Excellent4.8 out of 5On Trustpilot
  1. The Church/
  2. Church Life

Messy Church Theology

Exploring the Significance of Messy Church for the Wider Church

by Edt. George Lings

  • Paperback
  • 288 pages
  • Publisher: Messy Church
  • 14.1 x 19.9 x 1.8 cm

£9.63

Available - Order before 2:30pm for same day dispatch

christmasTruckDelivered before Christmas

Buying for a school or church? Upgrade to a FREE Eden Advance Account
Understand the theology behind one of the Church's most successful initiatives Messy Church
Anna Hockley

Anna Hockley

Eden Christian Books Specialist

Free delivery on orders over £10

'Messy Church Theology' is the very first Messy Church book to discuss the nuts and bolts of academic theology which takes place among the glue pots and glitter pens.

With a rich variety of Messy Church leaders, pastors, and theologians (including John Drane, George Lings, & Beth Barnett) this first-of-its-kind book gathers together 12 essays to encapsulate the theology of Messy Church. Inside you'll find relevant and engaging discussions around the internationally acclaimed project which assess the practices, the community, and the impact. Amongst these theological musings are 5 fascinating case studies, researched and written by grass-roots practitioners, including topics such as special needs.

Messy Theology is a healthy balance between critical reflection from a variety of perspectives, and a lively representation of the current theology driving the world renown movement towards making disciples across the globe.

About the Contributors

George Lings is Director of Church Army's research unit, which for over a decade has been at work discerning the evolving mission of the church and the resultant Fresh Expression of the church.

Contributors include:
- Claire Dalpra – Church Army
- Steve Hollinghurst – researcher and trainer in mission and evangelism
- Paul Bayes – Bishop of Hertford
- John Drane – Affiliate Professor of New Testament and Practical Theology, Fuller Seminary
- Bob Jackson – Director of the Centre for Church Growth, St. John's Nottingham
- Beth Barnett – Children's and Families' Facilitator, Baptist Union of Victoria, Australia
- Bob Hopkins – Church Planting consultant and member of the Archbishop's Fresh Expressions Team
- Paul Moore – Anglican Vicar and vocations advisor for Portsmouth Diocese

Case Studies by Trish Hahn, Alison Paginton, Christine Barton, Kevin Metcalfe, Sharon Pritchard, and Marie Beale.

Messy Church Theology and Making Disciples in Messy Church
Making Disciples in Messy ChurchMessy Church Theology

  • Book Format

    Paperback

  • Publisher

    Messy Church

  • Published

    October 2013

  • Editor

    George Lings

  • Weight

    318g

  • Page Count

    288

  • Dimensions

    14.1 x 19.9 x 1.8 cm

  • ISBN

    9780857461711

  • ISBN-10

    0857461710

  • Eden Code

    4020514

Featured in

Introduction – Revd Paul Butler

SECTION 1: Messy Question
1. When is Messy Church 'church'? - Claire Dalpra
2. When is Messy Church 'not church'? - Steve Hollinghurst
Case Study: Messy Church Special Needs – Trish Hahn
3. How does Messy Church travel? - Lucy Moore and Jane Leadbetter
4. Does Messy Church make disciples? - Judy Paulsen
Case Study: Messy Church at St. Christopher's – Alison Paginton

SECTION 2: Messy Foundations
5. Messy Theology - Paul Bayes
6. Messy Disciples - John Drane
Case Study: Messy Church Fiesta – Christine Barton
7. From Sunday School to Messy Church: a new movement for our age? - Bob Jackson
8. What is the DNA of Messy Church? - George Lings
Case Study: Messy Church @ Christ Church Primary – Kevin Metcalfe

SECTION 3: Messy Particalities
9. Messy Maturity: Paradox, contradiction or perfect match? - Beth Barnett
10. Messy Church: How far can you go before reaching the limit? - Tim G. Waghorn
Case Study: The Story of the 'Messy Angels' – Sharon Pritchard
11. Some Frameworks to Explore Messy Church and Discipleship - Bob Hopkins
12. What might an older Messy Church look like? - Paul Moore
Case Study: St Andrew's Church, Bebington: the journey of an older Messy Church – Marie Beale
13. Why We Might Expect Mess, not merely Tolerate it – George Lings

Afterword – Lucy Moore

Messy Church Theology is the first title to encapsulate the academic theology of Messy Church. Through essays by contributors from a variety of church and academic backgrounds and case studies by Messy Church practitioners, it gathers together some of the discussions around Messy Church and assesses the impact of this ministry, placing it in the context of wider developments within the church community.

- When is Messy Church 'church'? - Claire Dalpra
- When is Messy Church 'not church'? - Steve Hollinghurst
- How does Messy Church travel? - Lucy Moore and Jane Leadbetter
- But does Messy Church make disciples? - Judy Paulsen
- Messy Theology - Paul Bayes
- Messy Disciples - John Drane
- From Sunday School to Messy Church - Bob Jackson
- What is the DNA of Messy Church? - George Lings
- Messy Maturity: Paradox, contradiction or perfect match? - Beth Barnett
- Messy Church: How far can you go before reaching the limit? - Tim G. Waghorn
- Some frameworks to explore Messy Church and discipleship - Bob Hopkins
- What might an older Messy Church look like? - Paul Moore

Case studies by Trish Hahn, Alison Paginton, Christine Barton, Kevin Metcalfe, Sharon Pritchard and Marie Beale.

Over 14,000 churches and schools have upgraded to an Advance Account and we‘d love to welcome you into this free program. We know that church volunteers and school teachers often use their own money, then have claim it back on on an expense form. We can take all of that hassle away by invoicing your church or school directly and delivering your order straight away.

Opening an account is quick and easy, with most accounts being approved and setup within a few hours of filling in the form below (on weekdays, not weekends). As soon as we‘ve approved the application we‘ll send you an email to let you know that its done.

Upgrade to a FREE Eden Advance Account
  • TGBS

    The Good Book Stall

    Average rating of0.0

    Messy Church Theology is set out in a series of chapters from a range of contributors involved and active within the thriving Messy Church community. As such it sets out ideas of what Messy Church is, and isn't, in relatively clear language —though to be fair there are times when as you might expect it becomes a little tautologous as the same idea is expressed by multiple contributors. It also attempts to show models of how Messy Church works, and can work in parishes, communities and churches up and down the country by using case studies that ground the idea of what Messy Church is and the idea or 'theology' behind it. It then attempts to broaden this out a little to demonstrate how this can, would, and should look in a wider sphere of 'Church'. It is largely anecdotal in feeling and format, though there are in here real figures, representations, graphs, and studies too, but much like the feeling of Messy Church the book retains a much more anecdotal or personal feel to each chapter. The same can be said of the 'theology' in it. There is not here an overarching highbrow academic view but instead it is again the personal insights, the day to day realities, the man on the ground, and those being outreached style at work here that aims to make 'theology' something we all can do and understan. And herein that lies the reason why this book would be an interesting book for those outside looking in at what Messy Church is and can be and how perhaps they might want to consider it more in context for their own settings. A book I think would be recommended for any outside the Messy Church arena to read to see a deeper picture of Messy Church.

    Ask a question
    Open Doors Ad