Posted on 11/24/2013 12:07:29 PM PST by ReformationFan
The unbelieving world will always do “cool” better than the Church. When the Church adopts coolness and relevance as its corporate values, it slavishly agrees to follow, lagging always one step behind the world. (This is why Christian music always ends up ripping off the sounds and styles of their secular counterparts, while Christian film always has a cheesy “cringe factor”).
(Excerpt) Read more at theaquilareport.com ...
Cool pastor = Evil pastor
A good discussion of the article is going on here:
www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3095025/posts
Just scanning the above couple of sentences, I can know pronounce that “White” Christian music really does blow, because it does not borrow from black gospel influences.
It’s like today’s country music, which is just sucky rock and roll with a twang. Black gospel music gave birth to the blues. Many church singers of gospel went on to become blues singers (ah, the devil’s music). That sense of timing and rhythm, is just lacking in “white” christian music.
Heck, even Bob Dylan’s “Gotta Serve Somebody” is way times better than modern white christian music. If any of you have a chance, go catch Tommy Castro and the Pain Killers (blues) Tommy does a great rendition of Dylan’s “Gotta Serve Somebody”
It’s just my opinion, but I find that “White” christian music to be whiney and self serving preachy. “Black” gospel on the other hand contains a morality play inside and offers redemption for the sinner. Plus, it has a beat and to an old rock and roll listener, gospel far more easily crosses over, while “white” christian music stays just where it is.
Just one man’s opinion If you like “White” Christian music, good for you. Enjoy it, sing it,let it uplift you. I just happen to think other styles of music are better.
Oh, so NOT true necessarily. I'm sure it's the case sometime, but not always. I know of a very Biblically sound pastor in our area who has a great ministry and growing church - mostly new Christians or those who are curious seekers - and he is "cool" - but does not pander to the "seeker sensitive" crud and does not compromise on the Word at all.
Exception: Matt Chandler, The Village Church in Texas
The guy makes some points, and there are some phonies out there, and some self aggrandizers as well - but he conflates a number of issues as well. Then to top it off, he pimps his book at the end of his blog post.
Sounds to me like a cool pastor who didn’t catch on………so now he’s all in favor of “uncool.”
“This is why Christian music always ends up ripping off the sounds and styles of their secular counterparts, while Christian film always has a cheesy ‘cringe factor”.’”
And why Christian articles like this are “always” so pathetically dismissive of Christian art?
So where does this guy get off slamming Christian musicians and filmmakers? Right back at ya, Christian author. Who did you rip off when writing this piece? What kind of cheese are you passing off as anything worthy of reading?
Man, I hate this kind of look-down-your-nose arrogance.
From the article:
“It will take a moment for the fog machine to clear up, as he takes center stage. But soon enough you will be able to identify him clearly: he’s the guy wearing the sneakers and the torn jeans, possibly even a hoodie and a snap-back too. He doesn’t carry a Bible under his arm—that would send the wrong signal—he carries his tablet computer.”
So, if a church tries to create a particular ambiance to serve its members, and the pastor wears trendy clothing and uses an iPad rather than a floppy paper Bible ... he is worthy of condemnation?
This author is quite judgmental. Pretty distasteful.
Why not focus on how the gospel is being preached rather than judging someone by appearance?
Cool don’t white-wash the henhouse or much of anything else...
I agree with you on a number of your points - and in fact, almost all my Bible study and reading is now done online. I prefer a laptop to an iPad, but you get the idea.
With just a couple of clicks, I can compare a scripture in King James, NIV, The Message, etc. With another click or two, I can find out what some of the great teachers say about that scripture. Sure, some of these hipster pastors are phony, or perhaps real but caught up in a carefully derived image, no doubt…but this article was overly judgemental and dismissive.
Then again, neither does stodgy, stale, self righteousness or pharisaical.
They tend to be preoccupied with being hip and cool and sporty, at the expense of focusing on God and guiding the congregation to focus on God.
You wrote that “some of these hipster pastors are phony, or perhaps real but caught up in a carefully derived image.”
Yes. I totally agree.
I serve in my church’s “worship” band, and personally struggle to play in a way that is relevant to the people I’m serving, but at the same time I embrace the ancient truths of Scripture. It’s a fun challenge to be “current” and “ancient” at the same time. :-)
The great thing about the ancient truths of scripture is that the most basic and ancient of these truths…is that we worship a God who is outside of time…therefore He is both ancient and current - and now that I think of it, also a God of the future as well.
Check out Flyleaf or Red. Maybe start with Flyleaf’s album “Memento Mori.”
I love Casting Crowns and Tenth Avenue North. Great messages.
There is a great pastor like that in Asheville. Sticks to God’s word and God’s love. Their church is really growing.
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