Yes, Jesus was a radical. Yes, He challenged the theocratic system of His day. Yes, He taught on a Kingdom view of money.

But for those who seek to turn Jesus into a Rauschenbusch, I just don't get it. His Kingdom worldview was so much more (not 'other than,' but *more*) than taking a naked demoniac to J.C. Penney's and a homeless shelter.

It seems to me that Jesus' 'politics' is best summarized by Luke 13:32: "Go tell that fox (Herod; [Murdoch?]), 'I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.'"

Of course, if one is a diehard cessassionist (I don't know about Rob Bell in this regard), then I can see how one could end up turning Christ's compassion into a modern, powerless Rauschenbuschianity.

Eh. I don't think Jesus's chief opponents, the Pharisees and the Sadducees were necessarily big fans of Herod. Herod and Pilate and the whole corrupt political scheme of the Roman Empire served its usefulness to Temple authorities who had carved out their niche in the pecking order.

No, Christ was the target of sinful men, particularly the religious leaders, because He confronted sin, and because man in his natural, unregenerate state is at war with God and His Christ.

Christ's crucifixion was far from a political assassination par excellence. It was the unfolding of God's plan of redemption through the broken body and shed blood of the spotless Lamb of God.

Mr. Bell should appreciate and preach that.

I really appreciate Rob Bell -- mostly BECAUSE I don't agree with him about much.

He makes me think hard about what I believe, why, and how that affect my actions and the Jesus I portray to the world.

I think it's insecurity that drives so many people to 'compete' with him and criticize every thing he says and does.

For what it's worth, they did the same things to Luther, Spurgeon, Willberforce...

With all respect, Mr. Bell knows better than most what's underneath the crucifixion of Christ. I think we can safely deduce that his comment was intended to suggest that ON THE SURFACE, Christ's death was a result of politics at its worst, but as with anything...God can use the most ridiculous human systems to accomplish His higher purposes. If one doesn't think that he actually understands and preaches that, one would be well-served to read Mr. Bell's body of work and restrain from making judgments on His life message based on two paragraphs read in a vacuum. And...since when does simple obedience to Christ's example of meeting practical needs reduce the aim of Christ's compassion or make one into a powerless Raushenbusch? Woe to anyone who thinks that ministering to the poor weakens Christianity.

Nice shot Jill! I am a great admirer of all that Rob has accomplished,even from my 10,000 mile away view, and have watched most of his Nooma dvds. Stay close to Jesus Rob and most everything else WILL fall into perspective, whoever gets the dreadful job of leading your complex country.

Why are there negative comments to this? Was there a lie here? Or is it just contrary to the way you and your church do things? As long as it's not contrary to the Bible or the nature of God, there is more than one way to do things. Helping the poor? OK. Staying out of politics? OK, if you want to. We were not called to change the world but to love. Jesus didn't take over from Caesar, he changed hearts. Not that there's anything wrong with being active in voting and free government. I wish people wouldn't automatically argue with this guy because of his take on a few issues. I've read both his books and, as a fundie, I think he has a great grasp on and respect for scripture. I agree with Jill.

I don't get the shots taken at Rob Bell on this one. I understand that this blog as well as others are a hotbed of anti-Bell people. But he didn't say anything "heretical" here at all.

Not using my church to promote politics - okay, what's wrong with that? If I remember my church laws class correctly, its borderline illegal for a preacher to publically endorse a political candidate.

Jesus was crucified because of his political rebellion. That was the REASON given for his crucifixion. The Romans and Jews didn't say "Crucify him for our sins!"

Helping the poor of his city. have you read Galatians 2:6-10 lately? You should

I think this is just biased. But if I say that too loudly, then I'd be called judgemental huh?

Steve, you make a fair point, I believe.

I admit to being somewhat guilty of overreading this post in isolation. I did read it in the context of other things Rob Bell has said, like that our goal is not to get people to heaven, but to create heaven on earth. Bell's embrace of Marcus Borg and others does scare me, so I plead guilty. The apparent subjective embrace of Bell by others scares me even more.

Jill-

If what Paul says is true - that Rob Bell thinks the point of Christianity is creating heaven on earth (which is impossible) and not on getting people to heaven - then Bell is to be refuted - he is preaching heresy. I am sure it's not that cut and dried - but how easy it is to stray from the pure form of the Gospel - which not only has everything to do with where we spend eternity - but also how we live our lives while here on earth!

I still though, appreciate Bell's NOOMA videos...

Just to clarify-- Rob never preached that our goal was only to create heaven on earth, he said that it was A goal. We should be making life on earth as it is in heaven, as Jesus prayed. Let's bring heaven to earth so that people see that our God is a God of love and grace and redemption.

Our goal ultimately is to still see people saved, and Rob preaches that.

I'm just saying.

Sorry, it is not illiegal or borderline illegal for a pastor to endorse a political candidate from the pulpit or speak on any topic that may involve politics or elections.

The closest to what you said only involves those who have a 501 3c status so that contributions can be tax deductible.

Hey Alan, have you ever read Revleation 21 before? The whole goal of God's salvation project is to bring heaven (God's Kingdom, reign and rule to earth). Remember praying that phrase in the Lord's Prayer, "your kingdom come, your will be done, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN THE HEAVENS.!" Or try Romans 8.20 where the whole creation waits in groaning for the redemption of the sons of God (humanity). Sounds like too many Christians have the wrong puzzle lid to read their Bibles correctly. "The whole earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof!"

I am currently writing a book on the phenomena of the role of religion in America over the past 30 years as a political force. I am so pleased to read about a vision of Christianity with sanity, and serves as a spiritual force for people to know God and learn about him.

I think Mr Beck is amazing,without this love of materialsim, or tries to argue that if you are a Christian you have to subscribe to a particular conservative political ideology; I hope that more pastors in America can learn from him, and this can be the first steps in helping to mend the culture wars in America.

Rob and the leadership at Mars Hill do a great job of demonstrating and telling. Is there anything else to talk about?

-Ross Christopher

Just wanted to comment saying how refreshing it is, to have readers who can decipher the wheat from the chaff. Reading these comments, and seeing the discernment- it gives me much hope. I'm glad not too many have been fooled by Rob Bell's twisting of the scriptures to lead to watered down Jesus.

I'm with Jill I'm afraid. I think Bell is saying that being a Christian doesn't necessarily correlate to a particular political ideology. Our aim as Christians should be to follow Christ as an exemplar for our actions in the world. We should be a force for justice in the world regardless. It sounds lot like the Luis Palau "Season of Service" thing. Anyone familiar with that?

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Jane Sendrich
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Christians are not meant to bring in the kingdom of God, they are supposed to spreading the message that Jesus preached, which was repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. It is Jesus himself who will finally bring the Kingdom of God to earth in its reality himself.

His people belong to no kingdom, country, party, that are present on this earth at this moment. As scripture tells us we are just passing through and that we should come out of all the things of this world.

When we truly understand who we are and in whose kingdom, even whilst living on this earth, then we will understand ourt walk with our Lord and King.

"Rob and the leadership at Mars Hill do a great job of demonstrating and telling. Is there anything else to talk about?"

You forgot to mention that they are demonstrating the spirit of antichrist and telling lies. Beside that, there's not much to talk about.

Focusing on caring for broken members and parts of the community should not be controversial, in any world, political, a-political, whatever, from any point of view. Sheesh. Sometimes I wonder if people who are so upset about Rob Bell have really listened to any of his sermons or if they've just taken snippets of things that he's said, quoted out of context by other people, and then blown these things out of proportion. The man is preaching the gospel, working to transform his community in Michigan, and supporting global missions. Shouldn't we be cheering him on? http://g0spel0fj0hn.com

I belong to a church that is on the list of churches labeled orthodox. Since a small child I have heard that God created, and it was very good. Man's sin brought evil and distorted everything. God sent his son, to redeem creation. Jesus didn't come to pull a few souls to heaven, for that would amount to victory for Satan, but came to renew all creation. While we wait for his coming, we are called to carry on his work. At his coming, God comes down to be with his people (Rev 21) as he was in the beginning.

I was also taught all my life that my eternal life began long before my death. I am living eternally now, and that makes a big difference in how I live.

So when Rob Bell speaks of Christians living life so as to bring heaven to earth, rather than hell, it doesn't sound heretical to me at all. As a matter of fact, because I truely beleive it to be true, I have committed my life to teaching this very thing. And I teach in a Christian School where this very idea is its raison d'etre. My School doesn't exist to protect children from the evil world out there, but to model of how a school founded on the principle of Christ's Lorship over all Creation would look. It means that all of life is subject to Christ's lordship and that the word "Christian" is not merely an adjective (another thing Bell says, that I love).

So, in this Rob Bell is not saying anything new. He's saying what millions of people are trying to live everyday--and it's orthodox.

And its the sort of orthodoxy that would do much good were it lived by all Christians. It's hard, but it might get rid of such sentiments as. "I have no problem with Jesus; I just can't stand his wife."

Trent, your "I have no problem with Jesus; I just can't stand his wife" statement--I don't know where you got that from, but the attitude revealed there definitely goes against scripture. I'm assuming "wife" refers to the Christian church. If that is correct, then it reveals a revulsion to Christians, whereas Jesus taught us to love each other. The Bible also tells us to not believe every spirit, but to test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. After reading Velvet Elvis, it is clear to me that Rob Bell is a false prophet. He says he believes in the virgin birth and the trinity, but also says that neither of these historically foundational doctrines of the church are essential for Christianity to go on.
Excuse me? If these truths are removed, we might as well eat, drink, and be merry, because the Bible is lieing to us, Jesus is just a man like any other and we have no hope. If Rob Bell cannot be trusted to get the most basic truths of scripture right, why does anyone continue even listening to him? He is a false prophet and the apostle Paul pronounced a curse on such men in Galatians 1:6-9. Not only is Rob Bell deceived, but he is leading thousands away from the truth of God's word.