What We Talk About When We Talk About God {VIDEO}

Earlier tonight I tuned into a live speaking engagement from Rob Bell, discussing his newest book, What We Talk About When We Talk About God.  It's brilliant and refreshing and much needed in a faithless landscape, filled with boxes and black and white thought - both inside and outside of anything resembling "church."

I encourage you to take the time and watch this!


Video streaming by Ustream

Peace,
Ross

Identity Crisis

There's a TON of talk these days about masculinity in the church, in faith, heck, even the very nature of God. I get it - it's a response to men leaving the church in droves. But I see a HUGE flaw in this conversation. First of all is the tone. It's unhealthy, cocksure (pun fully intended), and segments the nature and character of God into a black and white mold, that I don't find helpful; and is actually untrue about God. For centuries, you couldn't utter the name of G-D, much less define him. But alas, its 2012, and we've figured God out.

Some of the same authors and thinkers that have propped up the sovereign God, are now painting God into a definable box. That leaves me a bit perplexed.

My reservations about this recent movement is that its a matter of identity. The same camp that is touting an uber-masculine God names homosexuality as a sin; that it's a sin because of identity. One's sexuality becomes their identity, rather than Christ. The argument usually goes like this:

"You can't be both Christian and homosexual"
"The Bible is clear that homosexuality is a sin"
"You can't be vegan and eat meat" (I know its a lame example, but I didn't coin it)
"Thus, Christianity and homosexuality don't mix"
"You'll go to hell...the scripture says it, and who am I to argue with scripture...I didn't write it, I'm just the mailman" (again, I know its a lame example, but I didn't coin that one either)

Now, if its truly a matter of identity, how is replacing your sexual preference (as identity) any different than being identified by being "man?" At the end of the day, its the same identity crisis.

But that's what you get when you pick and choose scriptures to prop up your doctrine of faith and make it resonate to your cohort of followers. Either the Bible told the truth, or its a lie. But when it says, "because of my death and resurrection, there's no Jew or Greek, male or female, free or slave, etc..." how do we respond (Galatians 3:28)?

I think in that moment, all issues of identity changed (or at least should have). I struggle with my identity as do most people. I'm defined by my jobs, relationships, status, emotions, etc. But I'm working through it in response to my true identity being in Jesus.

Anything short of that is a distraction and hurts the Church in the long run.

I hope this discussion will fade away (soon) and that the damage will be minimal; but the voices are loud and cocksure. The cohort likes the doctrine, and I'm worried about damage control.

Thoughts?

Peace,
Ross

What the Bell???

I'm once again not surprised by the poor behavior within the church, but this time its received much press and shows just how poor some of the leadership's discernment is.

I am of course speaking of the recent #robbell TWITTER war over his upcoming book, Love Wins.

From 1 tweet by a high profile leader/pastor in the church, the entire globe was brought into a nasty fight of divisions and exclusiveness.

So, I will not discuss the theological matters that were being fought. Rather, I will focus on the unfortunate effects of what happens when we forget to be grace-filled, and divide.

The Huffington Post said it best: "The fact that this controversy became the most dissected piece of news in the evangelical world at the same time the regime of Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi was escalating violent attacks on its own people this weekend offers a sobering commentary on the priorities (and irrelevance) of too-many evangelical leaders."

In fact their entire article hit the nail on the head.
YOU CAN READ IT HERE...

Once again the church is known for what it's against. In this case, opinion.

I'll read the book when it comes out, and make an educated post on its ideas and questions then (but regardless of what's written, I will not be threatened, or hurt, or feel the need to jump into character assassination on any camp). Until then, I'm not jumping to conclusions.

Peace,
Ross

p.s. here's Rob Bell's PROMO VIDEO for Love Wins.