing concerns. In addition, every trustee body associated with a BMO must refer to Charity Governance Code and regularly review policies covering complaints, whistleblowing, bullying and harassment, safe recruitment and trustee conduct, while initiatives without a PCC as the trustee body are encouraged to mirror PCC standards of transparency and accountability.
The updated Code now becomes the framework within which bishops, Visitors, leaders of mission initiatives and diocesan mission and pastoral committees must operate. It provides a clearer and more robust foundation for the development of new Christian communities, ensuring they are supported with strong governance, accountable leadership and a commitment to safeguarding at every stage.
Introducing the motion, the Bishop of Exeter, Mike Harrison said the Code of Practice was an invaluable tool for those setting up BMOs, or any form of New Worshipping Community, and that without it, navigating the legislation could be “a bit like trying to put up an Ikea bookshelf without the instruction leaflet.”
He outlined the key revisions shaped by the Scolding Review, highlighting measures to address “unhealthy patterns of power, personality cult and unaccountability,” and emphasised strengthened expectations around governance and safeguarding from the earliest stages of a proposed BMO. He drew attention to the enhanced role of the Visitor, highlighting the suggestion that this could be an archdeacon.
He commended the code as a key part of making the Church a safer place for all.
During the debate, three further amendments to the code (509, 510 and 511 in the order paper) brought by Adrian Greenwood (Southwark) were all approved.