The intersection at 80th and Wadsworth, a few blocks from my home in Arvada, Colorado, is a testament to American capitalism and entrepreneurship: It has a McDonalds, an Arby’s, a Chic-fil-a, a Hobby Lobby, a Target, a funeral home, a Walgreens, a Goodwill, a bank, a Petco, two supermarkets, two health food stores, three gas stations, thirty or so smaller businesses – and no less than four Starbucks.
Looks like Starbucks wins at 80th and Wadsworth.
What is it about Starbucks, anyway? They’re ubiquitous. What accounts for their success? Great coffee? Excellent service? Tasty treats?
Nope. Turns out Starbucks’ success isn’t primarily about coffee or service or food at all. That’s because these things aren’t they’re real business. That’s right. I heard it straight from the horse’s mouth – the manager at my favorite Starbucks at 80th and Wadsworth.
“We’re in the people business. And we do it with coffee,” he confided in me one morning when I was the only customer in the store. I felt like I had just learned some deep company secret, like the formula for Coca Cola, or KFC’s 11 secret herbs and spices.
Huh. And all this time I thought I was just getting a tall pike with no room.
But truth be told, my manager is exactly right. I don’t go to Starbucks to get coffee. I go to Starbucks to be around people. Turns out, working from home isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In fact, it’s lonely. And according to many studies, loneliness is a major health hazard. In fact, most of the people I see at Starbucks go there for the same reason I do. There are people on dates, widows and widowers looking for someone to talk to, job interviewees nervously being grilled by prospective employers … and Pastor Brad.
That’s right. As I type, Pastor Brad from my church walked in, got some coffee, walked outside and sat down right smack dab in front of my window. He’s meeting with someone from church. He has no idea I’m here staring at him.
Pastor Brad is in the people business too, of course. Or perhaps a better description would be the people and God business. And what better place to do that than at a coffee shop that specializes in bringing people together? Well, maybe church would be a better place, but you catch my drift.
Anyway, this brought to my mind the whole question of what kind of business New Commandment is in.
Are we in the good works business?
Nope.
Are we in the service to their widowed and single parents business?
Nope.
We’re in the people and God business. And we do it with men, the widowed and single parents, good works, and the love of Christ.
And by the way, Pastor Brad, you owe me a tall pike no room. See you in church on Sunday.
This post first appeared in NewCommandment.org.
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Learn how to form teams of men for every widow, single mom
and fatherless child in your church at NewCommandment.org.
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