Digital Crossroads: Lessons from Borders and Amazon for Modern Church Adaptation

Consider the contrasting journeys of two promising ventures, Borders and Amazon, whose fates diverged dramatically.

Before 2000, Amazon’s e-business demonstrated promising growth, yet it remained in its nascent stages, far from the powerhouse it would eventually become. Despite this growth, profitability eluded Amazon until 2003. At that time, the company focused mainly on books and had only just started expanding its product offerings. Amazon’s true dominance in e-commerce would unfold in subsequent years as it significantly broadened its range of products and services.

Before 2000, Borders thrived, enjoying substantial growth and expansion throughout the 1990s. In 1995, two years prior to Amazon’s IPO, Borders Group went public, marking its separation from parent company Kmart Corporation. The IPO garnered positive reception from investors.

In 2001, Borders made a pivotal decision to outsource its online bookselling operations to Amazon, inadvertently relinquishing control of its e-commerce presence to a competitor. This strategic misstep hindered Borders from developing a strong online platform during a critical period when e-commerce was expanding rapidly. By the time Borders attempted to rectify this and launch its own online presence in 2008, it was already too late. The company had fallen significantly behind rivals like Amazon and Barnes & Noble in the digital marketplace.

Amazon, in contrast, continued its ascent, solidifying its dominance in the online book market. It capitalized on the experience and customer base partly cultivated through its partnership with Borders. From these foundations, Amazon evolved into a global e-commerce titan, offering a vast range of products and services beyond books. It has grown into one of the world’s most valuable and influential corporations, with ventures into cloud computing through Amazon Web Services, streaming media with Amazon Prime Video, artificial intelligence, and numerous other fields. As of 2024, Amazon remains a formidable presence in both e-commerce and technology, boasting a market capitalization in the hundreds of billions of dollars.

The divergent paths of Borders and Amazon highlight the critical importance of adapting to technological advancements and maintaining control over key business functions, especially in the digital era. Borders’ choice to outsource its online operations to Amazon is frequently cited in business literature as a prime example of a strategic misstep, illustrating how a disruptive approach can undermine a traditional entity. This is the first of three distinct disruptive innovations. Video streaming services, such as Netflix, have essentially cannibalized traditional video rental stores like Blockbuster.  

Similarly, churches find themselves at a crossroads, much like the Borders vs. Amazon scenario. As communities grow more diverse and technology-driven, the necessity for churches to adopt digital tools and innovative strategies to effectively connect with people intensifies. However, some congregations remain confined within their traditional ‘four walls,’ focusing solely on preserving time-honored practices and current ministry operations. This approach risks alienating them from the broader cultural transformation that is redefining how people interact, communicate, and worship. By missing opportunities to engage in community-based initiatives and emphasizing cultural competency, churches may lose their connection with a broader audience. Fostering inclusivity while upholding core values is essential for maintaining relevance and impact in this ever-evolving cultural landscape. Many churches are experiencing the downside of the natural cycle of congregational life, and revitalization requires an unprecedented approach.