Church Army Explores 'Café Church'

The Director of Church Army's Research Unit, George Lings has explored some myths circulating about café church in the latest edition of the 'Encounters on the Edge' series of booklets.

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 Lings 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 cafés when tasked with developing a fresh expression.

The latest 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.

Lings then challenges some of the myths that exist about café church. He explains that it is not true that a café church just means one thing, but reveals that it is a deceptively diverse term.

In addition, he dismissed rumours that the café church is a magic solution. Lings argues that just one form of fresh expression of church cannot cover the spread of what may be needed.

The Church Army Research Director also addresses the rumour that the café church can do all things needed to make Christian disciples from non- and de-churched people. Lings says that this is not true, but that his research shows this is only one vital part of a larger process.

Following this latest publication, Encounters on the Edge 34 - Café Church 2 - is due to be released in the near future with a fresh look at the issues around churches renting secular premises and starting cafes in order to serve and build community, and provide a way in for evangelism.

Church Army is a society of evangelists within the Anglican Communion, which exists to enable people to come to a living faith in Jesus Christ. For more information on the work of Church Army see www.churcharmy.org.uk