“Do you have suggestions on books or studies that work well when a group is first getting established? If the group gels, I figure the group can help decide on the next study, but choosing the first topic is up to me.”

Julie

Hostesses like Julie understand that choosing a topic for your Neighborhood Cafe is different than choosing a topic for your Bible Study at church. Most Bible studies are written by Christians, for Christians, about how to be a better Christian. But… only one in five of your neighbors goes to church, and those who do attend many different denominations. The typical home on your street owns three Bibles, but its pages are rarely cracked open. Your neighbors probably don’t speak “Christianese” around their dinner tables, so phrases like “the Lord laid it on my heart” or “having my devotions” or “intercede in prayer” sound foreign.

But don’t worry, there are countless amazing resources that will engage your neighbors!

Check out some of my favorites below! I know each of these authors personally and can recommend any of their books confidently. I’m a huge fan of Kathi Lipp because her books are practical for daily life and appealing to all women, regardless of their faith in God (or lack thereof).

Other factors to consider:

• Format: is it a book, workbook, DVD or online Bible study? Ensure you have the technical resources necessary to show DVD’s or online videos.
• Length: How long does each session last? How long is the entire Bible study?
• Homework: Is there homework? Is it daily or by chapter? If someone hasn’t done the homework, will she be lost?
• Cost: How much does it cost each participant? How much is the leader’s guide or DVD’s?

What are your favorite topics, resources, or authors? Let us know in the comments!

Can I Borrow a Cup of Hope?

How to Find Faith for Hard Times in 1 Peter

by Amy Lively

Are you facing the end of the world as you know it? The apostle Peter knows what it’s like when all your hope is gone. He watched as his hope was arrested, crucified, and buried, and Peter publicly failed every test of his faith. Peter—and his elusive, unnamed wife—also show us how God relieves our harshest suffering and redeems our heaviest regret. Working sequentially through the tiny but mighty book of 1 Peter, you will discover:

• How to express what you feel, identify what is real through the filter of God’s Word, then wisely determine how to deal with life’s challenges.
• A prayer that never fails to reframe anxiety and uncertainty into hope and purpose.
• How to make sense of pain that seems endless and pointless by understanding God’s timing and intention.
• Ways to react to chaos and confusion with a calm, clear-headed, Christlike response.
• Five simple and effective coping strategies to survive for the end of the world as you know it.
• If you can really shed the shame of past mistakes and share your story for God’s glory.

A ton of free Small Group Resources make it easy and fun to lead a group of neighbors through this book (after all, it was written for my own Neighborhood Cafe!).