"Pour Your Heart Into It!"
by Tom Goodman
June 8, 2006

At Starbucks, a passion for getting cups of great coffee into customers’ hands drives everything they do.  As those who labor and lead at Hillcrest, what’s our passion?

In 1981, Howard Schultz was selling kitchen products from New York City.  He noticed that a small company in Seattle was buying large numbers of a certain type of drip coffee maker from his company—a plastic cone set on a thermos.

He wondered why this little Seattle company was buying more of his coffee makers than Macy’s.  So, he flew cross-country and met with the owners.  Following that meeting, he couldn't stop thinking about their company.  In fact, he eventually called the owners and begged them to let him come work for them.  After much prodding they agreed, and he moved to Seattle.  Five years later, Howard Schultz bought the company.

What enchanted Howard Schultz was the company’s infectious enthusiasm for great coffee.  He saw the folks at Starbucks searching the globe for exotic, aromatic coffee beans.  They were learning to roast them just so, to blend them in precise proportions, and to refine the brewing process to exacting standards.  Schultz knew that there was a future in a company so passionate for good coffee.

He was right about the company’s future, wasn’t he?  This one company has completely changed the way millions of people think about coffee.

Passion is an essential ingredient in a church’s effectiveness, just as it is in any business.  What’s our passion at Hillcrest?  What drives us?  It’s a simple vision: to be a place where people can find and follow Jesus together.  Think about it:  Why do people gather together at Hillcrest for study, praise, activities, and mission work?  They do so for one of two reasons.  Either they want to find Jesus or, having found him, they want to follow him more faithfully.

As those who lead and labor at Hillcrest, our passion is to provide experiences that will enable people to do just that!  Discover how your job at Hillcrest fits into that big picture, and then let that passion drive you to excel in your work!  And if you know anyone who’s wondering what our “vision” is or “where our church is going,” why not forward this e-newsletter to them with an encouraging note of your own!

Howard Schultz told his Starbucks story in his book, Pour Your Heart into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time.  As much as I love a good cup of joe, Hillcrest exists for an even nobler purpose:  We’re a place to find and follow Jesus together.  Now, that’s a vision you can pour your heart into!

—Tom

     This newsletter was adapted from a devotional by Joshua Harris found here.


Special Notes

Discover Hillcrest will be held this Sunday, June 11, from noon until 2:15 p.m.  LUNCH IS PROVIDED!  The class is for those who want to become members, and for those who just want to learn more about Hillcrest.  While I teach the adult class, BJ teaches "Discover Hillcrest Kids" for children ages 8-12, and Jim teaches "Discover Hillcrest Youth" for students in grades 6-12.  Childcare is provided for children under the age of 8.  Pre-registration is encouraged but not required.  You can register by contacting our Ministry Assistant, Jami, at jami@hbcaustin.org.

I.N.V.I.T.E. Strategy Seminar.  Sunday, June 11, 5:30.  Help us promote this important seminar, and plan to attend.  You’ll get fresh motivation and important information on how to be “fishers of men” in your own circles of relationships.

“Redeem the Time.”  Your church staff wants to pray with you about your outreach plans this summer.  Respond to our “Redeem the Time” challenge by completing a commitment card this Sunday.

Prayerwalk in Egypt without leaving Austin!  Join us in the Worship Center Wednesday, June 14 for this special event.  We’ll use a video presentation from our International Mission Board to “Prayerwalk through Egypt.”  The special night includes a video presentation featuring Christian musicians Rory and Jeni Partin.  The event will run from 6:30 to 7:20 p.m.

“In This Place.”  Wasn’t that a great video we saw a couple of weeks ago on Sunday!  Watch it here.  It was a pictorial celebration of our first five weeks in the new Sunday morning schedule.

Last week’s LeaderLines.  When you got LeaderLines last week, did it seem incomplete to you?  It was!  I sent our webmaster the wrong file—an incomplete devotional I was still working on.  My apologies!