Creating An Experience: Learning from Starbucks

by Tyler Zach

How can Starbucks mentor our movements in the area of making much of Jesus?

In The Experience Economy, the authors paint a brilliant picture of what makes us so addicted to Starbucks. At a fundamental level, coffee is a commodity, tradable by the ton in a commodities market. But, Starbucks, in all its innovation, has wrapped an experience around a cup of coffee. The authors go on to say that in the modern economy, companies like Starbucks have created “experiences” to set themselves apart from “services.” In other words, you do not simply buy the coffee. You buy the Starbucks experience.

What would it look like for us to wrap an experience around Jesus the way Starbucks has wrapped an experience around coffee?

Richard Reising says, “Some people might be offended by the [question] above, but I think the greater crime is turning [our movements] into a commodity. A relationship with Christ can’t be canned. It cannot be mass-produced. It is an intimate and powerful thing and we should be very serious about enhancing the experience in order to prepare the heart of the visitor.”

If companies like Starbucks work so hard at creating an experience for something as simple as coffee, shouldn’t we as Christians work even harder to create an experience for the student’s spiritual journey? Starbucks has taken the microscope approach: taking something small and simple and magnifying it for us. We, however, as Christians, get the advantage of using the telescope approach: taking something infinitely great and bringing it into our world. Theoretically, it should be easier for us to create an experience for students than it is for Starbucks to create an experience for coffee-lovers. We are dealing with something infinitely valuable. The only obstacle is ourselves.

There are many churches out there that provide a service. We literally call it a “service.” But few churches and movements can provide a transformational experience.

Think about what makes your favorite restaurant your favorite: Hospitality, romantic lighting, comfortable seating, quality food, nicely dressed workers, music, etc. What if the owners of the restaurant said, “It’s not about the building. It’s all about the food.” Now think of your restaurant in terms of stiff chairs, bright lighting, t-shirt dressed unhappy servers, bad music, BUT the food is still top-notch. Even though the food may be good, the restaurant now ceases to be your favorite.

I’ve heard some church and campus movement people say that it’s not about the externals because it’s supposed to be about Jesus. But let’s ask ourselves, “Why do we spend so much time decorating our homes?” I think it is because we love beautiful environments that will leave us with lasting memories. It’s silly to think of all the time we spend on our homes - only to step into a church where there are white walls and stiff pews.

If we are going to pray with Jesus that His whole Kingdom would come, then we need to be about His whole Kingdom. The Kingdom is more than just spoken word. It encompasses physical beauty as well. The New Jerusalem will be more beautiful than we can imagine. The description in the book of Revelation is breathtaking. It will be an experience beyond all comprehension.

So, how can we give our students a glimpse of that… now? What will it take to make the Christian life an experiential journey rather than a purchase of a commodity?

*content was gleaned and contextualized from Church Marketing 101