In an era marked by cultural upheaval and deepening societal divides, John Cooper, the charismatic frontman of the Christian rock band Skillet, is making waves far beyond the music scene.
With the release of Skillet’s new album, Revolution, Cooper is positioning himself and his band at the forefront of what he sees as a crucial spiritual battle for the soul of America.
“This is a revolution,” Cooper declares emphatically. “It is a spiritual revolution.”
In a wide-ranging interview, the veteran rocker made it clear his vision for change goes far beyond the realm of music or even politics. “I don’t think politics can save America,” he asserted, quickly adding, “that doesn’t mean that I don’t think politics is important.”
Cooper’s call for revolution, however, is not about overthrowing governments or inciting civil unrest. He’s careful to distinguish his message from anything that could be construed as militant or violent.
“This is not in any way ever a militaristic revolution,” he emphasized. “We’re not trying to overthrow something. We are talking about a spiritual revolution. We need to turn back to God.”
This message of spiritual renewal is at the core of Skillet’s new album and Cooper’s broader mission. Despite facing criticism for his outspoken views on political and social issues, Cooper insists faith remains the foundation of everything the band does.
“As a group we hold onto these things: Faith, hope, love — the greatest of these is love,” he said, echoing the biblical passage from 1 Corinthians 13:13.
Cooper’s passion for spiritual revolution is fueled by his deep concern for the younger generation, which he sees as facing unprecedented challenges.
“We’re talking about the highest levels of teen suicide in American history,” he lamented. “The highest levels of depression, the most overmedicated society that we know of in all of history.”
The rocker described the factors he believes are contributing to this crisis: “These kids are on medication. They are depressed. They’re living their lives on these stupid cell phones, which is a false reality. They’re told they’re stupid, they’re ugly, they’re fat, they’re this, they’re that and the other, every single day.”
Skillet is John Cooper, Korey Cooper, Jen Ledger and Seth Morrison.
It’s in response to this perceived crisis that Skillet crafts much of its music.
“One of the things we sing a lot about in our songs is the fact that you matter,” Cooper explained. He acknowledges such a message might sound trite to older Christians, but he insists on its crucial importance for today’s youth.
“I want people to know that God loves them and that there is hope in the world,” he said.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Skillet’s ministry is the group’s ability to straddle the line between secular and Christian music scenes.
“One of the most intriguing aspects of Skillet’s ministry is the group’s ability to straddle the line between secular and Christian music scenes.”
“Skillet makes 80% of our money in the secular metal world,” Cooper said. “We don’t make the majority of our money in the Christian world, because we play in a lot of secular metal music festivals.”
This unique position allows Skillet to reach audiences many Christian bands can’t, but it also comes with its challenges.
“We’ve taken a lot of heat,” Cooper admitted. The band’s willingness to speak boldly about their faith in secular spaces has made them both influential and controversial figures in the music industry.
Cooper sees this as part of their calling.
“I think Skillet is the most vocal for the gospel rock band who has ever crossed to mainstream music, outside of Stryper,” he said, referencing the pioneering Christian metal band of the 1980s. “Skillet has never backed away from that. We’ve always been very honest about our Christianity.”
Cooper’s outspoken nature extends beyond music into hot-button social and political issues, which has led to accusations of Christian nationalism — a label he firmly rejects.
“I’m always an open book,” he said. “We are outspoken about Christ because we’re outspoken that he is the only way to heaven, but not just about Christ. We’re also outspoken about moral issues.”
John Cooper
“I speak about the abortion stuff all the time. I speak about the transgender theory being taught in schools. I stand for biblical traditional sexuality,” Cooper said. “We say them proudly, we say them boldly, we say them with compassion toward people who don’t agree with us, but we do speak the truth.”
These positions have put Cooper at odds with some prominent voices in the Christian community, including author and political commentator David French and VeggieTales creator Phil Vischer. Cooper sees this as part of a broader divide within Christianity.
“You have people in the camp of those like David French and Phil Vischer and people like that, who are very upset at people like me,” he said. “They said, ‘You’re trying to be a Christian nationalist and trying to ban books and all these kinds of things.’”
Cooper pushes back against these characterizations, suggesting there’s a fundamental misunderstanding at play.
“I do think there’s some very strange things going on. I do think that words are being redefined,” he said. He also points to what he calls “progressive Christianity” as part of the problem, suggesting terms like “authority of Scripture” are being used in ways that differ from his own understanding.
As Skillet approaches nearly three decades in the music industry, Cooper reflects on the band’s journey and its commitment to authenticity.
“We’ve always tried to be authentic,” he said. “I know that’s a word people use a lot of times, and it kind of sounds cheesy, but I mean it in a really genuine sense. Skillet has never tried to pretend that we were something different.”
Cooper sees Skillet’s music and his own outspoken nature as part of a larger mission to spark a spiritual awakening. “I believe we are on a very bad path to destruction,” he warned, “but I don’t think that politics can save us. It’s way too far gone for that. We need a revolution of love of the word of God.”