Is Messy Church just a development of the mid-week Kids’ Clubs which started in the 90s?
LM: I don’t think there is anything new in what we’re doing and so it’s interesting that it has caught on so much. None of this is ‘rocket science’. Churches have always done craftwork with children; many have also had accessible, friendly, not stick-in-the-mud worship. And nowadays more and more Christians are eating together, whether through Alpha, in home groups, shared lunches and the like. I think Messy Church has become popular because churches feel they can do it. They’re not expecting to open the doors to hundreds of unaccompanied children either – that’s a prospect which terrifies a lot of churches. It’s a bit like holiday clubs, which are fantastic but are so resource heavy. For people who don’t work with children on a regular basis they can be a major headache. CJ: Eating is one thing which is a central plank of Messy Church but is it essential? LM: Well it was accidental in the first place. We were planning the craft skills and the celebration aspects when someone pointed o
