Phil Cooke
Encyclopedia
Phil Cooke is a media consultant
focused mainly on the Christian
market
, as well as a vocal critic of contemporary American
and American-influenced Christian culture. Scott McClellan of Collide magazine wrote, "At times, Cooke may appear to be Christian media’s biggest critic but, as he is quick to point out, he criticizes because he loves."
He is a long-time producer of nationally known religious and inspirational programming, and has worked for such clients as Billy Graham
, Oral Roberts
, Joel Osteen
, Joyce Meyer
, and Robert Schuller. Cooke produced Billy Graham's most-seen program, Starting Over, which reached around 1.5 billion people in 200 countries in one day.
Cooke attributes his career path to a movie he made in high school, which he played for his fellow students at Oral Roberts University
. When the response was positive, he left his music major behind and got his degree in Film and Television in 1976. He later earned a Master's in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma
, and a Doctorate in Theology from Trinity College and Seminary
.
Cooke, along with his wife Kathleen, founded Cooke Pictures in 1991. Cooke is also a partner in TWC Films, which produced two 2008 Super Bowl
commercials.
Cooke is the son of a preacher
. He lives in California
.
, encouraging Christian organizations and leaders to change how churches communicate their message in a media-centric world. As Cooke has explained, "Most people have negative connotations when they hear the word 'branding.' They think commercialism, they think capitalism. But the fact is, branding is simply a compelling story around a product or a person or an organization."
Cooke wrote two books that attempt to explain this concept, Branding Faith: Why Some Churches and Non-Profits Impact Culture and Others Don't, and The Last TV Evangelist: Why the Next Generation Couldn't Care Less About Religious Media and Why It Matters. In The Last TV Evangelist, Cooke argued that scandals and a shift in media consumption has spelled the end for what has been known as "traditional" Christian media.
The Christian Broadcasting Network
quotes him, regarding Christianity in the media, as saying: “We simply have to have a voice in the media. It’s time for the church to take ministry to the next level.” Cooke's message has been summed up as: "If churches want to be listened to, they need to respond adequately to the new situation, or risk not being heard." Cooke says that the world is in the greatest transition between two generations of media use, and he posits that the drive behind this shift is that "The Millennial generation wants to have a voice," and that it has the technological backing to realize that desire.
One of Cooke's main criticisms of contemporary U.S. "Christian culture" is its lack of creativity. He is firmly against what he describes as the "bubble" that the Christian culture is in, as it is focused on developing its own music, books, and movies that do not engage the culture at large. Cooke explains: "Changing the culture is a gigantic task. It's like the weather....We can't change the weather, but we can rescue people from the storm....We need to connect with that great audience out there so real change can eventually happen."
In addition to his books, Cooke writes a daily blog, titled The Change Revolution, on the interaction of media and Christian culture, in which he gives criticism as often as praise to people and events in the Christian world.
Media consultant
A Media Consultant is a term used to describe a marketing agent or public relations executive, hired by businesses or political candidates to obtain positive press coverage....
focused mainly on the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
market
Niche market
A niche market is the subset of the market on which a specific product is focusing; therefore the market niche defines the specific product features aimed at satisfying specific market needs, as well as the price range, production quality and the demographics that is intended to impact...
, as well as a vocal critic of contemporary American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and American-influenced Christian culture. Scott McClellan of Collide magazine wrote, "At times, Cooke may appear to be Christian media’s biggest critic but, as he is quick to point out, he criticizes because he loves."
He is a long-time producer of nationally known religious and inspirational programming, and has worked for such clients as Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
, Oral Roberts
Oral Roberts
Granville "Oral" Roberts was an American Pentecostal televangelist and a Christian charismatic. He founded the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association and Oral Roberts University....
, Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen
Joel Scott Osteen is an American author, televangelist, and the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. His ministry reaches over seven million broadcast media viewers weekly in over 100 nations around the world.-Biography:...
, Joyce Meyer
Joyce Meyer
Joyce Meyer is a Charismatic Christian author and speaker. Meyer and her husband Dave have four grown children, and live outside St. Louis, Missouri. Her ministry is headquartered in the St. Louis suburb of Fenton, Missouri.-Early life:Meyer was born Pauline Joyce Hutchison in south St. Louis in...
, and Robert Schuller. Cooke produced Billy Graham's most-seen program, Starting Over, which reached around 1.5 billion people in 200 countries in one day.
Cooke attributes his career path to a movie he made in high school, which he played for his fellow students at Oral Roberts University
Oral Roberts University
Oral Roberts University , based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the United States, is an interdenominational, Charismatic Christian, comprehensive university with an enrollment of about 3,790 students from 49 U.S. states along with a significant number of international students from 70 countries...
. When the response was positive, he left his music major behind and got his degree in Film and Television in 1976. He later earned a Master's in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
, and a Doctorate in Theology from Trinity College and Seminary
Trinity College and Seminary
Trinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary, also known as Trinity College of the Bible; is a nondenominational Bible college and seminary located in Newburgh, Indiana. Trinity offers unaccredited distance education programs at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree levels for...
.
Cooke, along with his wife Kathleen, founded Cooke Pictures in 1991. Cooke is also a partner in TWC Films, which produced two 2008 Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
commercials.
Cooke is the son of a preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
. He lives in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Faith branding
Cooke is known in Christian circles as an advocate of faith brandingFaith branding
Faith branding is the concept of branding religious organizations, leaders, or media programming, in the hope of penetrating a media-driven, consumer-oriented culture more effectively. Essentially, faith branding treats faith as a product and attempts to apply the principles of marketing in order...
, encouraging Christian organizations and leaders to change how churches communicate their message in a media-centric world. As Cooke has explained, "Most people have negative connotations when they hear the word 'branding.' They think commercialism, they think capitalism. But the fact is, branding is simply a compelling story around a product or a person or an organization."
Cooke wrote two books that attempt to explain this concept, Branding Faith: Why Some Churches and Non-Profits Impact Culture and Others Don't, and The Last TV Evangelist: Why the Next Generation Couldn't Care Less About Religious Media and Why It Matters. In The Last TV Evangelist, Cooke argued that scandals and a shift in media consumption has spelled the end for what has been known as "traditional" Christian media.
The Christian Broadcasting Network
Christian Broadcasting Network
The Christian Broadcasting Network, or CBN, is a fundamentalist Christian television broadcasting network in the United States. Its headquarters and main studios are in Virginia Beach, Virginia.-Background:...
quotes him, regarding Christianity in the media, as saying: “We simply have to have a voice in the media. It’s time for the church to take ministry to the next level.” Cooke's message has been summed up as: "If churches want to be listened to, they need to respond adequately to the new situation, or risk not being heard." Cooke says that the world is in the greatest transition between two generations of media use, and he posits that the drive behind this shift is that "The Millennial generation wants to have a voice," and that it has the technological backing to realize that desire.
One of Cooke's main criticisms of contemporary U.S. "Christian culture" is its lack of creativity. He is firmly against what he describes as the "bubble" that the Christian culture is in, as it is focused on developing its own music, books, and movies that do not engage the culture at large. Cooke explains: "Changing the culture is a gigantic task. It's like the weather....We can't change the weather, but we can rescue people from the storm....We need to connect with that great audience out there so real change can eventually happen."
In addition to his books, Cooke writes a daily blog, titled The Change Revolution, on the interaction of media and Christian culture, in which he gives criticism as often as praise to people and events in the Christian world.
Sources
- 700 Club, the; Episode dated June 5 2009
- Ireland, Michael; "Media expert with a theology degree helps Christians hone their message and tell their stories of faith"; Across Pacific Magazine
- Architects and Cooke Pictures partner to deliver the 'branded building'; Church Executive
- Scharia, Jenna; "New Cooke Book"; The Communique, Fall/Winter 2008
- Wegner, Rachel; "Faith, Culture, and Other Mysteries"; ORU Report, Fall 2008