The Gospel According to Starbucks: Living with a Grande Passion
Studies show that fewer Americans than we thought attend church, and  Sweet, popular author (Soul Salsa) and  professor of evangelism at Drew Theological School in New Jersey, thinks that  the church should take cues from an institution that isn't suffering a lack of  customers: Starbucks. For all his hip cultural sensitivity, Sweet hasn't shed  one standby of church-growth books: the acronym. His is EPIC, which stands for  Experience, Participation, "Images that throb with meaning," and Connection.  Starbucks has mastered EPIC living, and the church can, too. The successful  coffee corporation recognizes that people are drawn in through visual icons,  and it beats competitors because its design sensibility is superior—indeed,  its imagery is shot through with "spiritual significance." The church should  take a hint and, instead of focusing solely on its written mission statements,  devote some energy to design. Starbucks understands that people hunger for  "authentic experience." Finally, just as people like to drink coffee together,  people seek community and connection in religious settings. Sweet's bottom  line? Christianity must move beyond rational, logical apologetics, and instead  find ways of showing people that it can offer "symbols and meaningful  engagement." This whimsical and insightful book offers a fresh approach to a  topic of perennial interest.(Apr. 17)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.