No twerking. No drinking. No smoking. But plenty of room for Jesus at this Christian nightclub

By Luis Andres Henao and Jessie Wardarski | The Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The young crowd at a Nashville nightclub was ready to dance under the strobe lights to a throbbing mix of& hip-hop, rap and Latin beats. But first they gathered to pray and praise God. 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. Attendees at The Cove, an 18-and-up, pop-up Christian nightclub, dance in unison. More than 200 racially and ethnically diverse young clubbers attended The Cove’s fourth event. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski) 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&...