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“Starbucks will close 7,100 stores nationwide for three hours on the evening of Feb. 26 to retrain about 135,000 in-store employees and people who oversee the stores. ‘We will have all new standards for how we create the drinks,’ said spokeswoman Valerie O’Neil. ‘They will be trained in creating the perfect shot, steaming the milk and all the pieces that come together in a drink.’” (Seattle Post)

I have to admit my initial response to this news of a shut-down at Starbucks was that of sheer horror…to think three hours without coffee, come on now! That said, after going out and stocking up on a fresh supply of coffee to get me through, this whole idea of a 3 hour shut-down to re-focus on what makes Starbucks Starbucks got me thinking. See for Starbucks it’s more than a three hour refresher course on how to make the perfect espresso, it’s three hours to refocus on what make’s Starbucks so unique…which in a nutshell is service. See the shut-down is less about a drink makeover and more about an identity makeover. Which makes one think, what would it look like for us as the church to take 3 hours. 3 hours to simply serve others…for some of us maybe that’s three hours to serve at a campus, or three hours to serve at the Living Hope Warehouse. Simply put, what would it look like for you to take 3 hours to serve? Jesus was never shy about the fact that those desiring to live a life of great influence & great fulfillment, are found in those who live to provide great service. In fact great service is literally at the core of the churches identity when the church is being all that the church is called to be (Acts 2). So go ahead take 3 hours over the next week, and then share your story of service, and what you got out of it. My guess is, you won’t regret the time spent…and through it you’ll have a different view of the world around, of yourself, and of what matters most in life.