The conversation dives into Starbucks' pivot back to being a 'third place' for community. With a nostalgic reflection, it contrasts this with the church's loss of its central role in people's social lives. The discussion highlights the need for physical spaces that nurture connections in a digital age. By drawing parallels between church outreach and Starbucks' strategies, they emphasize the importance of fostering real community, even in larger congregations. Ultimately, it calls for a renewed focus on the core mission of the church in today's evolving culture.
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A Pub as a Third Place
James Emery White reminisces about his first visit to an English pub.
He highlights the welcoming atmosphere and spontaneous conversations with strangers, which made him feel at home.
insights INSIGHT
Starbucks' Decline as a Third Place
Starbucks' decline as a "third place" is partly due to increased competition and its own shift towards a fast-food model.
Other businesses, like microbreweries, have successfully adopted the "third place" concept.
insights INSIGHT
The Internet as a Third Place
The internet and the rise of smartphones and social media platforms created a digital "third place".
This significantly challenged Starbucks' position as the primary physical third place.
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In this book, Howard Schultz shares the story of how Starbucks evolved from a single coffee shop in Seattle to a worldwide phenomenon. The memoir details Schultz's early life, his career, and his vision for transforming Starbucks into a cultural icon. It emphasizes the importance of employee satisfaction, social responsibility, and maintaining a strong company culture. The book provides insights into how passion and dedication can turn a business into a global success story.
The great good place
Ray Oldenburg
In 'The Great Good Place,' Ray Oldenburg argues that informal gathering places such as cafes, coffee shops, bookstores, bars, and hair salons are crucial for maintaining social vitality and a functioning democracy. He coined the term 'third place' to describe these public spaces that are neither home (the first place) nor work (the second place). Oldenburg examines the historical role of these places, from American taverns during the Revolution to French cafes during the Enlightenment, and laments their decline in modern suburban society. He advocates for the social value these places bring, including promoting social equality, grassroots politics, and psychological support. However, the book has also been criticized for its sexist and exclusionary views, particularly regarding women and minority groups[1][4][5].
Hybrid Church
Hybrid Church
James Emery White
Meet Generation Z
James Emery White
In this week's conversation between Dr. James Emery White and co-host Alexis Drye, they discuss a recent decision from the Starbucks CEO to recapture the coffee company's identity as a “third place” - a place where “community is formed and civility is fostered.” Today's conversation was prompted by an article in The Atlantic that you can read HERE. For many years in the U.S., the church was a key “third place” in people's lives. This is something we've lost, and need to find a way - like Starbucks - to recapture.
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The idea of the “third place” was made popular by Ray Oldenberg in his book The Great Good Place. While the home is the “first place,” and work/school is the “second place,” people longed for a “third place” where they could find community, creative interactions, and simply enjoy the pleasure of good company and conversation. As Dr. White noted in his book Meet Generation Z, for the younger generations the “third place” shifted from the coffee shop to the digital world - even to the point that they began to have online house parties and gatherings where they weren't physically together.
Increasingly, though, people are looking for a blend of both - embodied experiences where they can gather together as well as community that they can forge online. This hybrid way of doing life is something that Dr. White explored extensively in his book Hybrid Church: Rethinking the Church for the Post-Christian, Digital Age. The command that Jesus gave to the Church in the Great Commission makes it clear that we need to be a church that is both reaching people for Jesus and helping them to grow in their faith. Evangelism and discipleship cannot be bracketed off from each other. Dr. White explained this so well in his description of the flywheel that represents the mission that all churches today must be on. If you'd like a really helpful overview of this, we'd encourage you to reach the Church & Culture blog titled “Turning Your Flywheel.”
Finally, for those listeners who live in the Charlotte area, you heard Dr. White mention the Grounds Bookstore and Café at Mecklenburg Community Church. This has increasingly grown as a “third place,” bringing in not only people who attend the church, but also many who are just looking for a really good coffee shop. You can find out more about The Grounds HERE.
For those of you who are new to Church & Culture, we'd love to invite you to subscribe (for free of course) to the twice-weekly Church & Culture blog and check out the Daily Headline News - a collection of headlines from around the globe each weekday. We'd also love to hear from you if there is a topic that you'd like to see discussed on the Church & Culture Podcast in an upcoming episode. You can find the form to submit your questions at the bottom of the podcast page HERE.
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