This February saw Rob Bell's publisher release a short video promo for his new book Love Wins. It was intended to stir conversation about the book and played up controversial questions Bell wrestled with in its pages.
Almost imediately, prominent Christian leaders took to the web, condemning the book and Bell himself.
After John Piper famously tweeted, "Farewell Rob Bell" with a link to the video on February 26th, it set a firestorm in Christian circles.
Needless to say, an influential Christian leader publicly condemning another - implying he was no longer part of the faith - drew obvious and significant battle lines.
Most of the criticism from the public came on the side of Piper in deeming Bell's teaching as heretical and calling his views universalist. And maybe they are. But what really struck me was that all this criticism was lobbed before anyone actually read the book.
This is no more a criticism of Piper, as it is a condoning of Bell... but shouldn't all Christians try to handle disagreements differently than how this public fiasco unfolded.
When non-believers see Christians attacking each other the way they have been around this book, it gives ammunition to the arguement that the actions of Christians actually keep people away from Christ rather than drawing them to Him.
Why would non-believers want to be like us when all they see is our hate and judgement?
Jesus once said that his disciples would be known by their love for one another [John 13:35]
As I've already said, this isn't a defense of Rob Bell either...
I've read the book and been to see him talk about it and a Q&A about it too, and personally, I don't agree with every idea in it. But it did challenge me. It caused me to look at beliefs I've long had in a new light. It made me reexamine scripture about things I honestly hadn't explored deeply enough.
In the end, the book helped strengthen my faith. It reaffirmed things I already believed, and by examining some new perspectives I hadn't considered yet, it brought me to a more robust understanding and belief in Christ - even if I didn't always end with complete agreement with the book.
And I think that was Bell's point.
He seems to like to ruffle feathers, popping religious balloons and looking at things from new perspectives. That was the whole point of the publisher's short video released before the book's release date... to ask questions, to provoke, to start conversations and stir things up. Which it certainly did!
I guess my point is, we don't have to completely agree with everything someone says to learn from them. God has given us all discernment.
God can use a wide variety of people and ideas to draw us closer to him.
And in the future, let's not try to let a hate-filled controversy erupt because of a marketing video.
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