Jim Gilmore: Fear and Trembling in the Experience Economy

This morning Jim Gilmore brought his first message to us. Honestly, I wasn't looking forward to hearing Gilmore and his economic outlook of today's culture.

I was pleasantly surprised but still wonder how I am supposed to take it home with me as a church leader. I am hoping that he will uncover this more tomorrow, but I really enjoyed his presentation. It was also interesting to find out that he is a reformed Christian first, and an economist second. He even put the conference in its correct context, by pointing out that it is called, Text and Context, in that order, for a reason.

The focus of Gilmore was to uncover the transgression of the experience economy and then how it is effectively sold. As an example:

Commodities:

Coffee costs 3 to 4 cents a cup

If someone gives you the coffee for you to make: 5 to 10 cents a cup (think Maxwell House)

Then if someone makes you a cup of coffee: 50 cents to $1 (restaurant, Dunkin Dounuts)

If they provide a place for the experience of coffee: 3 to $5 per cup (of course we are speaking of Starbucks here)

Now, I know what you are thinking, but Gilmore strongly asserts that we are not to make the church a business, but we are to take the church (the people) into business and learn to change it. The reason being that the experience economy is ultimately leading us to the transformation economy, which will sell us the thought of becoming perfect. Gilmore stressed, both in presentation and in his book, "Authenticity" that we are not to sell perfect but focus in on the perfection of Christ.

I hope that more will be brought about how to take this to our actual church tomorrow.

Next comes Chandler.