Come On Church!

In light of all this Rob Bell talk, I feel like weighing in and trying to push the conversation a little bit further. This “controversy” caught me a little bit off guard to be honest. I keep thinking we are moving from emphasis on orthodoxy to orthopraxy (right doing over right thinking). But this whole ordeal shows we’re not quite ready for it. I’ve been familiar with Rob Bell’s work for quite some time and the points he brings up in this book are not new for him as he has been sharing this message for many years now. I guess since he decided to write a book about it, it has been brought to others attention.

I want to address two things with this whole situation. One, with this “new” concept of heaven/ hell and the Kingdom of God, what does this mean were supposed to do? And two, how does this make the church look as a whole?

I have seen many folks consider Rob Bell to be a heretic, universalist and that he is watering down the gospel and the cross. He is accused of trying to repackage the gospel to be appealing to more people by making it about love. That the grace of God is to be for everyone just the way we are. How scandalous.

With this though, does not mean the gospel isn’t challenging or cheap. We are called to bring heaven on earth. To work in communion with God to push the real hells people face every day here and now. It’s about now, not waiting till a triumphant end but working here and now. Things like loving your neighbor, loving your enemy, promoting peace, justice, mercy, humility, and love. I don’t know about you but these are hard to do. It takes a lot to give yourself to these. I’m struggling: to reducing my footprint to help those affected by the environment, trying to not support companies that don’t violate their employee’s rights, passing a homeless person on the street and not knowing what to do knowing that I am a kingdom person. We live in a broken world of different shades grey muddle decisions to promote the kingdom.

I was lucky enough to spend some time with Brian Mclaren last weekend when he was speaking in Atlanta and I asked him what he thought about the new/ old Rob Bell “controversy”. Brian went on a little story about being in a room with several youth from his old church. On a semi spur of the moment decision he took 2 strips of large paper. He first asked the kids what they thought were big issues facing the world. The kids spoke of war, starvation, disease the environment, over-consumption and several others. Then he asked about the biggest issues facing the church. The kids talked about homosexuality, abortion, doctrine, ordination of women, divorce and others.

The church has a choice right now. Continue to stay irrelevant staying distracted by its own problems or it can look outwards, following the call of Christ to be here and now, serving the world to bring heaven on earth.

I fear the churches future if it continues to squabble over issues irrelevant to folks outside the church while ignoring or denying the major issues facing God’s children.

Heretic?

As my time here in Nyagatare is winding down and the possibility of continuing to teach at my school has been eliminated, I’m trying to look to the future. For numerous reasons, I have felt pushed to look for a position with a Christ affiliated organization. As I have started to apply for various NGO’s, I have realized that I don’t really adhere to many of the views that they simply want me to click and agree or disagree in a box to a specific version of Christianity.
I’m going to go down the list for you.
I don’t believe the Bible is infallible. I do believe it is the inspired word of God and shows in the way it’s been able to move communities for generations. I don’t see it as a constitution of laws but a beautiful collection of stories about a growing community of people and thier interaction with God for many years dealing the growing pains of grappling with a God that bigger than we can imagine even when he was sent in human form.
I’m not sure if Jesus is the only way to heaven. Actually, I’m not sure if there is a definitive heaven after life period. I certainly don’t believe in hell. Well, hell in the form of eternal suffering in flames. Honestly let be real here. Those who have read some of the Bible or at least some of the Gospels can you really imagine Jesus having this conversation? ‘Here’s the deal, the reason I’m here is to start a new religion and yeah I’m want to name it after me. Oh also, if anyone doesn’t accept this new religion named after me, they’re going to be tortured for eternity. Cool? Good talk.’ I think heaven and hell are both here and now on this earth. I think if you ask some of the women living in eastern Congo, they would tell you that hell is knocking on their back door. And if you asked me as I vacationed in Tofo I would tell you that heaven is at hand. The contrasts are stark and are dually present right now. This is where I feel called, renewing the Eden that once was this world. Helping heaven spread past the edges of humanity and reach the inner caldrons of hell and fill them with hope, love, justice and peace; to be part of creating the new peaceful Kingdom of God. Everything comes from God, everything is spiritual. Regardless of what religion someone is part of, they can have part of the restorative power of God with them. I believe in liberation for salvation.
I don’t believe that I or we are fallen unwanted people. Of course there is sin but I don’t think it’s the definitive factor between us and God. Were missing the picture, it’s about life and heaven here and now not a collection of exact beliefs to make it in the club when we die. I believe that we are called to leave the destructive ways of this world and be reborn into the restorative Kingdom of God. Please, liberate yourself from the ideals of this world and join me in thinking up and looking out to stand alongside God helping to bring his Kingdom here and now. I think this is the only way true salvation will be delivered.
I love liberation theology, the emergent conversation and being ok with the unknowns of an infinite God but will these organizations with large segments of strictly evangelical supporters accept me? I think the family is big enough for a person like me but I couldn’t check yes to the beliefs of the World Evangelical Alliance box. We shall see.