Sweaty Church is church with a difference. It is all about families learning together through physical activities.

As a child I enjoyed some things about church, but was not very good at sitting still for very long and really not very good at learning by listening. I was best being active and I seemed to learn better through doing practical things. I don’t think I was the only child who was like this.

Back in 2009, our church seemed to have several children who led active lifestyles and whose parents were constantly having to juggle the clashes between Sunday morning church and Sunday morning sports fixtures, a problem exacerbated by the fact that once at church they were made to sit still and listen.

These kids were just like me and we needed to cater for them and, out of this thinking, Sweaty Church was born and has grown ever since, attracting many families who were previously on the fringe of the church.

But it’s not just for the kids, it’s for the whole family. If we want the kids to have a growing relationship with Jesus then how about starting by helping them to grow their relationship with their parents at Sweaty Church. The kids and their parents have a fantastic time doing the activities together which results in a new openness when discussing the topic afterwards.

Richard Witham, Sports Mission Leader

"I am passionate about this! The opportunities and possibilities are huge!" Jacolize Becker, Auckland, New Zealand

"Thank you so much, we loved it and even had a family we have never seen in church before. It really is a God inspired thing, thank you so much for sharing it." Rev Rachel Cross, Thame

"Sweaty Church was amazing. As we had all morning it lasted just over 3 hours! At the end I asked if this was something the young people would like to do again and they all responded with a very loud positive ‘yes’." Michelle Woodhouse, Salvation Army

"Here is a type of church that connects easily … It is not hard to see why it is already drawing numbers and starting elsewhere." George Lings, Encounters from the Edge, Church Army