BELIEVE IT... OR NOT!?

As an educator, I have often heard administrators use statements like, "Well, according to research..." to encourage teachers to get on board with various trends in education.  Over the years I have become cynical to the point of wanting to roll my eyes and shut down when someone in leadership uses "research" to make their point.  Why?  Well, if we don't all know, we should know by now that research can be found to support ANYTHING.  So I've grown to "mistrust" in educational circles "research" and want to find out for myself what is actually "truth."  Meanwhile, in my personal life, when I've heard a Christian friend tell me something I often take what they say at face value, even passing on the information as if it is "gospel."  So, while I've rolled my eyes at some, I have recently discovered I am one that from time to time should have people rolling their eyes at me!  What misinformation have I unknowingly passed on, you might say...  Well, what do you really know about two people:  Rob Bell and J.K. Rowling?  I thought I knew some things.  Now, I’m not sure what to believe.

Rob Bell and J.K. Rowling may seem to have nothing in common.  Rob Bell is an author, teacher, and pastor of Mars Hill.  J.K. Rowling is the author of the well known Harry Potter series.  What they have in common...  I owe them both an apology for believing unsubstantiated things that were simply passed on to me by word of mouth and then repeating the false information.  So, Rob Bell, and J.K. Rowling, and anyone else I've believed falsities about - I'm truly sorry!  To those of you I may have shared things about these or anyone else with - thinking I was doing my "Christian service," I apologize.  My intentions have always been to stand up for what is right.  However, I have been misled just like many others.  In particular, let me share a little bit about these two.

Let's begin with Rob Bell.  For years his teachings, his Nooma videos, and writings have ministered to me.  Yet, a few months ago when some people shared that he had written a new book and it looked like he was supporting some universalistic teachings, I jumped on the band wagon.  I shared my disappointment with others and even stopped a study in our Sunday school class using the very videos that had made such a positive impact in my life prior to this "new knowledge."  Recently, I discovered that all of this "hoopla" started when one man read a quote from the back of the book (the man didn't even read Rob Bell's book at all - just the back cover!)  He went on to call Rob Bell a Universalist and from there the rumors flew!  Rob Bell has denied that he is a Universalist.  Yet, he is still being seen as a heretic by many Evangelicals.  Has anyone actually read his new book to find out what he has really said?  To be honest, I haven't!  In fact, many people were debating Rob Bell and his new book, Love Wins before it even was finished!  In all honesty, I can't make a judgment about something I've not even read.  And I should not have.  There is a fascinating article reviewing the book at http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/books/reviews/25070-love-wins-by-rob-bell.  From this article I gather there is both good and bad, and both truth and misinterpretations from Scripture in Love Wins.  Again, I have not read it - so I cannot pass judgment on Rob Bell, his beliefs, or his teachings.  If we really want to know what he believes and says we should read the book ourselves, yes?  I myself have had one reservation - "what if he is teaching heresy and I get 'sucked in' by reading his book?"  Here is the thing.  Jesus made it clear that He is "the way, the TRUTH, and the life."  He also said, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you..."  Before we pick up Rob Bell's book, or anyone else's for that matter, maybe we should pick up THE BOOK.  Let's try reading Scripture for ourselves.  As we do, SEEK GOD!  Pray!  Ask God to truly reveal Himself and what He is saying to us!  In James it says, "If any man lacks wisdom let him ask..."  He goes on to say He will give us wisdom if we ask believing.  My point, we should be seeking to know God first and foremost.  We should be praying and studying His Word.  If we are truly in right relationship with Him, seeking to know Him more, we should be able to read a book and ask for God's discernment in seeing the truths of that book and the errors.  He can give us that.  He is God for pity sake!  Again, I'm not supporting all of Rob Bell's teachings because I don't know ALL of his teachings.  At the same time, I am sorry I almost threw out what I know are true, Biblical based ideas Rob Bell expounded on because of the “rumor mill.” 

Now, let's talk about J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter.  When this series first came out Christian friends told me the author was a witch who used real incantations in her stories.  I believed it.  I passed on the information fearing our children were being influenced by Satan working through this woman.  Boy does it look like I was dreadfully wrong.  Does anyone know where all of this "Harry Potter is of the devil" stuff began?  It began in an article in "The Onion."  The article was satirical!  "The Onion" itself is totally satirical in its stories.  Satire...  Not truth!  Not actual interviews and such!  It is sarcasm and fiction at its best (or worse).  However, some people began quoting from this article and sharing the information from it as if it was true.  We believe.  We panic for our children.  We share.  It's like that gossip game we play where we all sit in a circle and someone whispers something into their neighbor's ear, but by the time the message gets back to the original person it is so twisted it is hysterical.  I had some Christian friends tell me they'd heard the negative hoopla was based on rumors.  So I began watching the movies with a friend.  They are to today's generation what Star Wars was to mine - great fantasy stories of good verses evil.  In fact, the more I watched them the more I saw CHRISTIAN parallels in the stories.  I thought maybe it was just because of my background.  Then I went to see the newest Harry Potter movie.  I left thinking, "Ok, it can't just be me!  I'm not just reading my own belief system into the movie.  There were some serious Spiritual parallels."  So, I came home and began doing some "research."  Ha!  I know you can't believe everything you read!  However, I cannot dismiss what I found.  Here's a couple of things that will make you re-think the "Harry Potter is of the devil" belief though:     http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1572107/jk-rowling-talks-about-christian-imagery.jhtml and http://www.snopes.com/humor/iftrue/potter.asp.  There is plenty more out there on the issue - just look at Christianity Today.  It's still a topic of debate.  However, as I said, it would seem the original basis for the criticism begun against Rawling years ago is satire. 

All of this being said, I apologize for sometimes jumping to conclusions and believing the worst about people - even going to the point of sharing what I've heard before truly knowing the truth.  Furthermore, I have been challenged and I hope to challenge others.  We need not just take things that are said or read (especially on the internet) at face value.  We should test things, try things, and more than anything, ask for God and His wisdom to show us what is really true before we "believe it...  or not!"  

Let the Church be THE CHURCH!

After a wonderful evening with my church family, I came home and got online to make a hotel reservation for a little trip I'll be taking in a couple of weeks.  The plan was to attend a Christian artist's (comedian, story-teller, and singer) event in a city in which I used to live and work.  Since the event is scheduled for 7:00 on a Saturday evening, and the city is a good 3 1/2 hour drive from here I decided to rent a room and visit the church I used to attend when I lived in that city.  After making the hotel reservation I "Googled" the church to see if there had been changes in service times, if the pastorial staff was the same, etc.  Keep in mind, as I'm searching I'm excited just thinking about being back in that church.  Well, it no longer exists.  Yes, you heard me...  It's not there.  Instead of a church coming up, posts, blogs and other interesting tid-bits came up discussing how this church had been sued by the very denomination that I hold credentials with as a minister.  It was the very headquarters of this denomination that I worked for at the time I lived in this town.  The reason the church was sued - the pastor declined renewing his license with this particular denomination.  In one particular blog a former staff member there posted his letter to this particular organization in which he informed them he would not be renewing his license with them.  The organization sued the church two days later to seize all of the churches property and assets.  You ask, if the pastor and the majority of this church no longer desired to be affiliated with this denomination, why couldn't they just break free? Well, I'll tell you.  In our by-laws it basically states that a church, its properties and assets belongs to the organization.  In my endeavors to become licensed with this organization, one of the classes I took was a history and bylaws class.  I don't remember reading that...  However, it is there...  I'm not sure how I feel about that...  According to the bylaws it is the local church that is to run itself.  However, if the local church decides to disassociate they have to give their building, property, and everything else they labored for to the organization.  I know as I read many blogs, ministers should be aware of this.  It is stated in the bylaws...  However, do we really remember every bylaw of every organization in which we are a member - even if we read them?  I took a class and I missed that regulation. 

While I'm not sure whether or not a denomination seizing all of the assets and properties associated with a church when that church wants to disassociate with the denomination is right, I do know this:  Scripture is clear about believers taking each other to court.  It shouldn't be done!  So while according to the bylaws of this organization and laws of the land they could take this church to court and win (which the denomination did), I don't think they should have.  This is what I read about the matter in I Corinthians 6:1, 6-11:
"If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people?... But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!  The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?  Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.  Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

The entire issue breaks my heart!  It breaks my heart for everyone involved!  It baffles my mind as well.  Although it shouldn't!  I've seen my share of church politics in this particular organization.  The truth be told, the church I attend now is not affiliated with this denomination.  I'm glad for it!  While I know no church, or denomination is perfect, it hurts my very soul to think of the pain this body must have gone through.  It makes me question whether I want to continue holding a ministerial license with this organization.  Sorry there are no jokes or fun stuff in this blog.  My heart is just too heavy.  It is time for me to go lay this all before the Lord.  My mother and I discussed last week how the "entire world seems to be going crazy."  It's a sad day when we see that in the church as well.