It seems like Christianity is facing an identity crisis.

That is the main idea behind Brett McCracken’s book Hipster Christianity: When Church and Cool Collide.

I was immediately interested in the idea when I first saw the book. Take a look around postmodern Christianity; it’s all about trying to be cool, culturally relevant and hip.

But is that what the church is called to be? I’m not so sure. McCracken takes a stab at it in this book. And I think he hits pretty close to the mark in most of it.

In the first few chapters, McCracken defines hip and hipsterdom. And as I read those pages, I had to ask myself, is this even going to apply to my ministry situation? I mean, seriously. I live in a small town in rural southern Missouri, about as far from the centers of culture as you can get. What influence does the hipster mentality of Brooklyn, Chicago and LA really have on this area?

Quite a lot, actually. While Mountain View may not be a mecca of the postmodern hipster lifestyle, there are traces of hipsterdom in the church even here.

And then, the second and third parts of the book really started to hit home. What do Christianity and cool have in common? Should Christianity attempt to be so culturally relevant that it looks like everything else? Or is it perceived as a weak attempt at trying to fit in, after finally jumping on board eighteen to thirty-six months too late?

Is Christianity facing an identity crisis?

My thought is yes. All too often we try to be attractive to the non-Christian. We try to brand Christianity to be attractive to seekers. We attempt to look like a “safe for the whole family” version of mainstream culture.

But is that really what Christianity is supposed to be?

Or are we supposed to be timeless and eternal, offering a hope that is bigger than our current cultural setting? Offering a chance at making a difference eternally instead of being noticed now?

Now, before you get upset and start leaving negative comments (yeah, right. Who ever leaves a comment on here?), I’m not suggesting that Christianity not be culturally relevant. I believe that we are called to impact our culture. But I’m not so sure that the best way to do that is to copy it, and pretty pathetically at that.

Maybe the best way to engage our culture and make an impact is to be authentic, not relevant. Instead of marketing ourselves to try to get people to notice our “really cool new logo,” maybe we should let people see that we are Christians by the way we live out the New Testament; i.e. love (John 13:35).

McCracken quotes Tullian Tchividjian, in Unfashionable: Making A Difference In The World By Being Different:

The world desperately need the church to be the church, reflecting the kingdom of God so that those who are lost will know where to turn when their own kingdoms begin to collapse.

True. There is a fine line here. But just where is it? How far is too far? There is a huge pendulum swinging from the monolithic pulpits of our grandparents eras to the iPad-ready plexiglass podium of today, or no podium at all, just a table and a stool. Where is the happy medium?

For me? I love tech stuff. I love gadgets. So the latest innovation is fun to play with and try to implement. But does that communicate God’s truth the best way? The other side of the coin is solid biblical teaching, and a firm stance on doctrine and important issues. That’s just as critical, in my opinion.

Jesus told us that, as his followers, we would be hated by the world. That seems like the church is destined to be “uncool”.

Maybe, as McCracken states, we need to redefine cool. Cool Christianity is lasting Christianity. It’s selfless Christianity. It’s confident Christianity. And it’s God-centered Christianity.

The desire to be cool, hip, fashionable, and recognized… it’s all a vain pursuit and a waste of time. It comes from a very human place, but it’s a distraction and a self-destructing futility. Our instinct toward cool will only be satisfied in Christ. As new creations, saved by grace and guided by the Holy Spirit, we are called to live lives of selflessness and love and renewal. Here – in service of Christ and with God as the center and core of our being – our identities become more fully realized than we’ve ever known.

If that’s not cool, I don’t know what is.

What about you? Which side of the debate speaks loudest to you? Do you find yourself chasing a trendy cultural relevance? Or a timeless truth that might not seem as glossy, but stands firm? How do you balance the issue?

If you are interested in reading Hipster Christianity, you can purchase it at Amazon.com.

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