I am in the midst of reading "Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith" by Rob Bell. It's quite an interesting book. On p. 40 of the book he tells how he got his start as a preacher -- at the chapel service of a summer camp in northern Wisconsin:I remember standing up to talk in front of those hundred or so people gathered among those pine trees and being aware of the presence of God in a terrifying way. Seriously, it was terrifying. But in a good way. The word that comes to mind is holy. I became aware of something so real, yet I couldn't see it or touch it. I was standing there and I hadn't said a word yet, and what did I do? I took off my sandals because I knew the ground I was standing on was holy and that my life was never, ever going to be the same again.
It was in that moment that I heard a voice. Not an audible, loud, human kind of voice, but inner words spoken somewhere in my soul that were very clear and very concise. What I heard was, 'Teach this book, and I will take care of everything else.'
In that moment, my entire life changed forever.
Bell has gone on to be the amazingly successful pastor at Mars Hill in Michigan.
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I think that that is such a great book. I understand, though, why some folks have some issues with it. Some times Rob uses some phrases & terms that I might change because they can be misunderstood to easily.
ReplyDeleteMost of the time, however, I think folks have already made up their minds not to like his stuff because someone else told them to. :)