More Rob Bell Links

I was taking a break from some seminary work this morning and came across a couple of links regarding Rob Bell. Since I've included him in the last two post, I thought I would pass them on.

First, is a Time magazine article on Rob called The Hipper Than Thou Pastor. It's basically an introduction of Rob to the nation.

Second, and more importantly, is a book review of Jesus Wants to Save Christians by Ben Witherington. You can access the blog and review here. Dr. Witherington is a New Testament professor at Asbury Theological Seminary. He is a highly regarded scholar, so I was really interested to read his review. If you go to read it, let me tell you first that it is long and in-depth. But it is a good review.

Just Sniffing Around

I was watching the Tampa Bay-Boston game last night before going to bed and found something really interesting during the game. No, not the fact that the Red Sox came back to win (should have never happened). It was about Rays manager Joe Maddon.

Early in the game, TBS showed a video clip of Maddon before the game going around the outfield speaking with his pitchers. The commentators said that Maddon does this before every game and rarely calls a player into his office because he is out "in their office" on a daily basis. The commentators went on to say that Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa also does this and calls this "sniffing around." Maddon has a great rapport with his team, I'm guessing in large part because of his willingness to meet them where they are.

The Church should do a better job of this. I know there are churches who do, but most churches that I know expect that people come to them. Pastors expect congregation members and leaders to come to his/her office. We have an "if you build it, they will come" mentality about our worship services. What if Pastors and Christian leaders did more "sniffing around?" Instead of locking ourselves in our offices, we spend the bulk of our time meeting with people in their homes, the local coffee shop, athletic fields, and other places where people are comfortable. How much more would we learn about people? About the needs of our communities? About life outside the church?

On a totally seperate note: I'm wondering if Joe Maddon is what Rob Bell will look like in 20 years. Maddon certainly doesn't look like a baseball guy when he's not on the field. (Sorry for the old pic...the off the field pic looked most like Bell.)

Rob Bell Interview

Actually, I don't interview Rob Bell. It would be cool, but I don't have that kind of influence that I could call Rob up and interview him.

So Rob has come out with a new book, Jesus Wants to Save Christians. I think the title is genuis, but I know that others are offended by it. I have yet to read the book (it's not on my seminary reading list for some reason), but I heard a really good interview with Rob regarding the book. Relevant Magazine has a 2 part interview with Rob on their October 6 and October 13 podcast that is available on iTunes for free and from their website. The interview is pretty candid about the book and some of the criticism that Rob receives from many churches. Relevant also has a print interview up on their site with Rob.

I am personally looking forward to reading the book and being challenged in my understanding of our faith...especially in our American context.

So what are your thoughts? Do you agree/enjoy/grow from Rob Bell's teaching, writings, or nooma videos? Or are you ready to burn his books and call him a heretic? Somewhere in between? Talk back in the comments.

Love is...

I've been reading Rob Bell's book Sex God this past week. I'm about half-way through it. There is a lot of talk in Christian-land on whether Rob Bell is the next Billy Graham or some sort of heretic. I, for one, really enjoy Rob's sermons and teachings...but like any Christian should, I strive to investigate what people say and write.

Regardless of that, I really like what Rob wrote on love and risk on pg. 98...

"Love is handing your heart to someone and taking the risk that they will
hand it back because they don't want it."

"Love is giving away power. When we love, we give the other person
the power in the relationship."

"Love is a giving away. When we love, we put ourselves out there, we
expose ourselve, we allw oursleves to be vulnerable."

"Love is giving up control. It's surrendering the desire to control the
other person."

(for whatever reason, I can't get this justified left...but onward I go)

This is what God did with us. He loved us enough to give us free will. He loved us enough to give us his Son. He loved enough to risk that we might reject His love. When we understand God's love for us, it compels us to look at the love we have for those around us. It moves us to a selfless love, an empowering love.

In the New Year, my prayer is to ask God to help me take risk and to love as He loves me.