Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard of Cracker Barrel Restaurants rebranding initiative. I must say, we’ve finally found something that everyone can agree on: no one likes the new branding that Cracker Barrel came up with!

Conservatives and Progressives/Liberals alike have lamented the corporate change. There are several reasons I’ve seen over the past week. Those reasons include a loss of nostalgia and identity, The redesigned logo removes the iconic image of a man leaning on a barrel—an emblem of Southern charm and the chain’s heritage—leaving just the words “Cracker Barrel” on a gold background. Critics say this erases the brand’s sentimental value.  

There is also the sense of perceived sterility and blandness. Many called the new logo and updated decor “cold,” “sterile,” or “soulless”—in stark contrast to the warm, cozy atmosphere long associated with Cracker Barrel.  

As with everything else these days, there are those who note the political undertones of the move and the backlash that followed. Conservative figures widely criticized the change as an example of “wokeness,” while others accused the company of abandoning tradition to appeal to diversity, equity, and inclusion agendas. Even California Governor Gavin Newsom mockingly added fuel to the fire, reflecting deep political polarization surrounding what many consider a benign design change.  

And let’s not forget the financial consequences of the rebrand. Cracker Barrel’s stock plunged nearly 15% in one day, erasing an estimated $100 million to $195 million in market value. 

I’d say someone didn’t really think that decision all the way through.

Let me say that my family used to love Cracker Barrel. We came to love it when we moved to Kentucky for seminary. Cracker Barrel was a welcome stop on the 12-hour drive between seminary and our home in Louisiana that we would make several times each year.

The biscuits and the cornbread muffins were always warm. The hospitality was always cordial. The atmosphere was inviting and the food quality was consistent. We always knew what we were going to get when we stopped at a Cracker Barrel.

We don’t go to Cracker Barrel anymore, though. We stopped going before the rebrand. We stopped going because the last three times we went to Cracker Barrel, the food simply wasn’t very good. And, they started serving alcohol, too! Not that the alcohol really matters. We go to restaurants all the time that sell alcohol, but there was something that stung me when they made that move. It’s probably more my issue than Cracker Barrel’s, but still…

So? Why such the pushback on Cracker Barrel? I think it’s because Cracker Barrel represents a memory. It was Grandma’s kitchen with biscuits and gravy, and rocking chairs on the front porch. The rebrand stripped away everything the company represented to its customers, all in the name of “relevance” and “modernization.”

I’m not so sure it’s not the same struggle the Church/church faces, too. We want to reach the next generation. We want to be relevant. But sometimes, in the process, we risk losing the very soul of who we are.

Some churches throw out every hymn, every tradition, every symbol of the faith, hoping that a sleek, modern design will attract people. But what happens? People walk in and say: ‘This doesn’t feel like church anymore. It feels soulless.’

Now, don’t get me wrong—change is necessary. We must preach the Gospel in the language of our day, but the Gospel is still the Gospel. The method of the message may change, but the message must never change. Or, just like Cracker Barrel discovered, we can’t throw away our heritage and expect people to follow. People are hungry for warmth, for story, for authenticity. People are hungry for Jesus!

Are we giving them Jesus, or are we giving them some warmed over, feel-good-get-your-God-moment and sending them back out into the world? The Church/church just needs to give the people Jesus every time they come.

Paul tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:15: ‘So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you.’

Notice, Paul isn’t saying never change. He traveled culture to culture, adapting his methods to reach people, but he never threw away the core. He held fast to the Gospel, even as he adjusted his approach.

So here’s the lesson for us as a Church/church:

• Change is fine—but it must not be an erasure.
• We can add new songs, new ministries, new outreach—but not at the cost of losing the warmth of fellowship, the truth of Scripture, and the centrality of Jesus Christ.
• People don’t come to church for flash and logos. They come because they’re looking for a family, for hope, for soul, for salvation.

So the next time you drive past a Cracker Barrel (or hear someone complaining about the new logo) remember this: What the world is truly longing for is not sleeker branding, but something real, something rooted, something alive. And friends, that’s exactly what the church can offer, if we hold fast to Jesus Christ while speaking His love in a way this generation can understand.

I sure do wish we could all agree on that!

Until next time, keep looking up…