No Experience Necessary
July 1, 2001
When Jim Gilmore took 75 pastors on a tour of Las Vegas, he pointed them beyond the gambling, showgirls, and Siegfried and Roy. They saw Vegas as "an experience." Gilmore introduced them to the strategies used to wow visitors. It's all part of what Gilmore and fellow economist and business partner Joe Pine call The Experience Economy. Their book by that title (published by Harvard Business School Press) is capturing the attention and imagination of the marketplace. Well, Vegas is one thing, but what about where we live? How does the Experience Economy affect churches in ordinary places? We asked Gilmore to wander with us through downtown Chicago and comment on the "experience-seeking culture." Leadership editors Marshall Shelley, Kevin Miller, and Eric Reed walked with Gilmore through streets and shops, and asked Gilmore, a devout Christian, how all this informs our approach to worship and evangelism. What we found—and his application of it all—really surprised us. We met Gilmore in the lobby of the House of Blues Hotel, his favorite place to stay in Chicago. He immediately showed us a card. Jim Gilmore: This was in the nightstand beside my bed. It's their version of the Gideon Bible, a card that says, "Call the front desk to order the religious reading material of your choice." And you can choose from the Bible, the Koran, the writings of Confucius, Buddha, the Dalai Lama, or a book of voodoo spells. KM: So why do you stay here? Gilmore: This hotel is a good example of what's happening in our society. The melting pot of values in America is represented here in the lobby, brought together in a way that creates a sense that one has experienced something unique. People want to take a bit of it home to remember their stay, ...
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