1. Introducing Messy Church Centre for Theology and Ministry
2017 Make it Messy!
More Information:
Chris Barnett
Centre for Theology and Ministry

2. Messy Church What Messy Church looks like monthly gathering
Messy activity, celebration and food
time and place chosen intentionally to encourage local community participation

3. Messy Church What it ISN’T – a “program” for “children” What it IS
– congregational planting
- multi-age discipleship community

4. Messy Church Still growing… February 2011 2 Messy Churches
Every State

5. Messy Church
Australia by State
NSW 54
QLD 39
SA 27
TAS 6
VIC 72
WA 14

6. Messy Church Australia by Denomination Anglican 82 Baptist 9
Churches of Christ 1
Lutheran 8
Roman Catholic 1
Salvation Army 23
Seventh Day Adventist 2
Uniting Church 84
Other 3

7. Messy Church Victoria by Denomination Anglican 25 Baptist 5
Churches of Christ 1
Lutheran 0
Roman Catholic 0
Salvation Army 7
Seventh Day Adventist 1
Uniting Church 33
Other 1

8. Messy Church Messy Church Values - Celebration - Creativity
- Hospitality
- Contextualisation
- Multi-Age Community
- Christ-centred Community

9. Messy Church Messy Church Principles
- Enabling people to have fun together
- Inviting people into an experience of Christian community
- Giving people a chance to express their God-given creativity
- Providing an opportunity for people of all ages to worship together
- Helping people of all ages to feel that they belong in church and to each other
- Introducing people to Jesus through hospitality, friendship, stories and worship

10. Messy Church
What has been your experience of Messy Church before today?
What, if anything, has surprised you so far?
What questions might you have based on what you have heard so far today?

11. Messy Church What’s behind the growth of Messy Church?
The importance of Contextualisation
- To the local community
- To the local faith community
- To the denomination of the faith community

12. Messy Church What’s behind the growth of Messy Church?
The Messy Church Values
- Celebration
- Creativity
- Hospitality
- Multi-Age Community
- Christ-centred Community

13. Messy Church What it ISN’T – a “program” for “children” What it IS
– congregational planting
- multi-age discipleship community

14. Messy Church Beginning a Messy Church
- Explicit approval from the Church Council/Leadership
- Discernment of localised purpose, vision and priorities
- Establishment of a core leadership team of at least four people
- Consultation with the local community regarding appropriate time, day and space
Demonstrated awareness of and compliance with the requirements around provision of safe environment for all participants
Registration via

15. Messy Church
Questions and Comments

16. Introducing Messy Church Centre for Theology and Ministry
2017 Make it Messy!
More Information:
Chris Barnett
Centre for Theology and Ministry