Church

This past Saturday night I was descending into Calgary on a plane. I was returning from northern BC where I was speaking at a youth camp. While I was descending I was finishing up a book I had been reading all week. The book was called “Love Wins” by Rob Bell.

This is a book that has churned up so much controversy that being who I am, I had to read it. I went in not knowing what to expect or what I would get from it. The reason for the controversy was Bell’s take on hell. Some prominent leaders from across the many different streams of Christianity have accused Bell of being a “heretic” or a “false prophet”. They called him a “universalist” (all people go to heaven) or a pluralist (many paths to God). Which lead me to ask the questions “What was everyone so afraid of?” and “Why do we feel we need to hold God’s hand across the street like a little old lady?” (pardon the U2 lyric) when someone might have possibly a different revelation than we have been taught or indoctrinated?

I have read the book and was deeply impacted and transformed by some of the truths that Bell was imparting. Some of you are asking the question, “do you agree with him?”. My answer to that question is “the verdict is still out”. There is so much to process both theologically and spiritually.

I can tell you this. The revelation that I now have of Gods love for me and the role I actively play in seeing the redemption of all creation is more clearer than ever. Just ask the young man who was sitting beside me on the plane, his concern for me as I was crying uncontrollably was both endearing and comical. I never really did explain myself to him. Poor guy…

One thing I have learned as I watch the church rip apart their own when a new idea is presented contrary to another’s idea is, Christ is not the cause and it gives Him no Glory.

Just my 2 cents…