But let's be clear: this club isn't about dampening the fun. It still aims to provide a good time, complete with heart-pounding music and strobe lights. However, before the party kicks into high gear, attendees gather to pray and praise God. It's a unique blend of nightlife and spirituality that's sure to pique curiosity and stir conversation.
From The Associated Press:
The rules were announced on the dance floor by a mic-carrying emcee to more than 200 clubgoers blanketed by thick smoke machine fog: ”Rule No. 1: No twerking. Second rule: No drinking. And a third rule: No smoking.” The last unspoken rule seemed obvious by then: No secular music — the playlist would be all Christian.
Welcome to The Cove.
The pop-up, 18-and-up Christian nightclub was launched last year by seven Black Christian men in their 20s — among them an Ivy League-educated financial analyst, musicians and social media experts — who sought to build a thriving community and a welcoming space for young Christians outside houses of worship. The launch comes at a post-pandemic time of dwindling church attendance, especially among Black Protestants that surveys say is unmatched by any other major religious group.
“We ourselves 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,” said Eric Diggs, The Cove’s 24-year-old CEO.
“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.
Before their first monthly party in November, they set an ambitious goal: get 1,000 followers on social media. “We ended up getting more than 10,000 followers before our first event, which was insane,” said Eric’s brother, Jordan Diggs, 22, who manages the club’s social media presence.
“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.”
