Messy Church Conference: Sowing Seeds for Growth

09 Aug 2010

Rev Debbie Smith is the New Zealand coordinator of Messy Church, a fresh expression which is helping bridge the generation gap in our pews. With the first National Messy Church Conference coming to Christchurch in September, Debbie explains the bless behind the mess.

On first impressions, the suggestion of Messy Church may not sound appealing to some people. But the Messy Church approach has been attracting a lot of attention in recent years. Since its initial launch in 2004 in the UK, its popularity has spread – largely because it’s one of the easiest fresh expressions of church to take up, and connects so well with current church outreaches to those on the ‘messy’ fringe of church life, like Mainly Music.

A down under example, that’s closer to home, comes from a church in Melbourne. “A month ago we launched Messy Church, which was planned as a totally fresh outreach ministry to the un-churched in our area. We have held services with amazing results. Two-thirds of those attending Mainly Music are now regulars at Messy Church. We are taking the gospel message to some fifteen to twenty families who would normally only come to church at Christmas.”

George Lings is the director of the Church Army’s research unit in the UK and has been instrumental in helping birth this new form of church. “Messy Church is important within the current re-imagination of what it is to be Church. Don't dumb it down to kids, crafts and church-lite,” he says. “It connects across the generations instead of 'sending the children out.' It offers a holistic vision of church by weaving together community and creativity.... Moreover, its spread shows it is accessible and transferrable to many contexts. It has much to teach us all.”
Messy Church isn’t a stepping stone into existing church – although some, in time, may take that step. It isn’t trying to dispense with more traditional church; rather, it seeks to explore new ways of being church. It begins with people and embraces their style. All too often, we slip into a ‘you come to us’ mindset, to do church at a time and in a style that suits us. Messy Church seeks to turn that approach on its head. Each Messy Church gathering centres on a Gospel theme within the context of worship, prayer, activities, fellowship and food. It’s about engaging the senses and connecting with real life concerns. Spiritual development is nurtured through ritual and relationships. It is church for all generations.

But is Messy Church really anything new? Haven’t some people been doing great all-age worship and running after-school clubs for years? In recent times, many churches are looking for new ways to get a foot on the ladder with younger families, but they haven’t the confidence or the know-how to do it. Messy Church goes a long way to meet that need, by offering a framework to make a start and to build confidence of what God can do in a community.

Unlike an ‘all-age service,’ which offers a style of worship for an established congregation, Messy Church is intentional in mission and exists for the un-churched. It simultaneously offers counter-cultural transformation of family life, while exploring a new vision of church for a fast-changing culture.

But be warned – like much of church life, Messy Church is hard work and requires commitment and teamwork for sustainability. It isn’t a quick fix to church growth, or a ‘how to’ programme. At its heart, Messy Church embodies a desire to see the birthing of intergenerational Christ-centred communities that grow life-long, full-life disciples of Jesus. Without a good understanding of ‘messy theology,’ regular reflection, and a deep understanding of why we do the things we do, our attempts to be relevant and connect could become nothing more than a few hours of fun and entertainment with glue and glitter.

Our first National Messy Church Conference may be just the opportunity you need to learn the method behind the mess. Workshops will include worship, prayer and sacrament, creative ideas, storytelling, drama, creating worship space and ambience, and creative activities – and will culminate in a live Messy Church event with hands-on experience.

Words: Debbie Smith

The National Messy Church Conference is happening Saturday 18th till Sunday 19th of September at St John’s Woolston in Christchurch. This year's theme is ‘Sowing Seeds for Growth – re-imagining church across the generations.’ For more details, or to register, contact Theology House on (03) 355 9145 or email admin@theologyhouse.ac.nz.