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Messy Church and beyond: A playfully serious report on deepening discipleship

Practical insights for church leaders that explores six different approaches to intentional disciple-making

HOW CAN MESSY CHURCH HELP make disciples? In 2019, a piece of research called the Playfully Serious report, from the Church Army’s Research Unit, shone a light on Messy Churches. This research concluded that yes, Messy Churches can and do make disciples.

Following this, a new research project was launched where three dioceses were approached to explore this further. Messy Church leaders from Bristol, Durham and Hereford came together to try one of six different approaches to intentional disciple-making.

Each diocese chose one approach which focused on the families who come to Messy Church, and one approach that focused on Messy Church team members. This useful report gives insight into this research, with details of the different approaches and issues that arose along the way.

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