Tim Wong flew home to Singapore yesterday but we are still talking about his cafe-churches or “missional cafe communities” as he calls them.
“It costs $20 million to buy land and build a church in Singapore. For that much money, we could buy 100 coffee shops.” Tim Wong
What’s interesting to me is that Tim’s dad was the co-author of a church planting book that I was forced to read in Seminary called Growing Churches Singapore Style: Ministry in an Urban Context by Keith Hinton and James Wong.
Canon Dr James Wong, a speaker at Lausanne 74, has shared the same principles on sustainable church planting that his son espouses with his fresh expressions of church.
Less capital cost and funding is required to get new churches started. It also allows for more flexibility and mobility of the centers of witness and worship. The house-churches can always be located where people are found to be most responsive.” James Wong [Evangelism in High-Rise Housing Apartment Buildings, Lasuanne papers, PDF]
Want to read the full post? Go to this spanking new group blog and check it out.
I used to go to a church in a coffee shop that doubled up as a place to hold gigs and an art gallery, Everyday Joe’s, Fort Collins. I like the concept and I liked the tea, one of the few places to get a decent cup of tea in the US (can’t you tell I’m a Brit)
Interesting. I’ve never been a coffeedrinker, until someone gave some real good stuff, and now I drink only the real goed stuff on occasion. I’d surely visit such a place if there were one in Antwerp…
BTW, The PDF isn’t working over here…
(and Andrew Jones under Emergent village again? Really?)
thanks bram. link fixed now.
Really cool to see more and more people realizing we need new ways to plant churches, as the old models no longer work in most settings.
Hi Andrew, I’m from Singapore and haven’t heard of cafe churches or Tim Wong. Where could I contact him or find out about these Churches? Thanks.
hi Jonathan. there is an opening party for one of the cafes next Thursday in Singapore. I will ask Tim to send you an invite.
Hi Andrew,
I know this is a 2011 post but I’d like to know more about these cafe churches and even better, to contact Tim Wong. May I know where to find these cafes?
Thank you very much.
Kay I have sent your info to Tim Wong. Happy hunting.
Hi Andrew, not sure if Tim’s still involved in this now but if so, would love to get in touch with him to find out more. Thank you!