Jesus Wants to Save Christians

So, I've just come back from Grand Rapids, Michigan. While I was there I went to Rob Bell's church, Mars Hill. He planted this church several years ago, and it's grown into a huge mega church. They worship in a converted mall and people come in droves, etc. etc.

You might be surprised to hear I enjoyed my worship time there; it was creative in surprising ways; they spent good time and money preparing ministry for my children; there was a general buzz of joy and friendship.

In youth ministry circles, Rob Bell has become something of a celebrity. Early on in his career he made exegesis cool for the masses by taking his unique style on the road to Youth Specialties events and the like. At my last convention they handed out this book, Jesus Wants to Save Christians, to everyone who attended.

Over the last couple of weeks, I  engaged this book in an interesting way: I read it or listened to it, but I didn't do both. I also have it in audiobook format, so I would sometimes listen to it while I was in the bag yard putzing around, and I'd sometimes sit to read it. It may not be the best way to really to engage with someone's ideas.

That said, it was a thought provoking book, and if I hadn't recently been reading NT Wright, or had read George Eldon Ladd in seminary, then I would have been thoroughly captivated by his notion of the church in exile, already beholden to Christ as a bride but not yet fully at home with Him. This theological notion of being in the Already/Not Yet carries real consequences for those who are Christians. And this is where Bell wants to take his readers.

Salvation is not only from something (namely, sin) but also to something (namely, radically re-oriented life). And we are saved to this life in a world still straining away from redemption. So, we find ourselves in exile in our very own home town, in our own work places, sometimes in our own families. This book strives to introduce that reality to Christian community, especially for those who have not come against this understanding of salvation, or God's Kingdom before. We all need this reminder. After all, don't most of us (even those of us who know better) just blithely go on living our life in our little bubble of habit and safe acquaintances? Of course. And that's the ultimate call of this book: Let the pattern of Jesus Christ overtake you, living as one who is at home in exile ready to be spent on others.

Amen. And Amen.

Now, time to stop writing and start living in exile.