Mike Edmisten Follower of Jesus. Husband of Nicki. Father of Ryan & Brock. Communicator of the Word.

Experiences

Last night we took our son, Ryan, for a haircut. We go to Cookie Cutters in Eastgate. If you've never been there, it is the most kid-friendly place you can imagine. Everything is colorful and vibrant. There is playground equipment inside. Video games are available for older kids. Ryan sat in a fire engine and watched The Wiggles while he got his haircut last night. Then he left with a balloon. Needless to say, he loves going for haircuts.

After his haircut, we all went to Starbucks for a couple of peppermint mochas. (Ryan didn't partake of the coffee. He was quite content with the Happy Meal we picked up from the McDonald's drive thru.) I love Starbucks. And I don't just mean the coffee. I love the whole Starbucks experience. When I was sipping my coffee last night sitting on a comfy leather couch with my family, I actually felt the pace of my life slow down. The whole atmosphere is warm and relaxing.

Their purposes are vastly different, but there is something to be learned from Cookie Cutters and Starbucks. In both places, everything you see is done purposefully. The design of the places is intentional. They don't just offer services…they offer experiences.

There is a lesson for the church in this discussion. Now, I'm not suggesting that the church should try to copy everything that corporate America is doing. Not at all. The church is not a corporation.

But we also shouldn't overreact to the point where we think there is nothing we can learn from these places. The experiences from Cookie Cutters and from Starbucks are memorable ones. Shouldn't our experiences in the church be infinitely more memorable? If we believe that our purpose is to encounter the Living God, then how can we be satisfied with predictable, run-of-the-mill, and ultimately forgettable experiences?

I'm not suggesting that we purposefully play on people's emotions. That's manipulative. I'm also not suggesting that we usurp God's role in comforting or convicting people's minds and hearts. That's arrogant. What I am suggesting is that we work hard to create an atmosphere and an attitude that lends itself to meaningful experiences. Like it or not, people will forget most of the messages that are preached. But they will not easily forget something that they experience.