book review

Velvet Elvis, Repainting the Christian Faith by Rob Bell

Satan hates this book. I don't agree with everything. But Rob Bell wouldn't want me to agree with everything. It's a discussion. And it continues to bring to light some things that I had already been thinking about and continue to think about. It's extremely open-minded and I like that. Perhaps there are some parts that are hard for a Christian of my background to get through (and not throw the book down in disgust) but, I say, read it all the way through anyway. As the Lord has been giving me new insights into faith and love and life, I have come across Christians that are extremely ungracious towards other Christians that, to them, are very close-minded, dogmatic, Bible-thumping, and lots of saying rather than doing people. But I like Rob Bell. He doesn't demean me for how I've thought (or continue to think in areas). He just loves Jesus and has found all joy in Him and wants those that don't know Him to have that same love and joy and also all Christians everywhere to have that same love and joy. You could feel his excitement. And I think that's what he wanted, for his readers to know that God is mysterious and glorious and awesome and joyful and gracious. That we won't know everything about Him. We can't even come close to trying to define Him and put Him into our boxes. That's not God. Being a Christian isn't about organizing life and God. Being a Christian is about relating to God, with God, delighting in Him forever. And so this book is a discussion about how to fully delight in God and how to help others find how they can delight in God too. When we live with God as our ultimate delight, is that not the most glorifying thing for His name?

Movement Four and Movement Five were the most impactful for me.