So Rob Bell has a new book out. It’s caused a firestorm of controversy and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it and read it for myself.
And now I have.
But before I give you my overview of Rob Bell’s latest book, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person who Ever Lived (available in hardcover, Kindle, audio version), perhaps it would be fair to give you a little perspective as to where I’m coming from.
Continue reading Rob Bell, Love Wins and why I hope he’s right
Johnny Laird shared this video from Kroc Church – a Salvation Army community in San Diego…
I shared this over on Simplechurchipedia.com and thought it was worthy of a share here as well.
What comes to mind when you watch it?
I don’t like the statement, “I am not a pastor – but I am a minister” as someone puts it in the video… I know what they’re referring to – but personally I prefer to see them one in the same.
And prefer to believe that we’re all pastors and ministers to our spheres of influence.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all believers saw themselves as “Priests in the hood” who were actually living this out — being the Body of Christ to their sphere of influence?
What do you think?
In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity – HW Longfellow
Last week I asked…
What is really required of “our faith?”
What are the NO COMPROMISE requirements of your faith?
And I received several good responses.
But as I’m reading and thinking and chewing I keep coming back to the question they asked Jesus.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
The wanted the insight, the inside scoop. They wanted a check list of things to follow and do to be sure they spent eternity on streets of gold instead of the fires of Gehenna.
And some days I wish Jesus had said, “You need to do this, this, this and this. And then if you can do all that, do this, this, this and that.”
Because check lists are easy. We can have a goal and a target. And they make things like knowing who’s-in and who’s-out a lot easier.
But instead of a checklist, Jesus responds, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
And so I’m left wondering… What if really is that simple?
This weekend, Twitter and the blogosphere were a flutter over the idea that a Christian pastor might lean towards universalism. GASP!
You can read more here, here, here, here, here and here.
All these folks getting their debate on — over a book that hasn’t even been released yet — and one in which the vast majority of commentators haven’t even read.
Continue reading No compromise (Rob Bell, hell, faith & theology)
With a slogan like “We’re not about connecting people all over the world, we’re about family” – the Table Project has grabbed my attention.
In a time when Christian Facebook alternatives are popping up everywhere, the ideas behind the (non-profit) Table Project are refreshing.
The Table is a relational, online web application, custom-tailored for the church. We aim to engage the community, empower leaders, and move people beyond the pews and into authentic, life-changing friendships.
The site is based around “four legs of the table” – Introduction, Engagement, Prayer & Sharing/Serving.
Now sure you can do all these things on Facebook, or Myspace, or whatever network comes along, but The Table Project gives you an opportunity to share these things in a more private setting with members of “your family/tribe” verses broadcasting them to the world.
In fact, the team behind the project addressed the differences between The Table Project and Facebook in a recent blog post…
The Three Big Differences
- The fact that The Table is designed for “us” instead of “me” is a fundamental shift from the traditional social media mindset.
- The Table’s atmosphere of privacy and intimacy causes different behaviors to arise that are not seen elsewhere online.
- The fact that The Table is designed specifically for the church directs what we create and helps us to define “success” differently.
And I love their explanation video, which includes some history of the church and the importance of church as family… and not just a place we go each week.
Read more via ChurchMarketingSucks
So what do you think? Think this would be useful for your community of faith?
Or is it just another site adding to the noise?
Tony Campolo recently spoke at Desert Vineyard in California and shared how the power of love and forgiveness can bring even lifelong enemies together.
I’m sharing the story below, but watching/hearing it on the video (starts around 28 minutes in) brought me to tears. So feel free to watch it instead.
