Rob Bell's "Love Wins": Is this scary Theology?

Is Heaven reserved for a select few? How does God choose who gets to go and who doesn't and does it even matter if we think we know how God does it? In the same way, one can ask the question, "Does God send some to a place called Hell to be tortured; where people burn in agony forever?" Let the video clip encourage your thoughts and may we come to such things with open mindedness.

Heaven and Hell: Alternate Realities, or Merging Realities?

There are people who believe that Heaven and Hell are real places outside of our reality and existence on earth. Some believe that there is neither a Heaven, nor a Hell.

What do we actually know about this topic, and how does our understanding of Heaven and Hell shape how we live. How does it shape the way we view people who see things differently from us?

THE END IS NEAR!

What happened to the beginning of the "rapture"? If I'm still here, and you're still here, does that say something about US? Why do people think that this "end time" can be and should be predicted? If Jesus didn't even know, what makes us think we can figure it out?

What is your view of the coming kingdom of God? Are we truly in for an "evacuation plan", or does scripture support more of a scenario which as Heaven and Earth meet?

Prayer

What do you expect when you pray? What does prayer really do? Sometimes I pray and hope that God will give me something or make something happen in my life, but when it doesn't pan out, I am somewhat disappointed. Sometimes, though, it's not really such a surprise when nothing seems to happen. When Trish and I were struggling with our daughter Morgan's brain cancer, we prayed like crazy that God would take that cancer out of her so she could live a full, long life. Morgan died of brain cancer. I remember thinking, "why do we even bother praying?!" We thought that, surely God would want us to ask for something so noble as getting rid of cancer, and therefore grant our request. How could God not care enough and just ignore our prayers of healing for our daughter?!

This is what I've been learning about prayer. When I pray, it doesn't automatically give me whatever I want. In fact, it almost NEVER gets me what I am asking for. Having a prayer life has changed ME, not so much my circumstances. Praying puts me in my proper posture of humility and reminds me of my need for God. It forms me into the person God wants me to be, not by God giving me whatever I ask for, but by shaping my scope; how I see myself, God and the world in which I live, which is filled to the brim with hurt, loss and cancer. In prayer, I acknowledge the greatness of God and the smallness of me. If we pray properly, ie: for our enemies, for the sick, for the poor, for the changing of lives; it will change the way we see and treat others. It will empower us to "be the change we want" in the world. It will make us less self-ish, less greedy and less covetous of others. Prayer reorients our lives through the renewing of our minds and the softening of our hearts.

Andy

Leadership

What are helpful ways in which men and women can be equally encouraged to use the gifts and talents God has given them in the work force as well as in their churches? What are some of the obstacles? Are there preconceptions which get in the way of us working together? How can we work at breaking some of these barriers that we create?

The Death of A "Terrorist"

We have all heard the news in some form, of the murder of Osama Bin Laden. Most people, it seems are celebrating and happy at the news of the death of another human being. In light of the events on September 11 in NYC, I can partly understand the compulsion. However, we cannot lose sight of what is going on here. Right now, people are rallying around the FLAG of America, not the community of Jesus; perhaps some are, but not the ones we see on TV.

Do you remember? What was the response of the President immediately following the tragedy at the towers in NY? It was not one of mourning the losses and identifying with the families. It was not one of spending time in contemplation of what has led to this. It was immediately followed by promise of "redemptive" violent retaliation. You remember the rhetoric surrounding the build up toward the "War on Terror", don't you? It was not a good way to seek the peace, was it?
How ought the Christian community everywhere respond to this type of behaviour? How ought we to respond when we hear news that Bin Laden has been murdered? How do you think Jesus would have responded and how he would have us respond to our world?