Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Church and Starbucks

I need to thank a friend for the link to this clip! THANKS ROB! Rob is a pastor in Ottawa and has a passion for reaching bikers for Christ! His blog is http://www.robdale.ca

Anyway, I made a post on my Facebook a while ago; and in a moment of silliness I posted that "Tim's was the Starbucks of the middle class." Needless to say there were a number of responses on my Facebook and I realized very quickly that many people have no sense of humour! ANYWAY

Watch this...I would love your thoughts...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7_dZTrjw9I

8 comments:

Manetheren said...

That's a pretty damning indictment - funny but shaming at the same time.

Anonymous said...

wow! I have to say I was laughing, but sadly, it's because it's true. All they wanted was coffee!
What are we doing?
Big ouch. Thanks for sharing.

SantanaRose said...

well, this did remind me that I for sure have a sense of humor, and I am hoping that God does too (haha, I know He does - many things in my life are evidence).
Really makes me think about the "culture" of the church - when I take time to step back from what I am emersed in, and have become accustomed to, and I am really quite shocked.
So, even though I laugh, it's a major "ouch" like Kari said..and to think that I perpetuate this at times...
sigh.

She said...

Call me "odd man out," but I'm not feeling the same 'ouch.'

a) I don't get the impression that my church community is even a teensy bit like that. I haven't been in a church environment like that for 10-15 yrs. I realize environments like that still exist, but I was under the impression that they're few and far between!

b) If Starbucks marketed like that, they would be full of people who were more 'broken' than their current clientelle. It would attract people who felt un-loved and had some solid need for belonging.

c) If Starbucks marketed like that, they'd attract people with less disposable income, and wouldn't be such a profitable organization. (Current market situation ignored. :)) Probably wouldn't be as shiney. Probably woudln't have so friggin' many things for sale. Waitaminute... Starbucks might look a bit more like Tim's. ;-) (Kiddin, kiddin. They both have their place. Wouldn't go to Starbucks for a cup of coffee, and wouldn't go to Tim's for an iced latte.)

My personal feeling about church marketing is that if everyone at a church does their bit for 'marketing' - in the way that they personally feel comfortable - then as many groups of people (as types of marketing) will be reached.

Don't get me wrong, I do love going to Starbucks for a fancy coffee...

But...

To turn the tables - I'm not sure I'd enjoy a church that felt the need to market like Starbucks.

Anonymous said...

The whole thing sounds like navel gazing...always looking for new ways to market.

Market what?

Got substance?

Wanna use food analogies? Try meat.

Bored.

Felice said...

This is honestly hilarious. It reminds me of my old church.

Anonymous said...

my cousin visited soul and, after seeing so many people with star bucks cups, asked if there was a starbucks in the building.

SoulPastor said...

Funny

We clean up just as much Tim's as we do Starbucks...I must also mention that Tim's graciously donates all the coffee and some of the bites for the coffee break!