Where In The World Is Lisa?

Hey y'all!

I'm not planning to post any more updates here.  I'm blogging over at Liberty's Last Shadow now.  It's mostly culture and politics, news of the day, that sorta thing.  While my purpose is to engage your mind I'll try to keep it fun, I promise!  Come check out my new digs!

Farewell, Steve Jobs

Apple.

Mac.

iPod. iPhone. iPad. iTunes.

Pixar.

What other revolutionary innovations has the world been deprived of by your untimely demise?

Thank you, Steve Jobs. Well done.

I'm playing a round of Angry Birds on my iPhone in your honor.

Erasing Hell

So in the interest of being fair and balanced I read Francis Chan's rebuttal to Love Wins titled Erasing Hell.

While I agree with almost all of Chan's theology regarding hell his book was very, um...scholarly.  Now I love a good footnote as much as the next person but it doesn't make for compelling reading. 

I think I see the problem.

Bell's book reads like a grand story.  His style is almost conversational.  And if I'm being brutally honest, the God he describes is much more lovable. 

Chan's book contains the traditional teaching on hell that I grew up with.  Probably a lot of you did too.  Hell is a literal place that unbelievers in Christ go when they die and suffer eternal torment as punishment for their unbelief.  While I agree with Chan's interpretation of Scripture, I have to admit that to an average person who maybe didn't grow up with this traditional view, his God could come across as harsh and almost vindictive.

And so the question remains...how to explain to a lost world that a loving God can condemn people to eternal punishment.  I'm not suggesting that we have to apologize for God or sugar-coat the Gospel.  But I'm not sure that focusing on avoidance of hell is the best way to persuade unbelievers that Jesus is for them.  And I think maybe that was Bell's point. 

There seems to be a lot of "Christians" out there who love condemning people to hell.  You should read some of the comments on some of the articles I read about Rob Bell.  Many of them are convinced that even though Bell professes Jesus as his Savior and trusts in the redemptive power of the cross Bell is going to bust the gates of hell wide open when he dies because of his differing interpretation of certain Scripture regarding hell.  Really?  I thought trusting Jesus was enough.  You mean we also have to correctly interpret every single Scripture? I mean, have you READ Revelation?!  Now there's a daunting study!  And who decides which interpretation is correct...the Baptists, the Methodists, the Catholics or, heaven forbid, the Mormons?  I'm pretty sure I don't know every thing there is to know about every single Scripture and I've probably gotten some it wrong somewhere along the way.  How about you?  Is my salvation in jeopardy?  Is yours? I choose to believe that Jesus is enough and trust that God will sort out the rest of it in His wisdom and mercy.

I'll just sum it up this way:  Bell's book made me want to immediately start trying to better love God and my neighbor.  Chan's book made me want to hide under my bed in fear.

Love Wins

Rob Bell, founder and pastor of Mars Hill Church in Grandeville, Michigan, ignited a firestorm of controversy with the release of his book, Love Wins.  It seemed that Rob had the audacity to ask some tough questions about heaven and hell that the evangelical community had determined settled.  The response was to immediately condemn not only the book but the author as well.  "Universalist!" they cried.  One noted theologian even seemed to dismiss Rob out of Christianity altogether with his tweet, "Farewell Rob Bell." 

So you know what I did?

I read the book.

And then I read it again.

Because I didn't find anything offensive or shocking about it. 

Sure, there are ideas that I'm uncomfortable with. But I don't think it hurts me to have to rethink those things to be sure why I believe what I believe.  And Rob brings up some hard questions that I've often wondered about myself.  And I like that he doesn't pretend to know all the answers.  I like that he believes Jesus is big enough to handle the tough questions.  I love the God he describes--expansive, mysterious, creative and loving.  A lot of times I think the God the church presents to the world is too small.  Sometimes it feels like the church is telling the world that they have God all figured out.  "Ok, here's how it works.  Do a and don't do b, c, d, and e and God will do x for you."  I don't want a God that humans can put into a formula.  And I don't think the world does either. 

So, the bottom line is this:  I liked the book.  I liked that it made me think.  I liked that it made me want to search out the Truth for myself rather than blindly accepting others' interpretations of truth.  Most of all I loved that it made me want to know God better.

Limbo...and not the fun party game

Well.

It's been a while.

A lot has happened since my last post on MAY 2nd.  I'll give you a quick run-down in list form.  'Cuz that's how I roll.

• We finished up Hayley's first year of homeschooling (9th grade).
• Caitlin finished 5th grade.
• Wes and I celebrated our 20th anniversary in Jamaica.
• There was a dramatic and painful ending of a relationship that was very important to me but I survived.
• I turned 41...and survived that too.
• Wes got a fabulous new job that he loves.
• We decided to sell our house and move.
• We moved half our belongings and are currently living out of boxes but do not have a scheduled closing date on the afore-mentioned house sale.
• Since we have not moved yet, Hayley has begun another year of homeschooling.
• Caitlin started middle school and much to her dismay she has to do that book report after all since WE. ARE. STILL. HERE.
• I agreed to adopt a cat named Toby from the Humane Society but not until we move.  Have I mentioned we are STILL HERE?!
• I'm still working part-time until...WE MOVE!

So you can see that my life is in limbo...UNTIL WE MOVE.