Re-imagining Your Purpose - Food For Thought With Spencer Burke

As The "Next" Sunday Summit has come to a close, we want to continue the conversation with you and share some food for thought from our Director, Spencer Burke. In today's video, Spencer breaks down an example of how American Airlines has changed its company culture and initiatives to support its customers in today's world better. 

Just like American Airlines, faith leaders from around the country are wondering, with all of the changes the world is going through, how do we inspire loyalty, continually develop our purpose, and support our communities in the best way possible? 

"So the big question is, what happens when people don't come back to Sunday as the main organizing function? What happens when nobody flies with us on Sunday morning?"

Read the Transcript below: 

I use this metaphor to think about the "Next" Sunday.

I've flown American Airlines forever, and I'm a loyal customer. I have the little card, and for years what you've been able to do is use your credit card to be able to accumulate miles that go towards free flights, but it never counted towards your status for upgrades and, you know, the Admirals Club and all these other things. You had to actually get in a plane and fly those miles was like 25,000 flown miles to be gold or something. I mean, then platinum and all these things. 

Now, for the very first time this year, American Airlines has said to be a loyal customer, you no longer even have to get into a plane. So it's wild. What's happening now is you just have to be loyal to the American Airlines brand. So American Airlines vacations, American Airlines dining, and American Airlines e-shopping count. You can also fly. You know, they don't count that out, and you can also use the credit card. But now, instead of saying that you have to be on an airplane to be part of the American Airlines family, they've relooked at it and said, wait, realities have changed.

We know what our mission is. And that is to help people have an amazing time when they travel, and they're out. So why wouldn't you do hotels? Why wouldn't you do food? Why wouldn't you go shopping? Know that all of those now count it in. So the big question is, what happens when people don't come back to Sunday as the main organizing function? What happens when nobody flies with us on Sunday morning?

And that's a big question. So you can have your mission that you want to create a faithful community of spiritual gatherings. But right now, it's not happening in the same way that it has for Sunday morning. So how are you going to recalibrate, reimagine and rethink how you're going to fulfill your purpose?