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Cafe Church double issue

Click on the booklets to read the first sections online.

Cafe inside church & cafe outside church - an introduction to the booklets:

In these editions, George Lings explodes some of the myths that exist about café church.

There is no arguing that cafés have become increasingly popular in recent years, with the rise of chains such as Starbucks and Costa Coffee. As George writes, "…the English have gone beyond drinking their coffee indoors in private. Now all our towns have spots with chairs, little tables on the pavements and people wrapped in their coats pretending they live in Paris, Rome or Madrid."

With this in mind, many churches are turning to café when tasked with developing a fresh expression. This edition of Encounters on the Edge, called Café Church 1: Café, croissants and Christ? – looks in detail at two such experiments: Soul Café in Derby and The Well in Sheffield.

George then challenges some of the myths that exist about café church, such as:

1. There is one thing called café church (not true: café church is deceptively diverse)
2. Café church is a magic solution (not true: one form of fresh expression of church cannot cover the spread of what may be needed);
3. Café church can do all things needed to make Christian disciples from non- and de-churched people (not true: George's research shows that it is only one vital part of a larger process).

And the story does not stop there. No. 34 – Café Church 2: Double Jesus with cream and sugar? – looks at the issues around churches renting secular premises and starting cafes in order to serve/build community and provide a way in for evangelism.

If you are interested in the phenomenon of café church, run one yourself or are interested in starting one up, Encounters on the Edge 33 & 34 are a must-read.