Correction

Yesterday I wrote that to date Rob Bell's latest book has not made a best seller list. Well - I stand corrected. It actually debuted on the NY Times Bestseller list at #2.

http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=6155

My thoughts on Love Wins

The time has finally come - Rob Bell's newest book, "Love Wins," has hit the shelves and is being sold and read. To date, it has not graced the rankings of the New York Times bestseller list, but one can't help believe that with all the pre-release conversation surrounding the book that it is being read by many.

I have finally finished my reading and now it is time to join the masses in cyber world and write my opinion. Who knows if anyone other then my mother and maybe my wife will read my opinion - actually my wife will probably not since she has had to endure countless hours of my ongoing ramblings in the midst of reading!

So here goes.

My opinions on the theology that is represented in this book will be kept to myself only to see the light of day in private conversations with trusted individuals. Unfortunately, opinions on theology and politics have ascended the ranks of the list of topics that divide. Needless to say, here are a few thoughts.

1) Rob Bell and the people of Harbor One or excellent marketers. Everything from the pre-release video to the book cover were very well done. I wanted to read the book before seeing the video, but only wanted to read it more after seeing the video.

2) Rob Bell is a very gifted communicator. I have read most of his books and had the privilege of seeing him 'in person' twice. There is much to learn from his very creative, genuine, and engaging form of communication; both in print and in person.

3) There is a vital place in the Body of Christ for people like Rob Bell. People who will 'stir up the waters of conversation' and 'poke us in the ribs.' My entire life has been spent in Christendom. The pitfalls of becoming lazy and comfortable are very real and need to be faced 'head-on.'

4) The conversation needs to continue. Conversations between fellow followers of Christ that wrestle with the truths of Scripture are vitally important. Conversations that unite, not divide. Conversations that draw us closer to Christ. Conversations that require us to embrace the beauty of our differences. Conversations between followers of Christ and those who do not know Him are of equal if not greater importance. Conversations that will introduce people to this wonderful Savior that we know named Jesus. Conversations that will let us into the pain of people's lives. Conversations that will give us permission to tell the story of Jesus.

5) Finally, regardless of where Rob falls on the theological scale of heaven and hell, 2 things were abundantly clear in this book: 1) we have A choice in life - choose a relationship with Jesus or don't, 2) Jesus is the best and only choice that will lead us to life, both in this life and the next.

So get the book and read it. My book budget is very limited so thank you to the Akron Summit County Library for letting me borrow yours. Wrestle with the conversation that Mr. Bell starts. Don't base your understanding of Christ on this book or any other book - only let these books point you to the Greater Book (God's Word), where you can 'work out your salvation with fear and trembling.'

A Million Miles In A Thousand Years

Check out the following video of one of my favorite author's, Don Miller.

What story are you telling? from Rhetorik Creative on Vimeo.

wow

Wow - it has been some time now since I have posted something - this is getting terrible. Anyway, I'm working on another book review that I should post in the next day or so.

I am at a place in life right now where the realization that dependence on God is an everyday thing has once again struck. It is amazing what car troubles, sickness, not having enough of, etc. can remind you of your need for Christ's power everyday!

Reflections from Panera

Of late, I have been setting up my office in Panera on Monday mornings. I have 'unofficially' claimed a table for my desk. This particular table and I have become rather good friends. The view is actually rather nice. I have a wall to my left, the newspaper basket immediately behind me, and a nice warm fireplace just over my right shoulder. Needless to say, you did not sign up to read about a description of my Panera office.

Here is the point!!!!

I am discovering that deep down inside of all of us, there is a strong pull for us to be connected to one another. Each week, as I have set up my mobile office, I am treated to a variety of views. There are people just like me sipping on a cup of coffee, returning emails. There are girlfriends who find a cozy spot in a booth and catch up over a cup of coffee. There are business people that gather around the large table immediately in front of me and to my right (I couldn't resist the description). They all open their laptops, spread out papers all around the table, put on their serious face, and conduct business.

This morning I was treated to a mother having breakfast with her daughter (no description of their location forth coming).

And then there are the guys behind me. One of them is in his 40's, the other, his 60's. They chat up every girl that walks by. The conversation quickly descends to their inquisitions on whether she is married or not and how the man she is with is too poor or not good enough for her.

Regardless of the scenario and the conversation, I have discovered on a deeper level that we all want to connect to others. We all want someone else to listen to the story of us, and we want to hear the story of them. When we sit alone in the restaurant, our focus is not always on what we are doing - because we want to connect. So we eaves drop on the stories being told, and try to find our place in those stories. Or we secretly wish that we could tell our story so we find a place to interject in someone else's conversation.

How do I know this?

I watch the person that sits alone who's eyes are perpetually looking around the room.

Oh - and it is what I do when I'm not answering emails or balancing church budgets!

So find that someone this week and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea at Panera. Who knows, we may see each other there, and I will probably listen to your conversation if you are sitting close to my office!

Intentionality

What are you doing today that is intentional? One thing that I have discovered of late is this: if you don't intentionally pursue your destination, the odds of chaos increase exponentially.

Think about it.

*If you are driving your car somewhere, and you don't drive towards your destination on purpose, you are more than likely going to get lost.

*If you don't tackle the house project that is before you with intention, than you are more than likely going to end up with multi colored walls, crooked lines, mismatched furniture, and a headache from arguing with your spouse.

*If you don't raise your children on purpose, then they are more than likely going to take their own path, which is not always the best path.

*If you don't live your marriage with intention, then you take the chance that you will drift in your love.

The examples could continue, but let's look at the driving example for a minute. If you are lucky enough to own a GPS then you will understand this analogy very well.

To go somewhere that you have never been you first have to enter the address into the GPS, give it a couple of moments to compute the best possible route, and then you must follow the directions turn by turn so that you will safely reach your destination. If for some reason your GPS has directed you on a route that has a road block, then with the simple click of a button, you can find the best detour so that you remain on track to reach your desired location.

Life must be lived this way. If you and I pursue our destination on accident we will either never reach that destination or we will make it, but we will make it later than we should.

All of us have dreams and hopes that we would like to reach in our life. We have stories to write, conversations to have, lives to impact, children to raise, love stories to engage in, and differences to make.

If we leave that to chance, we may or may not get there, and we will probably spend the majority of our time fighting fires on rabbit trails.

Whatever area of life you are needing to focus on with more intentionality take into consideration the following thoughts:

*Identify where you would like to go

*Program life's GPS

*Pray for God's direction

*Ask other people who have been down the same road to help give you directions

*Read a book about the lives of other people and how they reached their destinations

*If life throws you a roadblock, hit the detour button

*Pray (Where does God want you to detour)

*Ask others who have hit the same roadblocks to give you directions

Don't live life accidentally.

Live life intentionally!

A Million Miles In A Thousand Years

I have recently finished reading Donald Miller's newest book; "A Million Miles In A Thousand Years." Let me just get it out of the way and state - this is a must read. This is the third writing of Miller's that I have read, and I have yet to be disappointed. Donald Miller writes with a level a candidness that few others do. The main take away for me from this book is; we are all living a story, which is a part of a grander story, let's make the stories of our lives worth reading. Don weaves the stories of his own life and the life of others through the truths of this book. In the end, I realized that I had laughed out loud, cried, and finished the book wanting to take a hike, feed a starving child, climb a mountain, or mentor a boy without a father. Today, I am committed more than ever before to writing the story of my life so that others will want to read it!