We've finally posted some new pics on our website! Okay, they're not actually that recent, but they're new to the site. Hope y'all enjoy them! Maybe we'll actually put some recent ones up there sometime! (Don't hold your breath, though.)
On a different note, Rob Bell's new book is striking up some heated reviews on Amazon. I haven't read the book, but I've read the 50-some reviews. It's enough to make me not want to read it, that's for sure...But here are a couple of thoughts that may or may not be related to the book.
1. My faith does not need to change to be relevant to the culture. If my beliefs have to change to stay "relevant" and attract "seekers," then something is wrong. Call me a "brick" if you want to, but I will use what I learned at college and apply my UNCHANGING Biblical principles to the ever-changing world.
2. My faith isn't necessarily supposed to be attractive to everyone. Yes, I need to love others. Yes, it would be great if others saw something different in me. However, Christianity is and has always been offensive. Jesus didn't concede doctrines to please people so that they'd accept Him. And I'm not willing to do that either.
3. Homosexuality is wrong. When did Christians start making up the lie that it's okay? Have they read those parts of the Bible that deal with homosexuality? It sickens God. (And me, for that matter.)...That probably isn't in the book, but I've run across some Christian websites/blogs saying that homosexuality is not a sin. Crazy!
4. Remember that passage in the Bible (1 Corinthians 1:10-13) where Paul says, "One of you says, 'I follow Paul'; another, 'I follow Apollos'; another, 'I follow Cephas'; still another, 'I follow Christ.'"? He's talking about divisions in the church. But also, he says "Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?" Sometimes--and this is an outsider's point of view--I feel like asking "Was Rob Bell crucified for you?" Because SO MANY of the Mars attenders I know just gush about Rob. When I was in college, so often I heard, "Rob was so amazing today..." Rob this, Rob that...And I can tell you, although I enjoy the messages at my church, I do NOT go there simply to follow my pastor. I go there to fellowship, to serve, to grow, to be a part of the church, to follow CHRIST...
Well, I'm sure I've offended enough people to stop writing now. The topic has just been on my mind a lot lately with the controversy of the book coming out...I'd be curious to hear what my dad-in-law would have to say about it if he read it...Let me know your thoughts if you read it, Dad Rumley. (Velvet Elvis : Repainting the Christian Faith by Rob Bell)
Welp, gotta go. Grace is waking up from her nap. Gotta go be a mommy!
-{lkr}
P.S. I got down to 155 lb today. That means I've lost about 50 lb since last November! Yay!
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6 comments:
Man, my wife is smart. I agree with her.
Luke and Lacey,
I truly enjoy your website. it is so wonderul and I enjoy seeing how beautiful and big Grace is getting.
Stephanie Laga
I agree Luke, She's smart! Thanks for making your thoughts so clear and concise! I agree whole heartedly! (But I think I'll read the book anyway.)
:) Erin
Don't know what book you are talking about - never heard of it. BUT, you are smart! Thanks for being God honoring and truthful. We love you! See you tonight! Our new daughter arrives today! Everyone is so excited! Love you three! MOM
Maybe the reason so many people "gush" about Rob Bell is because he reveals to us more and more about God every week. You can see that the Lord is working through Rob in an amazing way. If you have a problem with that, well, then I guess you do have a problem. It's not Rob that people are gushing about, it's how he draws people closer to God. And that's something to gush about. I probably would've have walked away from the faith if it hadn't of been the Mars Hill Community and Rob (and other various speakers) who showed me REAL people loving a REAL God.
On another note, I completely 100% agree with you about the homosexuality issue. So does Rob. If you actually attended his church, you would know this.
Also, not sure if it's soo cool to start a discussion on a book you haven't read yet, just a thought.
Keep on struggling and thinking and working through your Christianity and faith, that's what Jesus intended us to do- to have a relationship with Him.
Lacey I appreciate your views on the book. My first question would be, if your faith isn't being challenged, is there room for growth? Christ challenged everyone's believes about their faith. Don't think for an instant that we know more than any of the disciples knew back in the day. Christ was very clear about his intentions with Pharisees and other believers.
I totally agree with you as far as the fourth point on church division. But you see, that's the beauty of being a Christian. It's not what you do, or who you follow, it's about your personal relationship with Christ. If you go to a church that says one thing, and you feel challenged, then good go there. However don't be disappointed when others gush about a pastor or a worship experience that sounds better than yours. The grass is always greener on the other side. Besides that might be considered being competitive.
Rob never argues that your faith needs to be challenged to be relevant to others, but what he often asks is: the way the current church teaches and reaches out to the unsaved, is that relevant, is it reaching out to those that see the world through a different set of glasses? As Christians, we often judge people who aren't believers by our own standards, we can't do that. If they don't follow the same God we do, then how can we stand back and judge them. Instead, we need to understand the way they believe what they believe. Maybe think of becoming relevant to a culture like changing your clothing. You are still the same person every day when you get ready to get dressed, but your clothing changes by your mood, season, setting and even if you are sick or not. Those different feelings are like the current trends in today's societies. The unsaved masses see their clothing a different way, and the only way to reach out to them is to show them that the clothes that we wear are indifferent, but the stuff that's underneath is what matters to God.
I guess the biggest thing is to not judge a book by it's followers and really just read it for yourself. Maybe a few more books to look at would be"A New Kind of Christian". Remember not everyone follows Christ the same way, but instead they follow Christ the only way they know how..
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