Thursday, May 13, 2010

The Hipster Church


I came across a wonderful blog by Rachel Held Evans this morning in which she interviews Brett McCracken about his new book, "Hipster Christianity: When Church and Cool Collide" to be released by Baker Books in August.

This is a great interview with an author of what I anticipate will be a terrific book because McCracken seems to be able to take an objective, Biblical look at the hipster-cool movement currently running rampant--not only in churches--but especially in publishing and at conferences. My family and I have first-hand experience with this movement (some call it a cancer) and decided it wasn't for us and moved on to a different church.

Evans' interview with McCracken is well worth taking time to read, but I would also encourage you to read the comments posted at the end of the article, which, amazingly, are thoughtful and respectful and sometimes quite funny! (something that rarely, if ever, happens in comments posted on the internet). The blog also provides a link to a quiz you can take to find out what your Christian cool-quotient is. I haven't taken the quiz yet. Maybe after I finish my coffee? (Hills Brothers Perfect Balance 1/2 Caffeine. Probably not cool....) Here's the link to this great interview: http://rachelheldevans.com/hipster-christianity

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:24-26

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." John 15:18-19

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

"Test everything..." 1 Thessalonians 5:21