Long time no see.
It's funny to think that this is just another blog post about Rob Bell's new book, "Love Wins." I feel like this might be among the most blogged about subjects in recent history. Of course, I'm not so interested in the book itself, as I haven't read it, nor am I interested in the discussion (debate) surrounding Heaven and Hell. Rather, I am interested in the fact that so many people identify with Rob Bell or other Christian leaders or just other people in general. I really just want to focus for a few minutes on how we a Christians often identify (and subsequently seem to follow religiously) with what kind of Christian a person seems to be.
For example, we look at Rob Bell. If I identify, or want to, with a Christian who is hip, creative, thoughtful, and somewhat simple in what he believes. This is not to say that Rob Bell, Mars Hill, or Nooma are simplistic, they are all in fact quite deep theologically and faithfully wondering about where faith and life intersect to create lives of faith. The simple belief I'm referring to is that Love Wins. I really do hope that it is that simple. But I digress a bit.
In a conversation this week with a number of my compatriots here at the seminary, we talked about identifying with a Christian leader like Rob Bell as a kind of rallying point for faith formation. I might follow Rob Bell because he's a great speaker, a deep thinker, a careful author, but not necessarily because I agree with him theologically or in his Biblical interpretation. It's an interesting dualism between what he/I believe and how he delivers it to me. One of the members of this conversation this week is a Christian leader that I identify with, both because he seems to be hip (enough), is a sports fan, is a deep theological thinker, and is nerdy enough to use Anakin Skywalker in a lecture on sin, death, and fear that leads to sinning. Yup.
What kinds of other people do commoners such as myself identify with? Our own pastors, youth directors, bosses, co-workers, musicians, actors or actresses, politicians?
I want to briefly tell you about a few Christians that I identify with. I see these people, or even just think about these people, and say, "I want to be that kind of Christian. I want to be that kind of leader." I want, but I can't always have. It's somewhat of an ontological conundrum (an issue with my very being and existence). I see youth leaders like DG and I want to be as open and loving and structured and creative as he. That's not necessarily in my skill set. I see adults in the church like KP, who call me back in my time of grief and of deep need. I want to be like that for someone someday. I remember my Papa, my grandfather, who had such a fierce prayer life, God couldn't help but hear JF pray. His heart was so big, even in his relatively small frame, it seemed to engulf the whole neighborhood, if not more. I want to love and live faithfully like that.
These are some of the people I identify with. I am a youth director. I care deeply for my friends and family. I try to love as hard as I can, to love the loveless and the unlovable.
I'm not them. I celebrate them, but we are not the same. Praise God for that.
I kinda dig Rob Bell. I can identify with him. Is he the kind of Christian I want to be? No, not really. I want to be the kind of Christian that Peter was. I've made plenty of mistakes, but Jesus still takes me back, gives me work to do, and continues to be committed to me even to the point of death and beyond.
What kind of Christian do you want to be? Too bad, you have to be the kind of Christian you are. Be the kind of Christian, the kind of human being, that God created you to be, allows you to be, and celebrate you being.
Peace until next time.
K.
