Posted on 12/10/2012 2:26:36 AM PST by Gamecock
Seems to be a rather nepotistic little group.
Since these "churches" have no standards, as a heretic, you'll fit right in.
To be an NYTlistze author about religion, you have to 'apologize' (not, as it were, to be a classic apologist, say, in the form of CS Lewis).
Warren believes he can 'apologize' for hell, but more meta, for the teaching of hell.
In doing so, he has become another garden-variety troll -- hardly a heretic, he's just not that good -- and trolls deserve to wander under bridges without a flock to tend.
The independent mega-churches that are inherited father-to-son don’t stand the test of time. It’s a family business model that doesn’t survive well.
As for Bell’s novel re-writing of God’s Word, the final word is given in Revelation 22:18, 19: “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
Believers believe. They do not freelance to fit in with the world’s rotten culture.
WOW! I didn’t realize his church fired him over that book.
God bless the people for not falling for having a “celebrity” pastor, loved by the world while eschewing the Word...the theology he apparently espoused in that writing is unbiblical, not comporting with true Christian doctrine.
Has anyone actually read his book? Has he really claimed that there is no hell?
I expect they say that with a straight face, too.
Yes. And no, he didn't.
That's what happens when you fail to publish a thorough "statement of faith" for your church, Rob. People find out what you really believe, and then it all goes south.
Bell details this search in a recent interview with The New Yorker, and discusses his invitation to Christians interested in a different kind of church, "one that can keep pace with the rising 'waterline of culture.'"
Waterboarding?
Definition, plz?
The YBPDLN PL can go weeks, even months, without any activity. But then over the course of a week there many be one, two or even three pings per day. Then things quiet down.
The YBPDLNPL is generally published infrequentlyDefinition, plz?
Your Best Purpose Driven Life, something something something.
Antics of the televangelists, church as circus, church as mall, church as business, & all the stuff that appalls in the American church world as we see it now.
Apostasy has its costs. But I think Rob will be happier as a Hollyword TV new-age spiritual guru than he ever was a Christian impersonator.
The fact he said a few things that deeply disturbed the people of his congregation (who quite clearly once loved his teaching) enough to get rid of him implies it must have been pretty far from or contradictory of the New Testament teaching.
It is not clear that he was dumped. And while I am certain that there were people in his church that wanted him fired, the board of elders did not say he was fired.
Below is a pretty good analysis of the issues in his book. Yes it is controversial and goes beyond what many people believe about Hell, but he continues to deny that he ever said there was no Hell.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/marchweb-only/rob-bell-universalism.html?start=1
They didn't. He is still referred to on their website as the founding pastor and the links to his website are still up.
The article here makes it pretty clear there was a huge division, 3,000 people leaving means it was a pretty big problem. The quote from Bell's wife saying they could no longer be there confirms it was a pretty big problem.
I have seen similar situations where someone was fired, yet it was not stated as such by a church board; what I am reading is he was likely asked to leave and it's not being reported as such. No biggie, it happens sometimes.
Thanks for the link, I'll go take a look. I have appreciated at least one of his books in the past, but suspected he was heading towards a wrong (meaning untruthful) direction for a long time. I guess if we wait long enough, this will play out and we'll know. The idea of a TV show with the director of "Lost" is truly an odd one........
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