I finished Rob Bell’s Velvet Elvis and liked it alot:) He has a nice way of writing and his message was very constructive and in many ways timely, not only for the church at large but for me personally as well.
In the epilogue he relates a story from his youth which touched me, he recounts a moment in church where the preacher asked everybody to close their eyes and told that those who wanted could ask Jesus in their hearts by repeating his prayer. He then started to pray the prayer but Rob Bell kept his eyes open, the preacher after finishing his prayer asked the audience to keep their eyes closed so that those who had asked him into their hearts could raise their hands, thereupon he said he saw hands being raised one after the other, but Rob Bell who had his eyes open saw that nobody raised his hands! The preacher said, “I see a young lady in the front who has raised her hands, thanks for your choice, and overthere in the back” all the time while nobody was raising their hands.
Rob then writes:
I am like you. I have seen plenty done in the name of God that Im sure God doesnt want anything to do with. I have lots of reasons for bailing on the whole thing.I am also like you because I have a choice. To become bitter, cynical, jaded, and hard. Anybody can do that. A lot have. Hatred is a powerful, unifying force. And there is a lot to be repulsed by.
This touched me as I realize that in some ways I am also becoming more cynical and at times even bitter. So many questions and so few people that are open to listen, without taking a heresy test. In search for an expression of my ‘faith’ that is both viable in the long term and true to my beliefs. Yet being frustrated as it seems the choices arent that broad but sociologically one is pushed into an all-embracing position. Still I think Rob Bell is right, its a choice to become bitter and cynical, and I dont want either of them… Would then the way to go be one where I keep my own ‘distinctive’ beliefs in the background and focus on whats mutually binding, how little that may be at times?
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[1] Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005), pp.176-177
Great post. I have been wrestling with many of the same issues. While I have yet to read “Velvet Elvis”, this anecdote has piqued my interest. As those who struggle to find the balance of following the Master, it is vitally important to remember the weightier commandments of the Torah, and thereby reach out to our brothers and sisters in love.
Is G-d pleased by everything that takes place within traditional Christianity? No, but neither is He pleased by the judgementalism and self-righteousness that pervades our movement.
Shalom!
Aaron
Hi Aaron,
Thanks for your comment:)
I must say Im often humbled by the degree of introspection that you show on your blog.
Blessings,
Daniel