The Purpose Driven Starbucks?
I heard about this on the radio on my way to work this morning, and I was a little surprised... A quote by Rick Warren is going to be featured on Starbucks "The Way I See It" campaign:"You are not an accident. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did. He wanted you alive and created you for a purpose. Focusing on yourself will never reveal your real purpose. You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense. Only in God do we discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance and our destiny." - The Rev. Rick Warren for Starbucks
Here is the story as covered by USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/life/2005-10-19-starbucks-quote_x.htm
I want to know what you all think about this -- positive/negative responses? Is this Starbuck's strategic marketing ploy to make peace with evangelicals that were offended by previous quotes on their cups?
Also, please pray for the International Student Conference this weekend - we're expecting about 200 international students from around Kentucky to come to this annual meeting. We are going to celebrate the nations, have good time of fellowship and relationship building, and we will have a Christian worship service on Sunday morning. I have been asked to coordinate the music for the weekend, and as always I am nervous about leading. BUT the Lord is good, and His strength is made perfect in my weakness. Please pray that the time will be enjoyable for the students and that we have great opportunities to share and make closer friendships with our international friends.
Have a great weekend, everyone - I look forward to coming home and seeing what discussion has been had in my absence. :)
posted by Donna S. @ 6:04 PM
13 Comments:
Wow. Hm... This seems pretty shady to me. First of all, just b/c they quote Rick Warren doesn't automatically ingratiate this company to me. After reading this quote (keeping in mind the perspective of someone who may not be a believer), I think that it could EASILY be interpreted a number of ways.
"God" is not that clearly defined in this statement - it's QUITE ambiguous (perhaps, as not to be offensive?). Because of this, couldn't anyone interpret it any way they wanted to? Could it be that Starbucks is trying to please "everybody," maybe so they won't lose business from either side?
Hm...stuff to think about. I'll keep thinking about it, though. I DO find it interesting that they chose this particular quote from this particular book, however. What do YOU think, D?
I agree with Wojack, and I think that this shows how easily manipulated people the "christian community" is by simply tossing them a worthless chew toy. There are probably tons of "christians" out there who are going to be so happy to see this and go out of their way to tell people about it.
It's friggin Rick Warren, people. It's not Piper, Sproul, MacArthur, or anyone cool. It's the guy who thinks seminary is bad. They might as well have put the prayer of Jabez on the cup.
Now everyone show me some hate.
I probably wouldn't normally be the one to give any positive thought on this, but perhaps the Lord will use this to get people thinking about spiritual matters.
But yea, it probably is just some ploy by Starbucks.
Oooh! Great topic, Donna! I will have to respond more when I get the chance. I knew it would be a good one...smile.
Thanks for dropping off "Little Women"
Two passages of Paul the apostle's letters keep coming to mind when I think about this -- after this, I must declare myself MIA from blogging for the weekend or I'll never get stuff ready for the conference. Okay, here you go:
"For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ." -2 Corinthians 2:17
"Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice." -Philippians 1:15-18
Hm - good thoughts. :)
Love you, girl! We're praying for you this weekend, and don't work too hard on your preparations.
See you tonight...
You guys are so blind. Rick Warren is God's man for God's hour. He has led a million people to Christ. He has reached a million people with love; the great love of God.
Even if Starbucks doesn't have the right reasons, God will surely use these great words of Rick Warren to save even more souls from an eternity in hell--and yet you oppose it? I don't understand. Can somebody explain to me?
I'm pretty sure that Starbucks doesn't control what is submitted for "The Way I See It," although they obviously control which submissions are picked. Point being, how do we know this wasn't Rick's idea first? All Starbucks wants to do is give people a little space to express their thoughts for possibly millions of others to read. Obviously Starbucks isn't going to blatantly preach the Gospel on their cups. They are a for-profit corporation and that would cause negative publicity. They also won't say that we all need to practice the five points of Islam or that there is no God at all... Starbucks doesn't care what we believe, but they would love for us to talk about it over a vente dark roast :)
Besides, why not use the space Starbucks is providing to express a Christian message. Granted, it's a fruity Skittles message, but would you rather it be a Buddhist or Jewish leader comments that were always heard?
Anonymous #1 - YOU are so blind! Can't you see how blind you are?! Rick Warren hasn't led anyone to Christ! He has only marketed religion to grow a church to billions of people big and yet when you go in to his church you will see all kinds of advertisements for SECULAR merchandise.
He has turned a house of God into a Den of thieves. DEN OF THIEVES! I hope you that realize what you have said, Anonymous #1. I DO oppose it.
And I pity anyone who needs a cup to give them conversation. If they can't already have conversation without it then they shouldn't be drinking coffee.
Anonymous - It is the last days and Jesus said people would hate his true disciples! Why would you say Rick Warren never led anyone to Christ? He planted that church from nothing. NOTHING. You think he never led anyone to Christ all those years he was slowly building that church?
Even if you don't agree with everything he says or does--you gatta admit that he has been used by God to win souls to Christ. You sound so jealous! I don't agree with your arguments. Can't beleive your saying all these. How are the peopel in the church theives??!!
To Anonymous #1:
They're thieves because they are stealing from GOD! How else can you be a thief in the church?
I'm not jealous of someone who knows how to market religion. I have no respect for Warren or anyone who thinks he's God's man for God's hour. God's hour is right now, and his man is not Rick Warren, George Bush, or Jabez. I can tell that's how you think. God's Man is Jesus.
You should consider that God must have true disciples and not people who just use their strength to market a church and mass produce a congregation. Pretty soon they'll be having Maragarita fellowships after the services, at the church!
Donna - sorry to be so secretive. I just like to typically keep my personal business... well, personal :) That's why I haven't really told anyone. But you're right, it's only fair that my friends should know I have a girlfriend. I mentioned it on my post I just published. She's actually thinking about coming up for my graduation. Are you & jason going to be around? Because I want her to get to meet you guys. That will be the weekend of December 9th.
Rick Warren's quote isn't bad. It's good and true--just not explicitly Christian (like many of the quotes from the Old Testament). Even if Starbucks has money as their agenda in using it--we should rejoice like Paul did when people preached Christ for all the wrong reaons. I'm not saying that the quote is the gospel, or that it is uniquely Christian, but neither is this: "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength." Perhaps if this was the quote they used, all of the criticism about the Rickster's quote would apply just the same. Right?
Anyway--I don't think Rick Warren does a good job of presenting the gospel to our generation (for a summary of his understanding just look in the back of his purpose driven life book at the gospel presentation and sinners prayer). However--In my judgment MOST churches and pastors seem to be doing a poor job of this too, Rick just happens to have found a way to take a lot of basic truths and make them culturally digestible to the masses. Sure he's not always right, but who is? I'm tryin'nah.tah.bee.critikah.l, I have mixed feelings about it. AHHHH!!!!
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