“We have identified a ‘third place.’ And I really believe that sets us apart. The third place is that place that’s not work or home. It’s the place our customers come for refuge.” —Nancy Orsolini, District Manager
I find it interesting that Starbuck’s seams to understand the nature of community and refuge. Where people used to run to the church for that “third place”, they now run to Starbuck’s.
Maybe it’s time for a field trip, to discover what Starbuck’s knows that we don’t. Because I firmly believe that the Missional church must become and be a “third place” of safety, refuge and community. It’s in finding that identity that the Missional church will impact that changing world around it.
missional, missional church, Missional Living, Starbucks, Leadership
7 comments:
Jerry, You really are speaking truth in a world who is hungry for her. The already reached have little interest in the third place of refuge. Oh they say they do in words but little action is displayed.
You and I and some others really do understand this. How can I thank you enough for joining a movement of God that leads America back to kingdom issues.
Bob drop me an email - let's talk more.
Thanks Eric!
Yes, yes, yes! Those I run with are cementing the notion of "Green Space" into our permanent vocabulary as a term to indicate neutral & interesting spaces for Christ-followers & non-Christ-followers to naturally engage one another in proximity. Starbucks is a great Green Space & could be even more engaging if there more items of interest (art pieces, points of discussion, planted article-clippings, table-games, etc.) in their shops!
i don't know...i've heard this before...
but you know what...
I feel like Christians have really helped make Starbuck's the third place...how many people are being discipled and praying, and reading scripture at Starbucks.
Do you really want Church to be the third place anyways?
Don't you really want GOD to overlap onto our first places (homes) and our second places (work).
???
--RC of strangeculture.blogspot.com
are you kidding me? Starbucks can't even beat McDonalds. :-)
the idea of a third place comes from a sociology professor from florida who found that, as beings who need human connection, a third place where they can connect with people other than family and co-workers (or in my case, my desktop--lol). europeans are great at creating these places--they are very communal--and starbucks has drawn this idea into their brand. i agree, starbucks has done an excellent job at creating third places! i'm there at least once per day. my baristas know my name and i know theirs. they know some of what's going on in my life as do i of theirs. when asking if starbucks has beat the church at this, i'm assuming you mean the church as a building--a place of meeting--since we are discussing places. i'm not sure i want my church to be my third place. my community--yes; that should be a place of refuge that i can go to unwind, rest, and grow. however, where my community meets is irrelevant as long as it is meeting. sometimes we meet at starbucks (or some other coffee shop--don't tell my sbux baristas!), sometimes we meet at someone's home, and sometimes we actually go do something together. like watch a movie or have dinner. maybe the better question is not has starbucks beat the church, but how can we, as the church body, better create this third place environment with those we are in community with?
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