Rob Bell‘s book Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith has seemed to have the marmite effect as it’s spread through the US, and now folk are starting to talk about it here in the UK too. You may have seen his short thought-provoking NOOMA dvds which are available in most Christian bookshops. He’s very much a major player in the Emerging Church movement stateside. Here’s a review worth reading that highlights some of the concerns Velvet Elvis has caused.

Good food, good friends, and good discussion were on the menu at 10 George Street tonight. Much chat about the gospel, how we present, do we present it the whole gospel in a fair balance. Here’s a brilliant quote from Marcus H that I found as I was pondering it all – kinda spun our discussion the other way round for me…

“The real shock is not that God punishes, but that he provides any way out at all. The unfairness is not that he doesn’t rescue everyone, regardless of their deeds, but that he rescues anyone, in spite of our rebellion… Postmodernism has turned the offense of the gospel upside down. It says that Christians are offensive in proclaiming only one way of salvation. The reality of the situation is that we should be offended that there is any way of salvation. We should be offended by the cross, offended by our sin and guilt, and then immensely grateful, from the depths of our souls, for such a great and magnificent Saviour” (Marcus Honeysett, Meltdown p191)

Also, some words from the big J himself…

“…whoever does not believe stands condemned already
because he has not believe in the name of God’s one and
only Son…. whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but
whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath
remains on him” (John 3v18, 36).