Date of Award

Spring 2-2015

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Department

Seminary

First Advisor

Rev. Dr. Steve Dangaran

Abstract

This dissertation explores a local church’s implementation of Christian hospitality through the examination of a local Starbucks coffee house that successfully offers hospitality to its customers both in and outside its community. A critical problem facing mainline churches today is a decline in overall membership and worship participation. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has experienced a significant decline over the last 40 years. This decline is now being experienced even in larger evangelical churches. In this dissertation the researcher plans to explore whether a local Presbyterian Church can more effectively reach out to its neighboring community by renewing and implementing outward acts of Christian hospitality while adopting the practices of a Starbucks coffee house. Section One will address the problem with Christian hospitality that is focused inwardly towards those within the church. Section Two identifies and evaluates alternative solutions to the ministry problem of hospitality. Section Three explores hospitality as implemented by a local Starbucks coffee house using “Four Pillars of World Class Customer Service” and the possible benefits for the local church in implementing “The Four Pillars” as a form of outward Christian hospitality. Section Four is an artifact description of a fictional novel meant to offer the local church a practical application to hospitality using tools employed by Starbucks through “The Four Pillars of World Class Customer Service.” The final section offers the artifact specification. The artifact concludes the dissertation.

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