Velvet Elvis...

These days I'm reading through a book called "Velvet Elvis," by Rob Bell. Since cracking the cover on this book I've been moved by deep thoughts, and great emotions; the two components of a wonderful book.

I wanted to take some time and journal some of the thoughts Rob Bell has expressed (the ideas that jumped out at me). Of course my taking the time to condense some of the book for you should be no excuse for not going out and finding a copy for yourself to read. I'll tell you, Rob Bell is far better able to express his ideas through written word then I'll ever be.

First off let's examine the idea of a trampoline and a brick. The trampoline is fun and inviting, I mean who wouldn't want to get on a trampoline and jump around (it's freeing). The brick wall is hard and it's only purpose is to keep people in or out (depending on which side you find yourself on).

Rob Bell takes the illustration of the trampoline and brick wall one step further. The trampoline has these wonderful devices called springs that give depth to our jumps. Bell says that the springs can be a wonderful metaphor for our christian doctrines. To Bell the springs aren't God, or even Jesus, they just are the doctrines that give depth to our experience of God.

Now a brick wall is made of brick...duh!!! Now using a metaphor of the brick wall each brick could be a doctrine. Each brick could represent a doctrine that we use to experience God with. Now here's the problem with the brick wall, you can hardly take out any doctrine or re-examine a doctrine without the wall crumbling down. If that wall is your faith (and it seems so solid) just remember that it's hard and uninviting and most of all it's not very flexible.

The trampoline on the otherhand is designed for flexibility. The springs stretch and move with ease. If ever a question were to arise over a certain spring "doctrine", that spring could be removed and examined without the function of the trampoline being hurt (you can still jump on a trampoline with a spring removed).

Like I said Rob Bell says it better. I encourage everyone to pick up a copy of this book and challenge yourself and your ideas about faith.

The question I'm asking myself today is, "Is my Church composed of doctrinal bricks? Is it hard and unyielding? Does it say to people you can't be on the "in" unless you fall inline with each hard doctrine? Or is my Church a trampoline? Are my doctrines flexible enough that others can jump without knowing all the answers?"

I should say, Rob Bell places great emphasis on questions. He writes that the mystery of God is one that evokes our questions. We are more able to experience God when we question, even when we question God (in reverence).

There is a quote from the back cover of "Velvet Elvis" that I like:

We have to test everything.
I thank God for anybody who is pointing people to the mysteries of God.
But those people would all tell you to think long and hard about what
they are saying and doing and creating.
Test it. Probe it.
Do that to this book.
Don't swallow it uncritically. Think about it. Wrestle with it.
Just because I'm a Christian and I'm trying to articulate a Christian worldview
doesn't mean I've got it nailed. I'm contributing to the discussion.
God has spoken, and the rest is commentary, right?