Australian Idea
- Big News In California

In the mid-90’s, Colette Muth spent a year working as a volunteer with the South Queensland conference youth department. She became involved with cafés at big camps in South Queensland and North New South Wales. “It was such an amazing experience to see how it reached young adults,” Colette says. “I came back here and we had nothing like this in America.”

So, together with her brother Aaron, Colette used café ministry at a number of temporary locations, including in conjunction with the General Conference 2000 in Toronto. “It was amazing,” reports Colette, “and went so well we felt God was leading both of us to do this in a permanent location.”

On August 3 2002, 500 young people packed the Upper Room Christian Café, Redlands California, for a Michelle Tumes concert celebrating the grand opening of this new business/ministry. In the first month of operation, the café has attracted more than 2000 customers per week, served by a staff of 14 part-time employees.

But the business takes second place to the ministry. Aaron sees their café as meeting a need for simply a place to be and a place to be Christian. “A few months ago, I was taken to a local bar by friends and found a number of Adventist kids there,” he relates. “Now we’ve opened, they’re over here studying. Theses kids aren’t bad, they’re just looking for a place to hang out, a place where Christianity is cool. We have even had members of the community come in here and comment that Christians often do things so shoddy that they don’t want to be a part of it. But one of the local magazine owners came to see us and said, I would actually want to come in here. And I think that’s why God had us make it the way it is.”

On Friday nights, the business shuts down—and the usual food and drinks are provided free. Aaron remembers the first Friday night worship service as the highlight of the journey so far. “It was so worshipful,” he recalls. “The way I had always imagined. We just told the young people, ‘We care so much about God and glorifying Him that we don’t want any distractions’—and they respect that and love it.”

Together with Friday night services, the café hosts brief nightly worships, Bible study groups, prayer groups, regular live Christian music and plans to provide service opportunities.

The response from local churches and wider community has been overwhelmingly supportive. Local media have taken notice and KTLA–one of Los Angeles’ television stations is interested in a story. Colette and Aaron have received inquiries from other places across the United States, about the possibility of franchising their café. “But we’ve got to stay grounded,” Aaron is quick to add. “Instead of looking ahead to more, let’s get the ministry right.”

“It’s huge to think we just opened the place and we have a congregation of 2000 people,” Aaron reflects. “I think a lot of people see it as a cute little coffee shop and don’t see the ministry potential. Most of these kids would never walk into an Adventist church—but they’re here. God put a burden on our heart to preach it—it’s just a different kind of house of worship here.”

For more, check out www.upperroomcafe.com