Cool Pastors

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steadfast7

steadfast7

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Websters defines "cool" as: Fashionable and attractive at the time; often skilled or socially adept.

Should a pastor be "cool"? Why or why not?

I have a particularly "cool" pastor here in Seoul. He talks with slang, makes people laugh, and everyone loves his communication style and personality. Does this enhance or inhibit the pastoral office?
 
1The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. - 1 Tim 3:1-7

Nope, nothing in there at all about being cool.
 
many would consider Mark Driscoll a "cool" Calvinist pastor. Couldn't it be said that his "coolness" is means that God is using to bring unchurched Seattle folk to Christ?
 
In Reformed circles we sometimes think of "cool" as a negative thing, as if to mean worldly. This does not have to be the case. If a pastor is "socially adept" and "attractive", that is a good thing. We all know people who are so enjoyable to be around and speak so well that they naturally attract other people. That is a gift, in my opinion.
 
Are we using "cool" and "possessing charisma" interchangeably here? If his theology is solid, having charisma would be a plus for the visible church. People enjoy being around "likable" people, so this is an advantage for ministry. If his theology is not solid, then it would be a huge minus (See, e.g. Joel Olsteen; "Pastor" Melissa Scott, "Bishop" Jakes, et al.). If "cool" is not simply being possessed of charisma/pleasing personality, but a calculated "persona" designed to appeal to a particular group, then I could struggle with that concept. To me, it would depend on just "how calculated" it was, bearing in mind Paul said he had "become all things to all men so that... he might save some."
 
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Is it a sin to be "cool"? In and of itself, no, so long as being "cool" does not involve sinning against God.

We need to be careful in avoiding worldliness that we do not become legalists and pharisees in the process (Col. 2:20-23)
 
steadfast7 said:
Should a pastor be "cool"?
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If that's how he rolls. There's nothing wrong with being cool. I'll say, though, that it's not cool to be trying too hard. Being genuine and honest is better than trying to be cool: genuinely cool people are cool because, well, that's them. It's not a facade that they put on.
 
What we mean by "cool" as defined above is ..."socially adept"... if that is what is meant (and I think that it is) then is this just not another way of saying "hospitable"?
 
steadfast7 said:
Websters defines "cool" as: Fashionable and attractive at the time; often skilled or socially adept.
Click to expand...

If that is our definition, I definitely don't want a cool pastor. I demand a man of God who is highly unfashionable, unattractive, and terribly unskilled and socially inept!
 
The Pastor who introduced me to Reformed Theology and thought was very cool. He was a two time National Champion gymnast, very funny, and could capture and audience. Not bad things. But did I listen to him and respect him because he was cool? No. I listened to, learned from, and respected him because he was a man of God. Like Andrew pointed out, it's not required.
 
Websters defines "cool" as: Fashionable and attractive at the time; often skilled or socially adept.
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A pastor who has fastened on the belt of truth, the breast plate of righteousness, feet shod with the gospel, who takes up the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit would be cool and fashionable enough for me.

Should a pastor be "cool"? Why or why not?
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My pastor is cool in the sense that he is geniune and sincere. He listens and responds with wisdom. He isn't a trendsetter in how he dresses, but I don't think he has to be. He has won the hearts of the congregation because he is a faithful shepherd who preaches the truth faithfully. What's not to love about that?

I have a particularly "cool" pastor here in Seoul. He talks with slang, makes people laugh, and everyone loves his communication style and personality. Does this enhance or inhibit the pastoral office?
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Clent tells us stories and makes us laugh too. A pastor who can draw the congregation into worship with his ability to communciate clearly has an obvious gift. I would think a pastor who is a people person is going to have a very different ministry than one who stands off from the crowd. I would think those personality traits you listed would enhance an office.
 
P. F. Pugh said:
genuinely cool people are cool because, well, that's them. It's not a facade that they put on.
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Amen to that.

When we hear about pastors being "cool" some of us think of the 40-something youth pastor who is trying way too hard to look edgy and be accepted by the younger generation. That is the opposite of cool.

"Cool" is using your natural gifts to attract people. Cool people are enjoyable to be around. Not everybody is cool, and that is OK. I'd rather be around a guy who is comfortable with not being cool than a guy who is trying.
 
As a trombone player and Star Trek fan, I just exude 'coolness'. If that comes through in my preaching, there is nothing I can do about it. Some people just have 'It'.
 
It is a matter of personality. Peter and Paul were very different but it didn't make one better suited to be an apostle than the other.

My one caution is this: we (and I'm including myself here because I can devolve to humor very fast) can be casual about things God calls holy or important. And the 1960s-70s taught us to be irreverent about everything. Be honest as to who you are personally, but be wise to the influences our culture has had on us.

Another thought: some people are very cool (in the John Wayne style) simply because they are so very competent in many areas and can handle many situations. That's not a bad goal to have as long as it doesn't trip over into self-sufficiency.
 
Brian Auten, has rounded up into a single .pdf document some essays from the Gospel Coalition end of the Reformed blogosphere. Not a one-to-one correspondence to "cool pastor" but you may find some of the writing useful.
 
As a trombone player and Star Trek fan, I just exude 'coolness'.
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With stats like that, it is obvious that you are a die-hard believer in grace.
 
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steadfast7 said:
many would consider Mark Driscoll a "cool" Calvinist pastor. Couldn't it be said that his "coolness" is means that God is using to bring unchurched Seattle folk to Christ?
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You ought to know better than to suggest that (and I'm sure you're not dispensing with the instrumentality of the Word - as that is the ONLY thing that actually is effectual in bringing people to salvation). Perhaps his "coolness" gets a different selection of people in the gate, but it also turns a different segment of people off. He might draw in the unchurched, but will repulse some of the unchurched too.

The ONLY thing that Driscoll could ever do that would actually bring people to Christ is to preach the Word of God. Insofar as he is able to do that, he will bring people to Christ. The "coolness", however, is only window dressing that makes him attractive to some and unattractive to others.
 
Says one pretty effective preacher--"If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities."

Is "coolness" an infirmity?
 
KMK said:
As a trombone player and Star Trek fan, I just exude 'coolness'. If that comes through in my preaching, there is nothing I can do about it. Some people just have 'It'.
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I dunno... preaching THROUGH your trombone, now THAT would be cool.

(or preaching through a didgeridoo, even moreso!)
 
While coolness is nice, and there is nothing wrong with it in and of itself, I have found that most pastors who possess it have used it as a distraction or a turn off. I find some cool pastors tend to over use pop culture analogies to the point of being unclear or over use humor to the point of being a mere entertainer. I think at least in America we have too many cool speakers and not enough pastors. I love fun people but at the end of the day a dweeb should be able to preach just as well as a cool guy.
 
Some people try really hard to be cool and can't ever be themselves, some people try to hard to be themselves and are never cool or try so hard to be themselves and never actually are being themselves i.e. some people where meant to be uninteresting, of course this has nothing to do with cool pastors so I won't continue with it.

Honestly, if somebody is truly cool they don't have to try to be so to reach the "youngsters", just be yourself, would you rather sit under a pastor who is cool and hip or would you rather sit under a pastor who is honest and has integrity and understands the truth, justice, and love?
 
in my opinion, everything beyond this mindset for preachers is a distraction to the work of the Spirit:


1 Corinthians 2:1-3

1And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

2For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

3And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

4And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

5That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.


Blessings and fellowship!
 
KMK said:
As a trombone player and Star Trek fan, I just exude 'coolness'. If that comes through in my preaching, there is nothing I can do about it. Some people just have 'It'.
Click to expand...

Now I understand my problem. I took up baritone horn instead.
 
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