Does your appearance help or hinder the Gospel? Mike McKinley writes at 9 Marks for those of us who would seek to reach the culture by being much like the culture — Contemplating Cool.
Some selected quotes:
- if the Lord called you to shepherd sixty uncool saints until they were safely home, with no spectacular revival or ministry explosion, would you consider that beneath you? Would it seem unworthy of your gifts and a waste of your life? If so, you are being motivated by pride.
- Much of being a pastor is profoundly uncool.
- There is a real danger in becoming so puffed-up over our freedom in Christ to wear black t-shirts that we begin to look down on the Ned Flanders-style Christians who love the Lord and have served him faithfully for years. In fact, it may be that the Lord is more pleased with their humble walk (though not as sophisticated) than he is with yours.
- With a few exceptions, Christians who try to be cool are terrible at it.
- Being like the culture can make it hard to see the gospel.
Just in case you think this applies only to pastors — it doesn’t.