Book Review: Velvet Elvis

Oh my, where to even begin with this book? Unbeknownst to me when I initially started reading it, the author Rob Bell is regarded as one of the big leaders in the emergent church movement. If you've ever heard of the "Nooma" videos, this is the guy who is behind them. After reading the first chapter (or "movement" as he calls them) entitled "Jump," I found myself double-checking and cross-referencing a lot of Scripture that he seemingly ignored or flat-out contradicted. Take for example his assertion that the virgin birth is non-essential to the Christian faith, found on page 26; or his subtle challenge that the Triune nature of God might be untrue and worth abandoning, found on page 22. Bell argues that doctrines like these are akin to springs on a trampoline-- you can remove several of them and the trampoline still functions. WHOA! My friends, these are not valid questions, they are stark and heretical contradictions to Scripture!

The Good:

Now not everything Bell says in the book is false. In fact, I found myself puzzled as I pressed onwards through the book. For a few pages, he'd seem to be right-on in his thoughts and musings-- even expresses a strong desire to read and understand Scripture from it's original Hebraic, Jewish perspective (which I'm all for!). He emphasizes the importance of observing the Sabbath, the meaning behind wearing Tzit-tzit, and the need to understand that Jesus did not come to abolish the Torah, but to explain how it should be properly understood and followed. He also emphasized our need to live like Jesus did, and do so ALL THE TIME, not just within the walls of church or Bible study groups. Caring for the poor, helping those in need, and standing out in the world as real, heart-followers of Christ. I don't disagree with any of those things!

The Bad:

Unfortunately, even after making those statements above, Bell stays far too vague in explaining them. And in the few cases where he does expand on a thought, he seems to contradict himself as he dives headlong into imagery and nebulousness behind many truths and commandments of the Bible, essentially saying that it's all up to however you decide to interpret it. In short, he states a truth from the Bible, but then challenges the fact that it could be absolute truth, by raising pointless questions that only muddy the Scriptures.

The Ugly:

Something very tricky and dangerous is that he does not cite any Scriptures directly within the book, but instead collects them all at the back in an "endnote" section. Amidst these endnotes though, are also quotations from other men like Marcus Borg (watch out!), and magazines like Entertainment Weekly. To a casual reader who was not checking the endnotes carefully, you could mistake a quote from a secular or heretical source for a quote from Scripture. Aside from his challenge of core Biblical doctrines like the Trinity or the virgin birth, Bell lost all credibility in my mind when he misquoted a verse in the Bible to support an idea of his that the Bible wasn't even talking about. By the grace of God, I had just read this verse which is the reason I think I caught it so readily. It can be found on page 128, where he says that Jesus says in John 15:15 "Everything I learned I passed on to you." However, if you look up that verse in the Bible, Jesus actually says "Everything I heard from my Father I have made known to you." That's not just an issue of translation, it changes the whole meaning of the passage in its proper context! In another place in the book, Bell claims that Peter sank while walking on the water not because he had lost faith in Christ, but because he had lost faith in himself. He even uses that false assumption as a basis to make a claim that God's faith in us matters more than our faith in God. Hmm... I wonder what Bible verse that is? Or take for example his claim in the chapter called "Truth" that truth can be found in any religion, and how he thinks that the Bible itself (specifically Paul's writings) was influenced by other religions too! Does this sound right to you as a Believer?

I know I'll probably get a lot of flack for thinking so low of the beloved "Nooma" guy, but lest you think that I am just raising a big fuss, let me just quote Mr. Bell directly from page 67:

“…it wasn’t until the 300s that what we know as the sixty-six books of the Bible were actually agreed upon as the ‘Bible’. This is part of the problem with continually insisting that one of the absolutes of the Christian faith must be a belief that “Scripture alone” is our guide. It sounds nice, but it is not true." (Rob Bell, from Velvet Elvis)

In closing, the fact is that although Bell's "Velvet Elvis" contains some good, accurate Biblical principles and observations, it is peppered throughout with small, subtle inaccuracies and (forgive my strong language) heresies against the truth and infallibility of the Word of God. I DO NOT recommend that you read this book. If my review hasn't convinced you, just Google "Velvet Elvis Problems" to see what much more notable men of faith have to say about it, and then search Youtube for a video called "Rob Bell Exposed." The danger with this kind of literature is that it is so close to the truth, the lies can often sneak right in undetected. Do yourself a favor and take the three hours you would have spent reading this book, and read some of Paul's epistles instead (Galatians, Chapter 1 is an excellent place to start!)

Book Review: Jim and Casper Go to Church

"Is this what Jesus told you guys to do?"

What happens when a Christian and an atheist go to a dozen different churches across the USA together, with the point of the visits being about gaining insight into how non-believers view the institutionalized church in America?

The answer is found in this book, and I must say that it was an easy and enjoyable read. While I was a bit put off by the one of the premises of the book (namely how the Christian, Jim, told the atheist, Casper, that at least during the course of this experiment he should not accept salvation), I decided to press on anyways. I'm glad I did, because the book gave a lot of very keen insights into how the world perceives Christianity at large. Almost all of these insights came from Casper, including what I think was probably the most haunting and challenging question of all, "Is this what Jesus really told you guys to do?" This question came up every time he noticed people not practicing what they preached, which was most evident at the large, extravagant, money-hungry churches like Saddleback, Lakewood, and Willow Creek. Casper's observations of the hypocrisy (sorry for the strong language) were represented on an especially wide scale at places like these.

I give the book 3.5 stars out of 5, because of the insight it provides into (and I say this on general terms) what the institutionalized Christian church of America has become. While I already have shared these thoughts for some time, this book might be a good wake-up call to how a lot of people act both within, and outside, the church building. Casper was quick to pick up on when people twisted verses in the Bible to match their own thoughts, ideas, and desires for how they wanted to make Christianity fit their lives. In fact for being an atheist, I was rather surprised at how right-on he was in his remarks and even his interpretations of many passages of Scripture! However the reason that I did not give a higher rating was partly because of my stated reservation at the beginning of the book, and also that I am aware that the Christian author, Jim Henderson, supports and recommends some works by Brian McLaren. For those of you who don't know that name, McLaren is one of the foremost leaders in the emergent church movement, which is becoming a dangerous and subtle attack on core Biblical doctrines. But I'll save my thoughts on that for my review of another book, to be posted very soon.

Though not extremely deep theologically, in the end, I do recommend "Jim and Casper Go to Church" to fellow believers looking to gain some basic insight into the ways that we act out our faith, as perceived by outsiders; and ultimately as a call and encouragement to my friends in the institutional church to walk with the Lord daily in all our actions authentically; and read and practice the Bible wholeheartedly-- rather than just in and around the church building hypocritically.

Musings on Music

Sorry for the blog-silence lately. I've been reading a TON these past two weeks, and I am getting so wrapped up in it all that I feel if I tried to write a blog about everything I'm learning, it'd essentially be a book in and of itself! But here's a little glimpse into what I've been reading lately, and my musings on it:

Consider this quote from a worship leader in Maryland named Bob Kauflin:

Using Biblical standards [in choosing music to listen to] instantly brings into question much of the music that's currently popular and available to us. When [we] don't even consider ungodly lyrical content in the songs we listen to, we're allowing music to seduce us.

It's not uncommon for Christians on Sunday mornings to worship Jesus for his substitutionary death on the cross, and then listen to, or sing songs during the week that exalt the sins He died for! We sing "My chains are gone, I've been set free," then remain enslaved to lyrics that promote fornication, profanity, anger, godless pleasure, sensuality, and -- wait for it -- materialism.

Sure, sometimes sin and darkness is more blatantly represented in certain artist's music more than others (for example, I personally don't know any Christians who are big fans of Marilyn Manson), but the real danger to Believers lies in more subtle genres. James 3:10 says: "From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so!" Practicing Biblical discernment in our lives is not an easy thing to do. It hurts especially when we realize that we need to give up some of the things that we've held so dear for too long. But the fact is that the Bible calls us to a higher standard of living than the world around us. As a Christian, seeking out holy (set-apart) living is not an option, it's an obligation. It's the proper response to the gift of Salvation! I really like the imagery conveyed in Ephesians 2:10. That verse says "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance that we should walk in them." Some translations may say "live in them" - but the original Greek word used is peripateo, which literally means "to tread or walk at large." Understanding the meaning conveyed by this verb is key. It doesn't imply just a passive residing in, but instead means actively making forward progress (walking).

I don't want to seem like I am pointing my finger. The fact is that, like almost every Christian I know, we struggle with applying proper Biblical discernment into all areas of our life. Worldliness has infiltrated the church on a great scale, and music is just one of the many avenues it can use. I'm praying daily that God will open my eyes to these things, and sharpen my discernment for them.

If you're interested in exploring more about this topic, and some of the other ways worldliness infiltrates the Body, as well as ways to avoid it, I highly recommend this short little book, which I am sure you can find at your local Christian bookstore, or definitely on Amazon or BN.com. It is written from a 100% Biblical perspective and uses a lot of Scripture to back up its very direct claims.

"Worldliness"

Edited by C.J. Mahney

Written by Craig Cabaniss, Dave Harvey, Bob Kauflin, and Jeff Purswell.

Foreworded by John Piper

Seven Ways to Praise

Way back in the Bible, the Hebrew language says

That we were taught that we could praise the Lord in seven ways.

Seven great expressions; seven different flows;

Seven ways to worship God and this is how it goes...

Now before you ask… yes, I was inspired to research this topic from a certain Christian song from the early '90s. And no, I am not a Hebrew scholar or student by any means. All my information has been gained from Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and the Bible itself. My purpose in laying out these words and definitions below is not only to encourage us to embrace the several different methods of praise we can offer towards God; but also to help us identify ways in which we may be offering some of our praise to idols without realizing it. As you read through the definitions, and as I have done as well, try to ask the Lord to reveal to you any idols in your life that you may be putting in place of worshipping Him alone.

#1 Towdah - See Strong's #8426

This word means "thanksgiving." In Hebrew texts such as the Psalms especially, it often appears in songs of thanksgiving and praise, which David offered in the midst of many of his trials. It can also sometimes denote an "offering or sacrifice of thanksgiving." Sometimes it can be helpful to remember to offer this form of praise especially in the hard times. Thank God for his sovereignty, power, and might-- that He knows what He's up to even though you may not.

#2 Yadah - See Strongs #3034

The root word of this form of praise, which is "yad," is a word meaning "hand." Yadah is very literally the "lifting of hands in praise, reverence, and worship." The meaning conveyed is one of outward expression of love towards God, for others to see. It also means "confession," but not necessarily in the general english sense you and I are used to hearing that word. When used or translated as "confession," it means a "outward confession of praise or worthiness" to God. Since Yadah involves the lifting of hands, one may understand it also with some connotations of "surrendering" or "confessing authority to" (as one under arrest puts up his hands to show submission to an officer). Strong's dictionary definition of this word was a rather exceptionally long entry, so for a complete picture you may want to refer there.

#3 Baruch - See Strongs #1288

This is a word which very commonly is known to mean "to bless" or "blessed" (if you have ever heard the beginning of a Hebrew blessing, 'Baruch atah Adonai…' which means 'blessed are You, Lord…'), so I was surprised in researching it that it also carries a secondary meaning, in some contexts, of "kneeling" or "bowing" as well. Baruch is usually the Hebrew word behind most blessings given in the Old Testament, either from God towards men (blessing), or men towards God (praising and bowing). Baruch is important to distinguish as strictly a verb (an action), not a noun (thing). Thus, the familial blessings of fathers towards their children, for example, come from a slightly-related, yet different Hebrew noun meaning "benediction" (see Strong's #1293).

#4 Shabach - See Strong's #7623

Shabach is a simple Hebrew word which literally means "to shout." In the context of worship, it's giving a shout of praise for the Lord!

#5 Zamar - See Strong's #2167

Zamar is a cool word which means basically the playing of an instrument, or "making music" to glorify the Lord, accompanied with singing. Personally, this is one of my favorite ways to praise!

#6 Halal - See Strong's #1984

This is one of the most active words I came across as a form of praise. Halal means "to make a show, rave, or boast." When used in the Bible in reference to the praise of the Lord, it is said that the sun, moon, stars, heavens, waters, and all creation "boast" of the Lord most High, proclaiming His Name and His glory to all the earth. Likewise we too, as humans, are called to boast of the Lord and His mighty works. Isaiah the prophet referenced this form of praise as being called for during times of festivals to the Lord. In my own humble opinion, I don't think it's too far a stretch to say that this method of praise might also incorporate dancing (making a show!) before the Lord too, because of the tremendous excitement of love to God that it conveys. It is the root of the expression "Hallelujah!"

#7 Tehillah - See Strong's #8416

In a short summary, the word "tehillah" is somewhat of a combination of all the previous words and meanings of praise! Depending on it's usage grammatically in the Bible, it refers to all kinds of praise and worship activity. Strong's defines it as meaning "glory, praise, song of praise, or praiseworthy deeds." Secondarily, it also can be a technical-musical term (as in, David's song of tehillah, Ps. 145) Strong's even notes that the actual Hebrew name for the book of Psalms, for example, is the word "Tehillim" (the plural form of Tehillah, meaning "praises") and probably more accurately reflects the contents of that book than the word "Psalms" does, which has it's origin from the Greek word "psalmos" and means more exclusively just "songs."

So there you have it. Seven Hebrew words describing different kinds of praise that we can offer to God. And since He is worthy of ALL our praise, my challenge to both myself, as well as any Believers reading this today, is to make sure that we are not directing or offering any of this praise towards idols in our lives.

May God alone be PRAISED!

A Thought to Ponder from Oswald Chambers

Oswald Chambers writes:

"Obey God in the thing He shows you, and instantly the next thing is opened up. God will never reveal more truth about Himself until you have obeyed what you know already... this brings out the delight of real friendship with God."

What do you think about that?

Video Slideshow

Here is a short video slideshow of just a few of my favorite pictures from my recent trip to Kenya. Enjoy!

-Michael

A Question For You

I've got a question I would like to pose to anyone who reads this blog. You can email me your thoughts at the end of it.

First, I want you to read Matthew 9:9-13. No, I'm not gonna make it easy and link to an online copy, though you're welcome to search for one yourself. I'd encourage you to go grab your Bible though, and read that passage. Go ahead, do it now, then continue...

Done? Okay good. For a first-century Jew, having dinner with someone was making a big statement about acceptance and about religious fellowship. Supper was not just about sharing sustenance; supper was about sharing spirituality, friendship, and love. Jesus sat down with some upstanding Pharisees from time to time (see Luke 7:36, 11:37, or 14:1 for examples), but He also ate with several tax collectors and sinners, like we see in the passage I just had you read (or the story of Zaccheus, for example, in Luke 19:1-7). Now of course, everyone's a sinner, even the 'upstanding Pharisees,' for the Bible says in Romans 3:23 that "All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God." But the term 'sinners' in this passage, which the Pharisees use to describe Jesus' dinnertime company, was a reference basically to the fact that these people were well-known for lifestyles on the wrong side of the Torah (such as known criminals, or possibly those who practiced prostitution, etc…) Tax collectors get lumped right in there with the 'sinners' because of the fact that it was well-known that they were usually of the dishonest sort, imposing more taxes on people than they should have, and keeping the excess for themselves. They were regarded pretty much as 'scum' to those around them.

But that's enough on the background here. My question-- too anyone who reads this blog and considers themselves a believer in the Messiah-- is this (And let me also stress that there is some more Scripture that you will need to look up in order to answer this question):

Jesus presented a demeanor of openness and acceptance toward tax collectors and 'sinners' by fellowshipping with them (through dinner, a very big statement in His day!) before they changed their ways. However, Jesus also sometimes turned away potential followers who wouldn't give away all they had (see Mark 10:17-23) or those who wanted to put a few seemingly small family obligations first (see Matthew 8:21-22). Also, consider very closely the passage of Luke 14:26-28.

When (or in what types of situations) do you think we should model Jesus' love and acceptance toward people, and when is it right (or is it even right at all?) to "shake the dust from our feet" and walk away (see Mark 6:11)?

After you have looked up the Scriptures above, if you feel like sending in your thoughts, I would love to hear them! Email me* at mike@faithlikethat.net - and please include any additional Scriptural references that you may cite in your answer. I will publish the answers I receive in a future blog sometime next week (and of course, I'll preserve your anonymity of you so wish).

I look forward to hearing some thoughts!

*If you leave your thoughts in the 'comments' section below, that's fine too - but they won't be published right away, and I'd prefer email so that I can correspond a bit with you.