Comments on: 10 Reasons Why I Don't Go to the Cool Church

By: Jen Kerr

Jen Kerr — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:18:49 +0000

Our new worship director came from a church in Bocca Raton FL, where he got a clothing allowance to shop at Banana Republic.
I think he’s in culture shock.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:10:04 +0000

I’m not saying church should be boring. There is a big difference between boring and trying to be cool. What I wrote was not in reference to any specific church, nor do I think the churches you listed are vindictive of doing those things I listed. There is a lot of good that can come from being the popular church in town, but to say there are no negative aspects to being that is a little naive to me (to me, not to everyone). And yes I’ve attended a lot of cool churches. Too many people go to them to say they go there instead of going there because that is where God has called and led them to.

Where did all this come from? It comes from people going to these churches to make church something church was never supposed to be, a “cool” place.

By: Justin K

Justin K — Tue, 12 May 2009 19:53:01 +0000

Ha! I love it.
I don’t go to a cool church. well in the 10 qualifications you put up! Although those lovely little church hoppers to appear every once in a while…

You know you’re not in a cool church when:
1. You have a 3 piece band and only one musician. (yep, do the math)
2. You have red carpet and old orange stained glass windows
2. You don’t care about the latest and greatest gadgets and gizmos; just the Lord and then people- who come and go as they please

great post man!
Great post.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 12 May 2009 19:39:54 +0000

The God I read about in the Bible isn’t a boring dude…so I don’t think church should be so either. I think you can “be cool” and pursue God genuinely at the same time. Just because a church has some success…doesn’t mean it’s eroding its morals in order to do so. I know many churches in the Seattle area who get hit with the cool card…such as The City, Mars Hill, EastLake, etc…who preach the Bible and just have a great following. Hard to read something like this without sensing bitterness. I realize you’re not directing it at any church or calling anyone out…I’m just trying to figure out the point. Have you attended any such “cool” church in order to base your opinions? Where did this all come from?

By: dex

dex — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:32:59 +0000

It might just be semantics, but to answer your last question, if you glorify God in a fresh new way then you will be attracting people with a cool thing. Those goals are one in the same. I guess I’m just on a personal crusade to end the ‘cool church’ vs traditional church vs emergent church battle. It reminds me of Tupac and Biggie.

I dig your thoughts and whether I agree or not, I need your thoughts. They are challenging and tempered with love. If I’m ever in OR I’ll look you up and we’ll talk more over dinner. I’ll pay if you ever make it to Dallas.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:57:00 +0000

So is the goal to glorify God in a new and fresh way or is it to attract people with cool things? I don’t think I’m judging here Dex. I’m just putting my thoughts out there. I certainly can understand if you don’t agree.

By: dex

dex — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:07:45 +0000

yeah, I mean, I get it. I didn’t misunderstand at all. Although this is your site, I guess I just wanted you to know me a little bit. And I think your response helps me to see that you are so focused on that other church and what that other church has wrong and the un-Biblical stuff that church is doing that you don’t see me. A guy who kinda’ likes cool stuff. The cool church might, so I might go there instead. Pretty soon, those cool young people will be old people and I’ll probably still be there. Because they saw me.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:58:24 +0000

Dex-

I’ve been waiting for a comment like yours. Let me first say this. I shop at Urban, I wear designer jeans on stage, I am the 23 year old “cool worship leader” at my church. However, I think you have misunderstood my post. I am not saying any of those things is wrong. What I’m saying is this exclusivity towards reaching young people is wrong. This giving of the stage to people who only look trendy is wrong. That is my point. I think all churches should be doing “cool” things that reach all people. This focus on young people leads to young people doing church for themselves, and I think that is un-Biblical and wrong.

By: dex

dex — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:19:39 +0000

I go to the cool church. I kinda’ like it there. Sorry that I shop at Urban, but I like it there too. I still have a heart for people, I just like jeans that fit better than the worship leader guy down the street. He seems like a great guy, though.

By: chris

chris — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:05:59 +0000

We’re definitely trying to learn how to become a church that is relational and communal. I don’t think we’re in any threat of being cool.

The catch-22 is when you’re not cool, you’re not inviting those who will be attracted initially (one hopes) by cool. If you are cool, then you struggle with being valid, because all your effort goes into being cool. Thus the people who have become disciples leave the cool environment in search of a different kind of cool. I never thought I’d use cool that many times in one sentence.

I wish that there was a way of being a not cool church with a “cool department” that did cool, but didn’t distract from being the church that Jesus lives through and breathes into.

#10 – it would appear that our focus has become to demographic centered where it needs to be disciple centered. I think I might write a book about that. Oh, wait, there’s already a thousand.

Peace Out!