By Debra Rono
In the state of Tennessee you expect to find good country music and high-quality whiskey only, but little did you know there lies a wildly unique spot, a nightclub, but not just any other nightclub, this club is a Christian nightclub. The Cove is its name, and every evening Christ-loving Gen Zs throng this spot to worship Christ and dance alongside like-minded people.
The rules of The Cove are very simple; no drinking, no twerking no smoking, and finally no secular music.
The Cove which is strictly restricted to ages 18 and above, was created by a group of seven young Black men and was born out of their idea to address the decrease in church attendance after the pandemic, particularly among Black Protestant
“We experienced a pain point of not being able to find community outside of our church, not knowing what to do to have fun without feeling bad for doing stuff that’s conflicting to our values,” Eric Diggs, The Cove’s 24-year-old CEO told the Associated Press.
The Covid period took a toll on most young people, quarantine and lockdown had most people feeling lonely and depressed and many yearned for an opportunity to get together with friends and family. According to Jordan Diggs, 22, who manages the club’s social media presence and who is also the brother to Eric Diggs, the cove was created to help deal with the pain of the post-pandemic times “There wasn’t a space to cultivate that. So, we created it ourselves out of that pain point — the loneliness, the anxiety, depression, COVID, and the long quarantine.” Said Jordan
Jordan went ahead to reveal that The Cove also purposed to showcase the fun aspect of Christianity as opposed to what many know it as “Christians get a rep for being corny. And we want to show that Christians can be normal, can be cool. And they can have fun.”
It is evident that the cove also goes an extra mile to show that young believers can represent Christ through fashion, the organizers through their social media posts, ask the attendees to get ready to dance the night away and dress to impress, “When you pull up, we expect to see you in your Holiest Drip” read part of their Instagram post.
Ever since its inaugural pop-up event in November 2023, The Cove has been hosting monthly gatherings that attract a diverse group of young adults from various backgrounds. One couple, during one of the monthly club events, had travelled 9,000-plus miles from their home in Brisbane, Australia, to the Christian club in Tennessee. They had heard about The Cove through a podcast that is co-hosted by Darin Starks, one of the club’s founders.
One unique thing about the club’s night parties is how slowly the dance party seamlessly transitions into a heartfelt worship service, where emotions run high and prayers are whispered among the attendees.
Despite the great positive responses, the club founders have also received a lot of criticism especially online from individuals who believe that dancing and worship should not be combined, and some even consider it a sin. Jordan Diggs, on the other hand, welcomes both the praise and the criticism, “Just the words Christian and nightclub is going to start a lot of conversation.” Said Digg.