Rob Bell's First Sermon Ever

January 17, 2011 By 15 Comments

I am greatly indebted to Rob Bell.  Many people think he is ‘bad’ or a heretic, but I say show me this so-called heresy from a credible source and maybe… just maybe I will listen.  Because when I hear Rob I hear an Anabaptist.  So, if choosing to not be Reformed by preaching from an Anabaptist perspective is heresy, then its time to get rid of all us Mennonites :-)   Ok, that said, I am a “podrishioner” of Mars Hill and greatly appreciate all of Rob’s teachings.

Many of you may know that Rob started Mars Hill about eleven years ago.  His first series was a one year tour through the book of Leviticus, but his first sermon on ‘opening day’ was called “What is this babbler saying.”  It was based on Acts 17 from which Mars Hill Bible Church derives its name.  I would love for you to listen to it and give me your thoughts if you would like.

Blessings!

Mars Hill Bible Church, Rob Bell – Sermon one

source: Solar Crash

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  • http://newwaystheology.blogspot.com/ Mason

    Thanks for sharing this Kurt! I too am deeply indebted to Rob, and frequently frustrated by the accusations leveled against him. Sadly, I'm sure those accusations will be out in full force soon with the release of Love Wins, no matter what his new book actually argues for in the end.

    • Kurt

      Very sad indeed… but, Love Wins is now on pre-order for amazon… that is not sad!

  • Dorothy

    Rob Bell's teachings have changed my walk with Christ. I will never forget the first time I read Velvet Elvis and was stunned by all he said…. now I laugh at my "stunnedness" because I am so far removed from my old ways of thinking. My walk will never be the same and I am passing down my values and beliefs to my children and I pray they will pass them down to their children.

  • http://www.spoonfulofdreams.co.uk Chris Price

    I say God bless the heretic who uses sling shot against the Goliath of orthodoxy. Menno who?

  • Luke Thomas

    I have always struggled with his "spring" doctrines. Especially that he attacks the virgin birth of Christ. Providing flexibility in tough areas to know are understandable. However, the virgin birth seems to me not to be flexible if I am taking the bible at face value.

    Kurt, is this flexible doctrine motif what it means to be anabaptist or Mennonite? If so I know some horribly unflexible Mennonites.

    • Kurt

      Luke, I wonder if you read the book w/out an eye that had seen websites that were angry at the book and w/out an ear to the so-called controversy you raise here, my friend?

      So, lets consider your examples. The Spring analogy is simply that, an analogy. What he makes clear is that 'our perspective' of Truths are like the springs, that give some, bend a bit, ect. – as our understanding of orthodox teaching grows. We are always limited to the fact that we bring with ourselves a certain presuppositions in which our bias already forms 'our' understanding of doctrine. This is because we are humans, not God. We do not have access to the whole picture, otherwise we would be omniscient… now this is a spring we want to avoid bending. Also, Truth (a person, Jesus) is in himself unchanging… it is our perspective of the Truth that must always be up for scrutiny.

      So, the Virgin Birth (which Rob FULLY affirms in his book, never once denying the truthfulness of the doctrine in 'Velvet Elvis' or elsewhere) is flexible like a spring in the sense that there is always the possibility that we got our understanding of it wrong. He simply uses this as an example… not sure if your use of "Attack" is warranted. Attack, how you use it here makes me think that exploring the truthfulness of our presuppositions is a bad thing… i think it is a wonderful gift to push back on anything we have inherited… as long as we do so with a spirit of grace and in submission to Jesus.

      Rob essentially says that there has been a long debate about the Hebrew word for "virgin." It is possible that 'virgin' really means 'young woman' and not 'virgin' based on some scholars who have studied that term. Rob says… what if they turn out to be correct? Does that mean that Christian faith falls apart? No, it means that our perception of the Truth of the virgin birth was off and that we need to reconstruct the doctrine. Our perceptions are not infallible, only God's word is. When it is all said and done, Rob affirms the traditional view but simply uses it as an example of how our faith is flexible rather than a house of cards.

      PS – I know many mennonites who are so by tradition, but who are not anabaptist by conviction…

      Blessings friend, and I look forward to more of your thoughts…

      • Luke

        I've read Velvet Elvis and Sex God of Bell as well as listened to 4 or five of his sermons. So please do not assume that I am just trying to do google search run by theology.

        I want to uphold the Biblical story as true. I think the virgin birth is clear from the Biblical story. I do not think that a break down of Isa. 7 quotations of scripture by Matt. shakes that understanding of either the original readers nor me today. I see no need for a spring in this area.
        I was noting this as one of the reasons people don't like Rob and intending to be irenic.

        I listened to his first sermon and found him biblical and relevant.

        In regards to your response noting that the Truth is unchanging but our truth is under scrutiny, is there than any proposition truths that must be affirmed to know the Truth? For example, can I say "Jesus was born of a virgin through an immaculate conception" and be right. Can I say "Jesus's birth father was Joseph and he was a part of conceiving him," and be wrong?

        Finally, the last question I asked originally was never addressed. In what sense is Rob Bell anabaptist or Mennonite? Is it his hermeneutic? His church mission? What was the connection for you in that.

        • Kurt

          Luke, good stuff.

          I think i am with you in wanting to uphold the biblical story and am just trying to point out that Rob is as well. Raising the question is much different than denying the truth of something. Rob would agree with your view. he used this topic, which any biblical topic could have been applied, to demonstrate the idea of our perception of truth versus the capital T Truth, Jesus.

          I think we can make truth claims, but I believe these more based on my relational connection to Jesus than based on empirical arguments. Also, the truth of the virgin birth is beautiful, but if it was not in tact I am sure God could have done things differently and still accomplished incarnation and resurrection. That said, I agree with your truth staetment because that seems the most consistent with tradition and solid biblical exegesis.

          Anabaptist… hmmm… I listen to him pretty regularly and he reflects the theology of the seminary I attend and my traditions confession of faith. He focuses on new creation, personal/corporate faith, and nonvilolence/suspicion of empire. Also, he hired an outspoken Mennonite named shane hipps as Mars Hill's teaching pastor… that says a lot. He is not immaculate, but resonates with the tradition I am part of.

        • http://theother6.wordpress.com Ed Freshwater

          Hi Luke & Kurt,

          I think the idea of the 'spring' is that it stretches, it absorbs shocks and gives a response, but that we remain attached to it.

          The attachment to the spring for me is the solidity of the doctrine, the indisputable truth if you like. But the doctrine allows some freedom to explore the surroundings, move in different directions and examine the nature of the 'spring' by stretching it out and seeing what makes it work.

          The opposite example, the brick, seems to me an analogy of dogma.

          On the Mennonite thing, I have no ideas, but the other pastor at Mars Hill, Shane Hipps, is one.

          Grace and peace,

          Ed

  • http://www.ecksermonator.com/ Jason Hess

    I got to say that his resources and his perceptive have greatly refreshed my faith.

  • http://davewainscott.blogspot.com dave wainscott

    love it…had never heard this sermon. Intrigued by the Anabaptist connection..something I had kind of felt intuitively.

    Hey, i am on campus every day of the week teaching this semester..let me know if you'd like to grab a late lunch sometime

    Keep up the great work

  • brambonius

    Wow, what a picture… I guess you have to make that kind of faces when you lead a church called Mars hill? (But the other guy is looking more violent on photograph!)

  • http://matthafer.wordpress.com matthafer

    lol all these comments and barely one reflection on the sermon.
    I thought it was wonderful and very similar to what I pictured their 1st sunday being like. And was it me or did his voice sound different then?

    • Kurt

      ya… his voice was much different then… :-)