The Problem With Hipper-Than-Thou Churches
Young, modern churches are much like independent coffee shops in that they tend to forget who they are serving and lack the humility of traditional establishments that came before them, says Christian author and spoken-word artist Jefferson Bethke.
While the comparison between churches and coffee shops is unconventional, Bethke argues that the similarities between the two are based on creating a culture of exclusivism.
"Sadly, every once awhile I come across a church that seems to resemble these hipster coffee shops. They have all the latest gadgets. All the cool and well-dressed people seem to go there. They roll their eyes at 'the old way of doing things.' If a church wants to sing from a hymnal or dress up on Sundays they cry legalism. Rather than serve, they act almost inconvenienced by those who walk in the door," writes Bethke in his most recent blog post.
