A Response to Rob Bell at PLNU Chapel

A Response to Rob Bell at PLNU Chapel

It was Pastor's Day at Point Loma Nazarene University this last Friday, the well-known emergent pastor Rob Bell was the guest speaker. Bell, the founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids is also known for his teaching series called Nooma which are short films promoting spiritual perspectives on individual life experiences. With his popularity rapidly growing in the last few years and a book called Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith that shook up Christians nationwide, I was very intrigued with what he was to say to my alma mater, PLNU.

In essence I wish to expose his message and his theology and paint you a picture by using his words. It’s important these days to be careful with our language because every word we utter matters especially when speaking of the Holy Scriptures and of our Holy God. Being aware of our biases and our interpretation is crucial. Like D.A. Carson writes: “We need theologians who will perceive the biases they bring to the biblical text and test them, as much as possible, by the text.”

Therefore, I wish to give to you what Rob Bell is preaching to our generation. While many friends of mine think very highly of him, I wish to test his teaching, because I believe it to be in error. For this paper, I wish to only show his words, with hope to expose his false doctrines and teachings and to shed light on this phenomenal speaker and brilliant communicator, with all his rhetoric, who – in my opinion – is teaching not only a false gospel but really no good news at all.

After a fun introduction of himself and how he became a pastor he launches in to a his mysterious message… Read along…

Bell: “There is a mystery to how the world works. It is a mystery woven into the fabric of the universe. And the sooner you stumble across this mystery and it grabs hold of you, the greater and sooner you will experience joy that you cannot put into words. There is…(as he holds up a plate and cup) the Eucharist. Also called the mass, the Lord’s supper or common table.” He explains the ‘eu’ is good and the ‘charist’ is grace or gift in Greek.

He continues: “At the heart of the Jesus story is this announcement that Jesus is God’s good gift to us for the healing and salvation of the world. God has not abandoned the world, he sent Jesus to put it all back together.”

“Now this Jesus, how does this gift work? In that he gives himself for the salvation, healing and reconciliation of everybody.”

Bell then goes to describe Jesus’ shedding of blood as the ultimate “cost” for us. He tells his audience to think of the most moving, captivating movie one had ever seen. Or perhaps a piece of literature or painting. Your enjoyment cost something from someone else, he says, “if you receive, somebody else gave, it cost somebody something. It is how the universe works.”

“For someone to say, ‘Oh! That meant so much to me,’ somebody, somewhere had to break themselves open and pour themselves out so that you could receive that life.”

Bell continues: “That’s how the Eucharist works, it’s built into the universe.”

Ok, that was a bit odd to hear but then he says…

“At the heart of the Christian faith is this understanding that Jesus is the Eucharist. He’s God’s good gift to us. And that what Jesus does is invite each of us to be a living, breathing Eucharist to a world that’s desperately in need of redemption and healing.” (Jesus says that? Where?)

It gets better…

“So what Jesus is looking for is followers who will allow themselves to be broken and open and their blood to be poured out.”

Bell finishes up by encouraging 2000 college students to find their Eucharist, the thing that wakes them up out of bed every morning…

“There lurks within you somewhere desire, passion. There lurks within you some Eucharistic calling. There is something that you were made to do that the world desperately needs. It is where you will find your joy.”

After explaining how certain religious circles teach you to suppress your desires, Bell says, “No. You go into the heart of that desire because somewhere in there you will find your Eucharist. And we need you to find your Eucharist.”

“Sometimes to understand your Eucharist, simply ask: what really, really, really pisses you off.”

“And when you find this, your joy…God is a pleasure-seeker. God sends this Jesus because it brings God great pleasure. It brings God great pleasure when you are being broken open and poured out for the healing of the world. And when we see you do this, something in us says, “Yes! You were made to do that.”

“Who are you? And what are you doing here?” These two questions he poses to these college students. To Bell, they are pivotal questions. One must find the answers – apparently within themselves – in order to wake up every morning. And the reason…

“It is the path to joy. It is the path to life. It is what the world desperately needs.”

(Really? I thought the world needs the Gospel of Jesus)

The challenge then is to find our Eucharist. Why?

“Because it is in you. Somewhere. And your joyous, counterintuitive exuberant task is simply to explore, and discover and experiment and try things until you stumble on that thing. And this is the joy set before.”

Lastly…

“May you, my brothers and sisters, become hyper-aware of the passions and desires that lurk in you. When you find yourself offended by some injustice may you listen all the more closely in case it is the Divine voice saying: ‘you need to give your life to this.’

May you come to believe that God is not a slave-driver but a pleasure-seeker who wants your joy more than anything. And may you come to see your joy will be found in the body broken and the blood poured out of being a living, breathing Eucharist. Grace and peace be with you.”

If you’ve never heard Rob Bell before or have many times – I hope these words of his explain his version of Christianity. I do not believe it is Biblical Christianity in the slightest realm. It is far from it. There are so many doctrinal errors in this small 20-minute message. I plan to display them another time. For now, judge yourself. Does this man Rob Bell speak the truth from the Bible? Or does he err on the side of false interpretation?

Hint: It’s not from the Bible I read everyday.

Excerpts from The Great Omission

As I am trying to feed my Spirit to be obedient to Jesus, I have been blessed by the words of Dallas Willard. I want to share some excerpts from the Great Omission...

I'll preface this by saying that I have been in conflict. My mind, body, soul and spirit are at odds. I want to obey the life and teachings of Christ, but right now have been stuck. These words are helping (besides the Scriptures themselves)...

"The will to obey is the engine that pulls the train of spirituality in Christ. But spirituality in many Christian circles has simply become another dimension of Christian consumerism. We have generated a body of people who consume Christian services and think that that is Christian faith. Consumption of Christian services replaces obedience to Christ. And spirituality is one more thing to consume... But we must talk about spirituality, and this naturally leads us to talk also about spiritual disciplines. Spiritual disciplines are activities in our power that we engage in to enable us to do waht we cannot do by direct effort..." (He has a whole book on this, pick it up)

Spiritual Formation...

"'Spiritual formation' refers to the process of shaping our spirit and giving it a definite character. It means the formation of our spirit in conformity with the Spirit of Christ. Of course it involves the Holy Spirit in action. But the focus of spiritual formation is the formation of our spirit. (He equates spirit, will, and heart as in the human being.) "
"'Spiritual formation in Christ is the process whereby the inmost being of the individual (the heart, will or spirit) takes on the quality or character of Jesus himself.'

That is it. It's the process whereby the inmost being of myself takes on the quality and/or character of Jesus! Whoa.

I'm wrestling. I'm fighting. But I am in process...

My Sin & My Spirit

I am perplexed by the idea that if sin in me is dead and my spirit is alive in Christ, how is that sin still remains? I am wrestling with this idea that I am in desperate need to feed my spirit and starve my flesh. But how? What can help me through all this? Do you ever find yourself at odds, desiring to do good, but finding that you still do evil? Of course. We all do... I have been reading Paul because I know he has the answers, I somehow I think he's an expert in this area...

I'm reading Romans 7 & 8...

7:9 - "I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is hold, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good."

I'm trying to understand Paul in context to his upcoming verses. When we follow "law" we think we're alive, but really the sin deceives us and takes ahold of us. He then goes on to as

k if the "good" in me brings death? By no means he says..."It was the sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin..."

Ok...

7:14 - "...but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do no do what I want, but I do the very thing I Hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is not longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but no the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do know want is what I keep doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me."

So it seems to me that we have the answer. It's the sin in me that is dwelling and not the real me. No, that is not where we stop. We read on because I am not convinced that is going to help me understand who I am in Christ and the sin that is in me. Paul want us to understand the whole thing, not just part of it.

I'll summarize what Paul is saying in verses 21-25: We find that evil is always close at hand, but in our deepest part of our hearts we delight in the Lord. But of course other "members" of our body seem to wage war on us, keeping the fight going. He is frustrated by the fact that the war still wages in his body, but who can deliver him from this "body of death?" (That is exactly the turning point in our thinking. If we just stop at that fact that we know that it is sin in me, we tend to justify that sin, because it's "oh just sin in me, not really me." But Paul has got us to change our thinking...)

Paul's answer: 7:25 "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

See I wonder how many us think about the fact that we are dead to sin, but alive in Christ. I know I know that, but until it comes to fruition in mind and ultimately in my actions, we are continually trapped at "it's just the sin in me." But I am learning that we DO have to "renew" our minds daily. Change our thinking, change our mindset, turn our heads around... And more exciting is what Paul says in chapter 8...

8:9 - "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you... 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you."

Even a few verses later he says when we live by the Spirit we will LIVE. Our spirit is alive, it gives us Life. I have to continually wrap my mortal mind around that fact that my body - with all it's members that are trying to wage war - has to listen to the Spirit in me. Jesus and the power of his Holy Spirit does dwell in me, and my body has to respond to it. My body is dead. My Spirit is alive in Christ. And it's takes the renewing of my mind every day, every moment pretty much. It's hard work. It's a battle. We are at war, but we have the Spirit of the Living God dwelling inside us. That gives me hope, that gives me courage and now gives me new life to live for today.

(please add to, suggest or comment on this topic as we are all on this path...thanks!)

Tow Trucks and Pure Religion

The other day I was driving on a very busy street near my work and I happened to see a car on the side of the road. Most of us do everyday; we see cars broken down all the time. This time as I drove past this car and then the tow truck, I saw something different. This idea of a tow truck struck me. I asked myself what is its purpose? I thought and would suggest it is to help those broken down, stranded, or in need from the happenstance of their vehicle. As I thought of this passing them by I instantly remembered James 1:27, for whatever reason. It’s states: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…”(NIV) Now we could of course take this literally and I do think we should; our “religion” should be to take care of orphans and widows in need. But let’s think about what it means to take care of those in need from an everyday mindset.

When I passed that broken-down car, my mind took a shift. I realized that I, having the Holy Spirit dwell in me, need to be different than the world. I need to be like that tow truck. We need to be tow trucks, aiding those in need. Those we know and those we don’t know. Those on the sides of roads, waiting for help. I think many people would pass on by casually never thinking twice about helping. Now I don’t suggest that every broken-down car you pass you should stop; we do have obligations that I know God wants us to honor and timing would not allow. But what I do want to suggest is our desire to see “pure religion” in our thoughts transcribing them into actions. If we look further in that verse in James he continues: “ …to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” I actually love the New King James Version of this verse: “to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” Dwell on that for a second. We who takes care of or oversees the cares of those in need do so to be unspotted, unpolluted by the world. Think of that. Really think. Tow trucks. We can do this. We can act as a tow truck would. To be unpolluted, to shift our mindset from this world. We can act out what is a “pure religion” to God just by helping others.

Helping others can be a huge task, but take it to your circle of friends. I remember having amazing roommates at one point after college who when I was in need or ran out of money, they would “spot” me. This happened a lot when we would go out to eat. The brothers I lived with lived out this idea. Now you might think that is elementary or irrelevant, but let me ask, who can you help, within your circle of friends? How can you help? Maybe sharing, maybe giving, maybe honoring your word, maybe praying for them. It first starts with your mindset. Let it be changed.

As your mindset begins to see how to help others in need, let us not forgot why we’re helping. Our motives need to be pure, just like our “religion” as James calls it. Like James says, we do this to be unspotted from the world, changed from what how the world thinks. But now read the parable of Sheep and the Goats in Matthew 25 31-46. Do these words not resound in your head: “whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.”? Who do you see hungry, or thirsty? What strangers do you invite in or clothe? Do you visit those who are in trouble? This parable has a difficult calling. It’s a difficult calling because of how we must continually reshape our thinking for those who want to inherit eternal life; those who are Christ-followers.

I know as Christians we don’t like to use the term “religion.” And in fact, the only time it's used in the Bible is in James. But think of this, the world thinks in terms of “religions.” They classify beliefs, make associations and distinctions, box ideas in and I ask and challenge us to prove our “religion” worthy by helping those in need. Take care of orphans and widows in times of distress. Or maybe stop by a broken down car, ask if they need a tow.