In 1996, the song Counting Blue Cars from the band Dishwalla quickly rose the charts and earned the band a Billboard Award for “Best Rock Song” as well as two ASCAP Awards for “Rock Track Of The Year.”
The chorus of the song goes:
“Tell me all your thoughts on God, cause I’d really like to meet her.”
The controversial nature of the song, I believe, is the only reason it became so popular. Take away the controversy, and all you have is a bunch of mediocre tunes. Proof of the band’s meager success lay in this one fact: their music was featured on The WB series Charmed. Enough said. But thoughts of lame music aside, some would call this “out of the box” while others might ask the question: What box?
Opinions on faith can create enough controversy that can divide a household, destroy a marriage, and rock a community. Faith has a way of doing that. As much as it should be a source of unity, it seems to lean toward the opposite. Referring to God the Father as “God the Mother” can, without a doubt, attest to the division of a large majority of believers, regardless of their particular beliefs.
Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, I’ll let you decide.
Rob Bell, author/pastor/speaker, is Counting Blue Cars. I’m not sure if he’s actually counting them but he is just as controversial, it seems, as the song’s pentetrating chorus. Just the other day, a friend said that “Rob Bell is polarizing.” Some people love him, others hate him. Some would say he’s message is divisive, others stand and cheer him on. This back and forthness seems to be the fuel in Rob Bell’s mantra.
Personally, I’m middle of the road. I like his image, his presentation, and his abilitiy to woo a group of people with his cheerleader-like passion. There are things that I’m unsure of as well – his lack of authority concerning scripture, his questioning that turns black and white topics gray. I tend to be hesitent in my sold-outness and I’m a bit skeptical but, at the same time, I’m intrigued.
On Valentine’s Day, I went to see his Drops Like Stars presentation – something I’ve been waiting to see for more than 4 months. I went promising myself that I would go without a premature opinion of the topic or the speaker. I was successful. I enjoyed the event, went away with some great thoughts, and I’m even looking forward to the next time he’s in my area.
There were many things that I took away from the event.
One being this quote:
“You can own something & not possess it. You can possess something & not own it.”
I know that I’m still going to be hesitant concerning all things Rob Bell. It’s about the message and not the man. That’s something we should be thinking about concerning all of our leaders, pastors, etc: it’s the message, not the man. Let’s not forget that.
I’d like to you to tell me all your thoughts on Rob Bell, if you would.
I love Rob Bell. I love his charisma and his unbelievable skill in presentation. He can make anything look appealing. Unfortunately, I also feel that is his greatest fault. I fear that, while he is "outside the box" and top-notch in everything he does, he is leading hundreds, thousands….maybe even more…people away from a true relationship with Jesus Christ.
I jumped on the Bell Bandwagon when his first Nooma video was released and used all his videos in my youth ministry. Honestly, his creativity challenged me to put more effort in all things ministry. Why should the world have all the best, most creative forms of advertising/entertainment//message delivering. Rob Bell really opened my eyes to how poorly most Christians deliver God's message to the lost.
However, around the time Velvet Elvis came out, I noticed a change in Rob's message. Gradually it felt like he was no longer being as creative as possible when delivering the Gospel but was trying as hard as possible to be shocking. He wasn't just thinking "outside the box" in regards to his methodology, he was jumping out of the box in regards to his doctrine. I must admit….I liked him so much that at first I just wanted to close my eyes to this change. Eventually, the changes were overwhelming and I couldn't deny them any longer.
I fear that Rob's creativity and knowledge has caused him to lose sight of why he started thinking outside the box in the first place. I think his goal was to reach people in new ways….to use methods previously unused….to "do Christianity in ways it's never been done before"……..
In my humble and saddened opinion…..he missed the mark. I pray that Rob will remember the message of salvation that started him on this journey; that he will remember why he accepted the message of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection as payment for his sin; and that he will stop trying to "shock-jock" the message of the Bible and start pointing people to a true relationship with Jesus Christ.
I pray that I will work to share the Gospel as creatively and with as high of quality as Rob once did.
Very well put. Thanks for your thoughts Brad.