BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Church remakes itself in the image of Starbucks: God and coffee DO mix]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/16/church-remakes-itself-in-the-image-of-starbucks-god-and-coffee/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/16/church-remakes-itself-in-the-image-of-starbucks-god-and-coffee/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/16/church-remakes-itself-in-the-image-of-starbucks-god-and-coffee/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I was drawn to a story in my local paper about New Hope Community Church outside Portland, Oregon -- two of my sisters have attended services there regularly, and it's a landmark in the metropolitan area. But what struck me as culture-changing was a quote from the developer who's working with church leadership. He has one goal as he plans an entirely new church-centered commercial complex: "We hope this will be a Starbucks experience from one end to the other."

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) has a funny relationship with God; after all, the chain famously offended a woman so much she boycotted its coffee. So how is purchasing and drinking a caffeinated beverage in a Starbucks outlet similar to going to church? Part of it is about the audience; churches (at least in my hometown) have moved away from the formal experience in which the members of the congregation are simply watching a show put on by the "cast" of the church, and toward more interactive experiences in which small groups, focused around common interests, meet to discuss Bible passages or work together on a project -- from feeding the hungry to overcoming addiction. The parallels in retail? Yep, less convention center, more coffee shop.

This is where Starbucks comes in.

Continue reading Church remakes itself in the image of Starbucks: God and coffee DO mix

Church remakes itself in the image of Starbucks: God and coffee DO mix originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>churchchurchescoffee hourCoffeeHourcoffeeshopcommunityculturenew hopeNewHopeoregonpdxportlandreligionsbuxstarbucksTue, 16 Oct 2007 16:54:00 EST