Rob Bell is Not a Christian
Recently, I was given a subscription to Relevant magazine for Christmas by my cousin who is also in the ministry. Seeing that the tagline for Relevant is “God.Life.Progressive Culture.“, I am fully prepared to read theological and social banter that do not follow my views. I mean, in this tagline these guys are pretty much saying that they are not geared toward a conservative like me. However, the front cover features a close-up of Rob Bell and a feature article on the emergent pastor on pp. 64-69. The things Bell says in that interview are what I want to specifically talk about. They go way beyond the “progressive” views of the magazine. Bell is preaching a different religion. That is correct, I am saying that what Rob Bell is teaching his congregation of 10,000 at Mars Hill Church in Grand Rapids Michigan, as well as millions who hear him across the country via podcasts, and through his extremely popular video productions (like the NOOMA series) is a totally different religion - not Christianity. First let me point out that Bell has been embraced by evangelicalism and wears the moniker proudly (albeit with a bit of a smirk). The article reports that the Chicago-Sun Times has called Bell “The Next Billy Graham”; and Relevant claims, he has become one of the most influential figures in evangelical Christianity.
The splash page quote from Bell is, “I have never set out to be shocking or controversial. That’s a horrid goal- and, I believe, a very unredemptive goal. My interest has always been the Truth.” (emphasis added). Sounds great right? Let’s just take a few quotes from the article and see what “the Truth” is according Rob Bell.
- That is that all people will eventually be conformed to perfect relationship with God. When asked about his involvement in environmentalism Rob says the following, “It was great. There were all sorts of really interesting things that came out of that. We understand that every person is a priest, and so a church is where all of these people are essentially having their inner priest evoked out of them.” So, the job of the church is not to help people recognize their default condition of being separated from God, rather all people are priests by default and the church is the place to discover that.
- In other words, God is all and all is God. “I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.” is how the Beatles put it. In the follow-up question of how his faith leads to his being environmentally conscious, Bell emasculates Scripture to make his point that, as the eighties song says, “we are the world”. Bell’s answer: “It’s always been rooted in the very nature of God. The central Hebrew prayer, Deuteronomy 6, says, ‘Hear O Israel the Lord your God, the Lord is One,’ so we live with awareness that all of reality is one. We are connected with all things everywhere…” This is clearly far from the Christian (and biblical) view of God, the universe, and man.
- When asked about his The Gods Aren’t Angry tour Bell discussed the focal points of the tour being, “…how humans invented religion to make themselves feel better, …and how those gods evolved over time, …I’m thrilled with how the content came together. For me everything is about content.” I agree with Bell that everything is about content, but listen to his content! If man created “the gods” rather than the real God who is there creating man, what makes Bell’s rhetoric any different than that of Hitchens, Dawkins, and the myriad of other popular atheists of our time?
4. A Negation of Christ’s Redemptive Work:
- Bell says, “The world is desperately in need of people who will break themselves open and pour themselves out for the reconciliation of all things- that’s what the world needs.” This is more popularly known as the “social gospel”. He takes Christ’s work of “making all things new” to an entirely twisted level. True to the aforementioned atheistic views, Bell has placed the onus on man to “reconcile all things”. And obviously this isn’t even reconciling man to God since Bell does not believe that man is separated from God in the first place. So in essence, what he is saying is that the world does not need to be restored from the Fall by accepting Christ as God, Lord, and Redeemer…not according to Bell, all the world needs now is love sweet love.
Needless to say, more could be said about Rob Bell and his views. And much has. You can hear an interview with Doug Pagitt (another emergent pastor) and Todd Friel of Way of the Master Radio. In this interview, you will hear the same views from Bell expressed for all the world to hear from Pagitt. You can also check out the works of Brian McLaren and Donald Miller to name a few, at your local Lifeway or Family Christian Store to see how these very unchristian views have infiltrated Christianity.
The emergent movement is more than a church style. It is a new religion being taught by people who are too cool for the faith once and for all delivered to the saints. For more information into this topic check out these folks:
John MacArthur YouTube video.
PBS report video.
Apprising Ministries (quoting Walter Martin’s discussion of the Emergent Movement in the Southern Baptist Church) blog.
Brian McLaren’s own words about the atonement.
Filed under: Archives | Tagged: blog, christian, emergent, faith, rob bell, terry hollifield, what and why, what&why
Terry,
FYI. I looked for your email addy but didn’t see it:
Rob Bell Is Not A Christian
Amen, good job. I would like to see more quotes from Bell, because he has a great spin machine that states ‘He never said that/meant that” and that He affirms the traditional views of God/Jesus/Trinity blah blah blah….
Terry,
This is the first time I have been to your site. Been reading Brother Ken’s site for awhile, and he linked to here. Good Job on pointing out Rob Bell’s other gospel, and frankly, the SBC too, for helping to promote his and other of these emergent teachers. I am on the Ex. board in Missouri for the SBC, and many here are trying to fight this stuff tooth and nail. Don’t even get me started on LIfeway. Many of us have been trying to convey to LIfeway what a false mess this stuff is, and what damage it is causing for them to promote a lot of it, but so far have had little success. We’ll keep trying. Thanks again for this informative write-up.
Rob Bell is not only “Not a Christian,” I think that his deceptive ways should be called what they really are: The New “Age” Spirituality Occult. This is marketed poison folks, and the effects of Bell’s “influence” are snatching away the next generation into what may be the biggest apostasy yet. Rob Bell seems to be more into Gnostic “secret knowledge” than God’s Holy Word. Has anyone read Colossians? Remember, the Lord is building His church, not the Emergent crowd. Shame on the SBC and Lifeway for trying to build #’s and make a buck. Shame on Zondervan for publishing Bell’s book, Sex God. Repent from false teaching. Learn and discern. Thank you Terry for this post. Bless You! Psalms 1
It is possible for a believer to backslide doctrinally as well as morally. The eternal standing of anyone before God is speculative, just as their are people who we might consider saved who will turn out to be lost.
Bell’s present teachings are significantly unorthodox, but no one can identify with any divine knowledge a person’s salvation and it actually diverts attention from the issue and projects people’s judgment to Bell’s soul. Doctrinal teachings should be scrutinized against Scripture without the distraction of speculation or even declaration of a person’s salvation.
BTW - your assessment of Bell’s teachings are accurate.
Sorry, Terry, you’re 100% off on your interpretation of Bell, his teachings, and his faith.
Bell’s Christianity is FAR less suspect than that of your first commenter, whose “ministry” (to put it very loosely) is more in the likes of Torquemada than the Reformers…
Also, FYI - Walter Martin died more than a decade before the “Emerging Church” movement even came into being…
Henry: Thanks for your thoughtful comments. I believe they deserve more discussion, and I agree with you on the subjective nature of pronouncing anyone “saved”. My thoughts on Bell (and title for the post) was meant to address doctrine. However, I guess the following series of questions would be pertinent:
1. What constitutes Christian belief?
2. Can one be a Christian without adhering to the fundamental principles of Christian belief?
3. Can someone go to Heaven without being a Christian?
Again, the condition of man is one of being “condemned already”. Bell is leading people away from the only means of reconciling that default setting.
1. A basic belief in Jesus’ life (how he taught we should live), his death (what he did for us) and resurrection (bringing us life now and forever). Bell’s church teaches this, as well. Here is their statement of narrative theology. Also, prior to suggesting he (or his church) is not Christian (or making wild accusations about Universalism, Monism, Naturalism, etc.), perhaps you should contact them.
2. In general, no - but if you are speaking to systematic theology, then yes. A number of the items you have interpreted as “unorthodox” have been done so in the guise of Calvinist/Reformed doctrine, which you would be correct in stating is not what Bell/Mars Hill teaches. For instance, per your point #4, Bell does not teach against Substitutionary Penal Atonement, per se, but rather teaches a form of Christus Victor (the earliest teaching about Jesus’ redemptive work), which says that not only was Jesus’ death about personal salvation (the penal substitutionary view), but that it is also about God’s victory over Satan (Christus Victor). Additionally, Bell/Mars Hill teaches a balance of the individual and social gospel, that what Jesus taught was just as important as who he was. Too often the traditional/fundamentalist teaching has been all about the latter and lip service to the former ONLY as it pertains to the latter.
3. Not according to scripture, which Mars Hill/Bell affirms on a number of occasions. However, your question pretty much nails that you’ve missed a key point of the gospel, treating it like a fire insurance policy, rather than a way to live now and forever.
Then apparently you’ve not listened to him all that closely, and you’ve not done the proper work of Matthew 18 in contacting him directly before making such accusations…
1. The Scriptures
2. Yes. (The man in Corinth living in sin)
3. No.
Charles Finney was dramatically saved and used mightily throughout the Northeast. However, in his later years he morphed from a preacher to a theologian and taught some crazy things. He did not believe those things originall (sinless perfection, etc.) but later drifted.
A true believer is capable of almost any backsliding with its accompanying deceptive behavior and/or teachings. Only God knows, and the most we can say is that it is an extremely dangerous situation to stary from the teaching of the atonement and begin teaching false doctrine.
It doesn’t mean that you are definitely unsaved, but at the very least it means you are deceived and spreading deception. At the very most, it can mean you have counted the blood of the covenant wherewith you were sanctified, an unholy thing. And for a staunch Arminian such as myself, that does have eternal implications.
But I cannot attach with any authority a person’s name to that verse, but God can.
“you’ve not done the proper work of Matthew 18 in contacting him directly before making such accusations…”
Does not apply. Terry is not a member of Bell’s local church. And as Dr. Martin also pointed out, men like Rob Bell are teaching in the public arena and as such open to public critique.
Ken - I agree. How do you contact John Wesley, for instance? The Matt. 18 admonition centers around our own personal spheres and probably is not focused on doctrinal issues but social interaction issues.
You linked to the wrong Mars Hill church!
Sorry for the error in the link guys. It will be Monday before I can correct it. An honest error on my part, but it doesn’t affect my assessment of Mr. Bell’s theology since it was taken from his statements in the article and not from the church to which the incorrect link leads. Please also understand that my purpose in posting this blog was not personal slander; I do not know Rob Bell personally. I simply mean to demarkate the Christian view of God, man, and salvation and I observe Rob Bell’s teaching in those areas to be contrary to the teachings of Paul, John, and Jesus Himself. I have not attacked Bell’s treatment of others, his personal character, or anything of the sort. I simply think he is promulgating a religion that is not Christianity under a pseudonymn. Truth is important and I hope our discussions here can remain in the arena of ideas. You have every right to critique my brand of theology as well. Feel free to read any of my other posts and call my views into question, but the Bible must be the standard.
Chris why don’t you offer some proof from Rob himself of instead of simply attacking his critiques. Rob has plenty of material from which you should be able to construct a solid defense if in fact this statements about Rob’s heresies are false. I mean Rob’s a communicator surely he can clearly communicate the gospel? Can he not use great plainness of speech and if not then we need to ask ourselves and him why not?
I don’t know much about Rob Bell, but I do know he is not perfect. That does not mean he is not a Christian.
Having said that, it is not for anyone to judge whether or not he is a “Christian”, only God can make that judgement. The bible has very strong words about people that pass judgement and spread idle gossip.
It seems to me that people are spending a lot of time gossiping and making judgements about Rob, when there are many more fruitful things to be done in this life to honour and obey God.
Matthew 12:36 says:
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”
“It seems to me that people are spending a lot of time gossiping and making judgements about Rob, when there are many more fruitful things to be done in this life to honour and obey God.”
preach on. what a waste of my last fifteen minutes.
Ron, I agree that slander would be inappropriate. As far as Rob being not perfect; neither am I. However, that is neither the question at hand nor the point of my post.
The exception I take is with Rob’s calling the brand of doctrine he espouses “Christian”. This is in fact a healthy and biblical type of judgment. The apostle Paul spent a large portion of his letters to the New Testament church speaking about this type of analysis. Not gossip, but discernment; just like the kind you are utilizing in assessing my comments.
You certainly, have the right to judge my statements (as you have). Please allow me the same freedom to judge the statements Rob makes without being vilified. Also, please see my above comment in that I am not attacking Rob as a person, simply “attacking” what I view as soundly unbiblical doctrines about God, man, and salvation.
I will not make further redundant statements about my intent in that I feel it has been sufficiently addressed and that it distracts from the topic and does not address the questions at hand. It would be interesting to see some of the folks who do not agree with my post to actually address the material I have offered from the Bell interview in Relevant magazine. I think that would be a more fruitful conversation. I will gladly respond to such statements or queries in the future.
If it is required that a person believe the orthodox teachings of the church, ie: the Trinity, Virgin Birth, etc. Then why is it that we consider people “saved” when they accept Christ after someone has shared with them the plan of salvation? If one must FIRST have proper theology in order to go to Heaven, then is the SBC promoting heresy on their website when they offer this prayer for salvation?
“Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I do not deserve eternal life. But, I believe You died and rose from the grave to purchase a place in Heaven for me. Jesus, come into my life, take control of my life, forgive my sins and save me. I am now placing my trust in You alone for my salvation and I accept your free gift of eternal life.”
No where in that prayer does it say, ‘Lord Jesus, I know you were born of a virgin and that you are the second Person in the Trinity, and…and…etc.”
Don’t misunderstand, theology is important…I am a product of good Baptist education, BUT if proper theology is required for salvation then you are right…Rob Bell may not be a Christian…HOWEVER neither is the person who comes to church, hears the basic plan of salvation and asks Jesus into their heart.
‘Blessed are those with correct doctrine who can recite the magic prayer.’
‘Blessed are those who spread hate instead of unity and seek to pul the splinter out of their neighbours eye, rather than seeing the plank in theirs.’
‘Blessed are those who woud rather be right than love their neighbours.’
Well done guys, keep it up, you are a credit to the faith.
As I look at the people complaining (like Paul), or just adding to the malaise of these comments, it reminds me that the enemy will do anything to distract or diffuse a kernel of truth. Is it not far more imporant to discuss, discern, and investigate the issue that has been raised in the blog - whether we (or a significant portion of the Christian populace) are accepting a distortion of the Gospel as truth? Or it it more important that we bicker about how Hollifield approached Bell or the techicalities of mainline doctrine?
I am new to this blog and frankly, I think it raises an essential consideration for every believer ot Jesus (whatever label you choose) - but I see little discussion of that issue, and instead more argument about how the issue was approached or petty jabs or people who just post things that raise the level of antagonism without really adding anything substantial.
If you can read a blog like this and respond with sarcasm, or avoid the issue raised by the blog itself, you’re probably on the wrong forum. Join the “joke a day” mailing list or just read news that doesn’t require a lot of personal investigation and response. It will be far more helpful to you and to the people who will take this issue seriously, regardless of which side of the fence they land on.
Much love in all things,
Tony Bowick
I think you have missed the point. Rob Bell is using a subversive appraoch to bring tainted, skeptical, tired people to jesus. You totally missed the point with his “man made the gods” thing. He did not say Man Made GOD, He said man created “religion”. Rob Bell’s teachings have turned me back to jesus. pointed me to a life that expects jesus to be present, and has helped shape the gospel in me. I encourage you to not be so quick to call people “not” christians.
[...] him with the emergent movement of church leaders and thinkers. There’s no shortage of both critical and celebratory commentary on Bell around the blogosphere and elsewhere. I haven’t [...]