No, it’s not a real Café – it’s just a time to get to know my neighbors over coffee at my kitchen table, the best place for starting new friendships and deepening old ones.

When I had the crazy idea to start a neighborhood Bible study called “The Rosewood Café” after our home on Rosewood Drive, I delayed and disobeyed. I argued with the Lord – I didn’t have time… I wasn’t good enough… The church could do it… No one would come…

That fall, my church launched 40 Days of Community. My husband and I had led small groups before, but this time we were encouraged to invite our neighbors. I asked a woman named Bonnie. We shared a fence line for four years but had never shared a conversation until that summer, when we coordinated our yard sale dates. During 40 Days I got to know Bonnie as a strong woman who loves the Lord, hilariously funny and devout in prayer. I later told Bonnie I was surprised she agreed to come, and it broke my heart when she said she was surprised I asked.

So in October, 2008 I invited 80 or so neighbors over for coffee. A group of us has been meeting ever since.

As the last person left the first Café, I thought to myself, “I could teach people how to do this.”

I kept notes on what worked well and what failed miserably – and The Neighborhood Café was born. This site is a resource for step-by-step instructions, printable invitations, suggestions on teaching material, and training on how to lead a small group based on what I’ve learned from my mentors and pastors. I want to remove every obstacle so no woman who’s called to do this can say, “I can’t do that!”

The hardest thing about asking your neighbors to come to a Bible study at your house is opening your mouth!

Seriously, I was so nervous when I started this. What if no one came? What if everyone came? What if I embarrassed myself? I avoided my fear of rejection by stuffing mailboxes with invitations to my Café. Recently, however, I went to about 40 homes and just knocked on the door. Once Bonnie went with me, and we had a great time.

One Sunday I was passing out invitations in my neighborhood. Some people weren’t home so I left a small handmade gift at their door. Others were clearly uninterested so I was brief. Others invited me in. I met an elderly widow who told me noises at night kept her awake, and we prayed together. I met a pastor’s wife. I met women in bathrobes and sweatpants, young and old, friendly and guarded.

The woman I remember most was one I didn’t meet at all. She called me a few minutes after I left an invitation on her unanswered door. “I guess I’m your neighbor,” she said. “I live on Rosewood Drive? I don’t know very many people here. I’ve been sick. I’m waiting for a double lung transplant. I’ve lost a lot of friends because of my illness.” She was in tears as she thanked me for the invitation and said she’d like to come if she feels well.

I believe the Lord will hold me accountable for driving past my neighbor’s pain, walking by her loneliness and ignoring her need.

Acts 17:26-27 says God determined the times set for us and the exact places where we should live. God did this so that women would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.

“Amy, Amy – my beloved Amy.” I hear Him say. “What did you do for my daughter? I placed you within 700 feet of her front door, at the exact time she needed a friend.”

How will you answer?

As you’ve read this, if you’ve had one tiny inkling of a thought that whispered, “I’d like to do that!” – then DO IT! Do it quickly, before you start believing you can’t, you’re not good enough, your house isn’t nice enough. I will help you.

If you thought, “That’s insane,” then maybe this isn’t your bag. That’s fine. But go find another one, like tutoring kids or fixing cars or making meals. Rub shoulders with people. Get to know your neighbors. God put them on your street for a reason.

The Neighborhood Cafe

The Neighborhood Café functions in the same way as the early church in Acts 2:42:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42 (NIV)

They devoted themselves…

The Greek definition of “devoted” means to be earnest, to persevere, to be constantly diligent to attend all the exercises, to adhere closely, to give of yourself – to share, to participate. to be continually with a person. Participants at a Neighborhood Café are asked to be continually devoted to pursuing the Lord together.

…to the apostle’s teaching…

This means they paid attention to the instruction, doctrine, teaching, and tutoring. Teaching is useless if it’s fruitless! The teaching at a Neighborhood Café should help us listen to God’s Word then APPLY it to our lives, in our homes, with our husbands and children and neighbors. Whatever teaching material the Hostess chooses, it must always answer the question, “So, what?” Now that I’ve learned this, what should my life be like?

…and to the fellowship…

Fellowship means partnership, participation, social interaction, communication, communion, to share because of a common interest, to contribute. In the typical church setting, “fellowship” is all about the food – and there should be food at a Neighborhood Café, too! But this is a much deeper word that implies interacting during the lesson and sharing praises and needs. It’s making friends and letting the Holy Spirit in you and the Holy Spirit in them form a bond you won’t find at any book club or knitting circle or play group. This can only happen in a place where the Holy Spirit dwells.

…to the breaking of bread…

This represents the common meal as well as the communion meal. It’s ALL spiritual. There is no separation between common and communion. We have Christ in common and we bring Him into the common areas of our lives, making them sacred. The Neighborhood Café is for women seeking Jesus. There’s no other requirement. It’s for all ages and stages, churched and un-churched.

… and to prayer.

This means prayer and worship – oral prayer, earnest prayer. The Neighborhood Café is a safe place to share heartfelt needs and support each other through prayer when we’re together and when we’re apart. Each Café has it’s own web page for sharing password-protected prayer requests online; Hostesses will also learn how to keep a prayer journal for your Café.

Exploring God’s word with you is the joy of my life! Thank you for walking with me on our Emmaus Road, the path between church and home, and opening the Scriptures with me.

Love in Christ,

Amy Lively

About Amy

My husband and daughter were the first to tell me I was losing my hearing. I hadn’t even noticed I couldn’t hear them anymore, but they were right, and in 2003 I was fitted for a hearing aid in my left ear.

I had stopped hearing my family the same way I had stopped hearing from God. I stopped my ears and hardened my heart against the Lord for 20 years. Oh, I still believed… I just didn’t want anything to do with church or prayer or the actual live-like-you-believe-it part of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And I wasn’t raising our daughter to believe, except that we had enrolled her in a Christian school – for the academics. Soon Emma started asking questions like, “Mommy, why don’t we go to church like my friends?”

By 2005, a child had led us to church and I was halfway through reading my Bible cover to cover. As gradually as my hearing loss began, I began to let myself hear from God again. When I finally opened my ears, He didn’t yell at me in disgust. He just whispered,

“I love you, Amy. I’ve been waiting for you. I’m glad you’re back.”

I spent the next two years on my yellow loveseat, reading His Word and doing Bible studies with my friends. I spent another two years in ministry school with my husband as we earned a Bachelor Degree in Practical Ministry. In the meantime, my husband and I started a very successful business. When I argued that I didn’t have time to follow God’s nudges to start a Bible study in our home, He showed me I didn’t have a choice. I invited my neighbors and friends from church to the first Rosewood Café in October, 2008. This time of teaching and talking has quickly become a highlight of my days, and now I cannot imagine not filling our home with lovely, laughing women as we explore God’s truth and apply it to our lives. God is also opening doors for me to share the experience on a larger scale through theneighborhoodcafe.net and womensministry.net.

Today, being Christ’s disciple is more important than hearing decibels, and I give Him praise for surgically restoring my hearing in 2006. He has awakened me to hear His voice and turned my heart towards Him.

The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back. Isaiah 50:4-5 (NIV)

Speaking

I would love to speak to your church or group about neighborhood ministry and women’s Bible studies. I have also taught on a variety of topics appropriate for retreats and events.

View my Testimony, Short Bio, Business Bio, Statement of Faith and Ministry References here: