What Our Messy Church Survey Is Telling Us
-Johannah Myers, Executive Director
Earlier this year, we invited Messy Church leaders across the United States to share what they are seeing in their communities. About a quarter of our network responded, giving us a meaningful snapshot of who we are and who we’re serving.
We ran this survey with a simple goal – to better understand our communities so that we can connect, encourage, and equip one another in this shared work.
I’m excited to share what we’re learning from these results!
Messy Churches are thriving in small gatherings
Messy Churches don’t need to be large to be meaningful. Most responding churches report gatherings of 20–40 people, with many others in the 10–20 range. A smaller number report larger gatherings of 40–60 or more. These aren’t massive events. And a smaller sized Messy Church can be the ideal space for people to be known, to participate, and to build relationships across ages and backgrounds.
Intergenerational church is really happening
One of the clearest findings from the survey is that Messy Church is doing what many churches long for – bringing generations together. When asked whether Messy Church builds community across generations – 84% of leaders said they agree or strongly agree.
As one leader shared, “Worship and learning across all generations is a beautiful thing.”
Messy Church is reaching new people
The survey also confirms something many leaders have been noticing – Messy Church is helping churches connect with people beyond their existing congregation. A strong majority (over 70%) of respondents reported that people from outside their church regularly participate in Messy Church. For many communities, this is becoming a natural and welcoming entry point into church life. Leaders are telling us stories of folks who have found a way back to church through Messy Church or who have finally found a faith community where they belong in Messy Church.
Messy Church is helping people grow in faith
Beyond attendance and participation, the survey responses point to something deeper – people are growing in faith. 100% of those surveyed said that Messy Church helps people grow in faith. Families are engaging with Scripture together. Children are learning practices of kindness, empathy, and prayer. Parents are rediscovering their own faith alongside their children.
One parent shared: “Messy Church has offered me a kind invitation back to a relationship with Christ.”
Messy Church teams are also growing in faith as they prepare for their Messy Church gatherings, with 77% of leaders saying their teams are being spiritually nourished in their work.
These are not small outcomes. They are signs of meaningful spiritual formation happening in everyday, accessible ways.
The stories behind the numbers
While the data is encouraging, it’s the stories that bring it to life. One parent described the impact of finding a community that truly welcomed their family:
“I want my children to be part of a community where ALL ARE WELCOME… Messy Church has offered me a faith home I feel safe taking my children.”
Another shared how Messy Church helped rebuild their connection to faith and community:
“It has given us an opportunity to bring faith back into our life and be a part of a church community that really cares about everyone.”
And in a particularly powerful reflection, one parent wrote:
“My faith in God was never diminished, but my ability to see Christ in others was definitely damaged until I found Messy Church.”
These stories remind us that Messy Church is not just a program. It is a place where people find belonging, healing, and renewed faith.
A hopeful sign for the church
Taken together, the survey results point to something hopeful: Messy Church is helping people experience church in ways that are relational, creative, and deeply human. It may not always look like traditional church. It can be noisy, hands-on, and yes—messy. And Messy Church takes work.
But it is also creating space for people to belong, to grow in faith, and to encounter Christ in community. As one leader said, “Messy Church is the best of what church can be.”
And in a time when many churches are asking what comes next, that feels like something worth paying attention to.