A couple days ago, I was sitting near the manager of my most frequented Starbucks as she began to orient a brand new employee to her store. She began to talk to her about the ‘culture of Starbucks’.
I spoke with this manager yesterday about that, because it is true that what makes Starbucks is a certain culture, a certain attitude of shared commitments and attitudes of the employees. They seem to like working there, and the pleasure they take passes on to the customer.
The culture of a place in this sense are the shared attitudes and values and commitments that give to the thing its personality. And the culture of a place is something often unspoken and unexamined, but which is quickly picked up by those who come in contact with that place.
There is a culture which Starbucks seeks to cultivate.
There apparently is a unique culture to the Tampa Bay Rays, and this unique culture has contributed to their winning ways. I am planning a longer post on why they are winning, but this article says a lot about what has made them successful. Joe Maddon, the manager, has built a culture there where guys respect and love one another, and have a freedom to be who they are regardless of their accomplishments. Amazing.
There is a culture at Starbucks, with the Rays, And there is a culture in churches. It can be free, or stifling. It can be grim or it can be joyful. And whatever that culture is, people pick up on it and respond to it.
The church I pastor has undergone some changes in recent years. One might see those as cosmetic changes – different instruments, different schedule, whatever. But at heart has been a desire to change the culture of the church. That will have far more effect upon the effectiveness of a church than we might imagine.
What Carlos Pena says about the Rays should be said about the church, don’t you think?
“Everyone here feels comfortable, free to be themselves,” Peña said. “They’re respected. They are very appreciated. To come out and feel you’re at home when you walk through the door makes a huge difference as opposed of coming in and you’re like, ‘I feel out of place here. I can’t really talk. I got to watch what I say. I got to make sure I do this right.’ That’s not cool. That’s not the way it’s supposed to be.”
I’d like to be in a church like that!
So I’m curious: what do you see as important in the ‘culture’ of a church?
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Gail and Keith
Feeling welcome, loved, accepted, at home in a church is certainly important. A young woman told me today she felt all those things when walking into the church fellowship for the first time. That is a good thing, what we’d like our church culture to be like. We, A., J, and I, discussed the need to encourage one another in our walk with the Lord and so we thanked God for the gift of relationships. But personally, can I be myself entirely? No. We’re not there yet, but with God’s grace we will be some day.G
Randy Greenwald
Thanks, G. Note that in response to the Pena quote I said, “I’d like to be in a church like that.” We are always hoping, as you say, that God will lead us and change us and bring us every day closer to the ideal we seek.