In a bizarre modern trend, Evangelicals have taken a peculiar fascination with pop idols, Taylor Swift being the most recent glaring example. Whether it be Christianity Today’s assertion that Taylor Swift “brings Christians together,” churches finding pop stars like these more attractive than Jesus, or even the Museum of the Bible promoting her at their events, this bewildering obsession marks an extreme departure from the Church’s mission and calling.

Elevating such pop idols to a platform that rivals, in many cases, even Jesus Himself not only dilutes but perverts essence of Christianity but ventures into the extremely bizarre, attempting to marry the sacred with the profane in a union that seems more suited for tabloid sensationalism than theological reflection. Such a trend reflects a curious change in priorities, where the pursuit of relevance leads to an embrace of cultural phenomena at the cost of obscuring the truth of Scripture. Yet, it’s funny, followers of The Gospel Coalition say that its blogs like The Dissenter are the problem.

In a recent article that is as unorthodox as it is bewildering, The Gospel Coalition—an organization which, by its very name, suggests a commitment to upholding and disseminating the foundational truths of Christianity—has ventured into a territory that can only be described as both perplexing and profoundly troubling. The subject of our incredulity? A piece that brazenly juxtaposes the lyrics of Taylor Swift with the gospel. Yes, you read that correctly. Taylor Swift’s lyrics, replete with themes that contradict and openly defy Christ, are being paraded as parallel to the gospel. The gospel “according to Taylor Swift,” as presented by The Gospel Coalition:

I lived, and I learned,
Had you, got burned;
Held out, and held on,
God knows, too long.

And wasted time, lost tears,
Swore that I’d get out of here,
But no amount of freedom gets you clean.
You’re not my homeland anymore,
Now I’m in exile…

…You showed me something that I couldn’t see,
You opened my eyes and you made me believe,
Help me hold on to you.

I never saw you coming
And I’ll never be the same,
This is a state of grace.

Hell was the journey but it brought me heaven;
the green light of forgiveness.
You haven’t met the new me yet.

I just wanna know you better,
Know you better, know you better now.
All I know is you held the door,
You’ll be mine and I’ll be yours.

This may be a good way to get feminists, homosexuals, and leftists to call themselves “Christians,” but this isn’t Christianity at all. This isn’t just fun, or “artistic license, or whatever—it’s a full-blown capitulation to the modern apostate zeitgeist characterized by a relentless push towards progressive ideologies. This spirit is marked by an aggressive promotion of abortion rights and the normalization and celebration of sexually immoral lifestyles—positions that Swift has vocally advocated for and equating her lyrics with the gospel is not only absurd but borders on blasphemous.

Let’s be crystal clear: The gospel, the very heart of Christian faith, revolves around the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s a gospel steeped in sacrifice, redemption, and the promise of eternal life through Christ’s atoning work on the cross. This is non-negotiable. It’s the cornerstone upon which Christianity stands. To suggest, even implicitly, that pop lyrics riddled with worldly views by a God-hating rebel can somehow convey a message of equal spiritual significance is not just heretical—it’s a mockery of the highest order.

Not to mention, this peculiar rendition of “Taylor Swift’s Gospel” glaringly omits any mention of Jesus or the cross. It sidesteps the essence of Christianity, eluding any reference to sin, salvation, or the sovereignty of God, in favor of a false gospel narrative woven from the secular, the transient, and the superficial. It’s a deliberate redirection towards a gospel of cultural accommodation.

The frustration with The Gospel Coalition stems not from a single article, however astonishing that article may be. It’s the symptom of a deeper, more disconcerting trend: a pattern of diluting the Gospel message to make it more palatable to contemporary tastes. A few months ago, The Gospel Coalition published an article and then deleted it (still available at archive.org) that warrants nothing but mockery and scorn. The piece, titled 7 Things Christians Can Learn from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, aims to reveal how the pro-LGBTQ, anti-Christian secular pop icon, Taylor Swift’s music tour is apparently fertile ground for Christian edification.

This is not the mission Jesus entrusted to His followers. We are called to be salt and light in the world, to stand firm in our faith, and to proclaim the unadulterated truth of the gospel, even—no, especially—when it runs counter to the prevailing cultural currents.

The gospel is not a buffet where one can pick and choose elements that appeal to modern sensibilities while discarding those that don’t. It’s not a message that can be remixed, rebranded, or reimagined to gain wider acceptance. The power of the gospel lies in its unchanging truth, its ability to transform lives and its offer of hope and salvation through Christ alone.