Creation, Calling, and Context: A Response on Godinterest
In June 2014, media producer and author Phil Cooke published a brief commentary titled “Godinterest: The ‘Christian’ Version of Pinterest?” on his website. You can read his original thoughts here: https://www.philcooke.com/godinterest/.
In that post, Phil asked whether we really need a Christian version of a successful idea like Pinterest, and suggested that such ventures risk being “a poor imitation” rather than original Christian creativity. His concern reflects a thoughtful, if brief, critique: Are Christians advancing culture or merely copying it?
That’s an important question. But it deserves a deeper and more nuanced discussion.
Creation Is Not Just Novelty
The original article by Phil Cooke assumes that true creativity means inventing something entirely new. But the Bible—and Christian history—shows that creation often involves redeeming and reimagining existing forms for a higher purpose.
Consider Scripture:
The Psalms build on ancient poetic structures
Proverbs reflect earlier wisdom traditions
Jesus used familiar storytelling methods to reveal eternal truth
Originality in the biblical sense isn’t always about novelty. It’s about new meaning, direction, and impact.
Context Matters
Godinterest was not developed to compete with Pinterest, nor to mimic its aesthetic. Its purpose is to serve a specific community: people of faith who want a digital space where their values, creative expression, and visual storytelling can flourish together. This isn’t imitation—for imitation alone does not create community, identity, or mission.
Similar formats exist all around us:
Christian bookstores look like other bookstores
Faith-based schools mirror mainstream academics
Churches use digital tools like livestreams, podcasts, and social platforms
But in each case, the mission transforms the medium.
Engaging Culture Doesn’t Mean Abandoning It
The original critique from Phil Cooke implies that creating something like Godinterest might be a retreat from culture. In reality, building faith-oriented platforms is a way of engaging culture with clarity and purpose, not escaping from it.
Godinterest exists to:
Encourage believers in their creative journeys
Provide a space where faith and visual expression connect
Amplify voices often overlooked online
Foster community rooted in shared belief and inspiration
That’s not copying. That’s contributing meaningfully.
We Are Made in the Image of a Creator
Phil’s article rightly highlights that God reveals Himself first and foremost as Creator. Being made in His image means we reflect His creativity—not just by inventing new tools, but by redeeming and repurposing tools for good. Sometimes that means building something entirely new. Other times it means using familiar structures in transformative ways.
Leading Culture Takes Many Forms
Christian leadership in culture doesn’t fit a single mold. Some will innovate with radical new concepts. Others will reclaim and reshape existing ones for a greater purpose. Godinterest does the latter with intention and heart.
This is not a mere imitation of the world.
It is a faithful effort to engage culture on Christian terms.
A Final Word
Thank you, Phil Cooke, for raising a question that deserves discussion. Critique and conversation help all of us grow. But let’s be careful not to oversimplify the calling of Christian creativity.
Godinterest isn’t about copying culture—
it’s about participating in it faithfully.