Controversial pastor, Rob Bell, has raised a lot of evangelical eyebrows and received a lot of praise and/or condemnation over his new book: Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived. Christian websites and bloggers are abuzz over this book. Many speak of his great and majestic presentation of the grace of God. Others charge him with heresy.

Here’s my take on Rob Bell and his book:

3 Irrefutable Truths

1) I’ve never met Rob Bell. I’ve never attended his church, never sat across a table with a cup of coffee, never talked with him on the phone. Like most of the people writing about what motivates him, where he’s coming from, the psychology of his message, etc. I have no idea what’s going on in his heart or mind.

2) I’ve never read Rob Bell. Not one word. Not a blog, a sermon transcript, or any of his books. Like too many of the “experts” writing about the content of his teachings and writings, if I wrote something about him, it would be based on secondary evidence and judgements of others–either his fans or his detractors.

3) I’m going to keep my mouth shut about Rob Bell.

There you go. Those are my three “points” on Rob Bell.

That’s what I can be sure of.

Come on, Christian community. Breathe through your nose.

Question: Am I the only one tired of experts warning me against every new book that comes out as if I don’t have the Holy Spirit to teach me, a church to relate to, and the Bible to inform me?

Remembering the Jesus Movement: The Legalists!

They were the most discouraging and surprising enemies of our revival, the Jesus Movement of the 60s and 70s. They surprised us because they were embedded in the church. They discouraged us because they attacked us for being…us. We were the long-haired, huarache-sandaled radicals who fell in love with Jesus. They were the buttoned-down, Brylcreemed up, wing-tipped pew sitters who were more in love with church than they were with Jesus.

Two Marks of a Legalist

In my last blog I highlighted, or lowlighted, the two distinguishing characteristics of a legalist from the Lord’s confrontation of the Pharisees in Mark 7:1-23:http://www.jesusmovementblog.com/2009/06/25/two-reasons-why-legalists-are-unholy/

First, they answer to the wrong source of authority–their religious traditions, rather than the Word of God. Second, they teach the wrong definition of righteousness–from the outside in, rather than the inside-out.

This is vital. Though legalists impress one another, don’t be fooled by their unholy ways. They are heretics and hypocrites.

Standing Up to Legalists: Three Steps

(more…)

Holy or Hypocritical?

Every time I talk or write about legalists, church folk get uneasy…even testy. Their charge is always the same, “But these people are good Christians, just a little narrow.”

Really?

That’s not what Jesus said. When the legalists of His day confronted Him for not “following the tradition of the elders,” He called them hypocrites (Mark 7:7-8).

Hypocrites for two reasons:

(more…)

Ever had one of those days that you suddenly lost control of?

If your days are like Judy’s, and mine, it doesn’t take much to send them into a tailspin. Like you, we get up every morning with a lot more on our schedule than we could possibly accomplish—even if everything went just right, just as we planned it. Our days are so packed there isn’t much margin for error.

And then…

• As you’re speeding to work or your first task, late already, you decide to chance the Starbucks drive through window. The line’s too long, six cars in front of you, but you need your caffeine jolt. As you (more…)

Recently, my friend George Verwer shared his heart for world missions with Church of the Open Door. I’ve always enjoyed George’s passion for the Lord Jesus and his ability to remind us of the millions who have never heard of the Lord Jesus.

You can listen to his entire message on our church website here.

George’s message includes many great insights, but here are the three that meant the most to me:

Missions is Messy. This the most repeated phrase from our time with George. If a local church or an individual Christian is interested in missions, prepare to be hurt, confused, and bewildered.

Missions is Glorious. A local church or individual Christian, who is willing to trust Jesus through the mess, will have stories to tell. God pours His power on those who make disciples of all the nations.

Missions Begins With Availability. The first step toward the mission field for a local church or an individual Christian is to let God know we’re available to Him for “whatever.” Too many times a believer gets all fired up after a missions sermon and declares, “I want to go to Madagascar!” To that person George would say, “Your first step is to get involved in your local church, your neighborhood, and the rest of your world here. Then, if you remain faithful and learn lessons of faith, you’ll be ready to head to Madagascar when God tells you to make that transition.

It was a great day for our community of faith, Church of the Open Door. A lot of people made that commitment to availability, and I’m sure some of them will, someday, be directed by God to their “Madagascar.”

Question: What does your life tell God about your availability? If you’re not willing to share your life here, He’s not going to send you there. You can leave a comment by clicking here.

Radical

Radical is a word thrown around frivolously in the church today.

Problem is, if everyone’s radical, nobody is.

But this Sunday at Church of the Open Door, you’re going to meet a radical.

George Verwer

I’ve known George and been praying for his personal ministry for over twenty years.

George Verwer may be one of the five most sold-out disciples of Christ I’ve met.

He shares his radical heart for the Lord Jesus, discipleship, worship, and missions this Sunday @ Church of the Open Door.

Two Radical Services

George will be speaking at two identical services @ 0900 and 1100.

If you want to fire up your radical heart for Jesus, you’ll be there.