Mars Hill

Yesterday I had the chance to do something that I've wanted to do for quite some time now-- visit Mars Hill church in Grand Rapids, MI. Rob Bell is the teaching pastor there and someone who has had a great impact on my Christian journey. He is one who makes me think... makes me "grapple" with life and it's mysteries. I maybe don't agree with everything he says all the time, and honestly i don't have anyone I agree with all the time except for Jesus-- but Rob seems to have a way to change my perspectives on things and look at them in a new/fresh way.

I just finished reading his new book Velvet Elvis and it was a pretty interesting read. I found it left me questioning (which I think was one of the main points of the book anyway) and wanting to dig more into exactly what I believe and why... and just who is this God I serve anyway? I seem to have just barely scratched the surface of who my God is, and i yearn to know more. Often I get so apathetic sometimes and it scares me, but this book seemed to give me another kick in the butt to keep searching out God. I was really pumped the other week because after a sunday night session of neveaH (the local 20-somethings group I go to on Sunday evenings) we started having a really good dialog about the book and seriously, it pumped me up. I can't tell you how much I love to talk about those things... debate in an open environment-- where I might not always agree with everything said, but at least people are comfortable and have the freedom to share. I feel so often lately like I "can't" say anything because I am always shut down right away or people think I'm intolerant because I disagree. Ok people, maybe I disagree, but please-- may i speak? Can you listen to my side-- and maybe disagree yourself-- but listen non-the-less? I love putting ideas out on the table... just to mull about-- grapple with. I LOVE ideas... I love hearing what others have to say about an issue... I love using this mind that God has given me! Why though, do we as Christians seem to be AFRAID of ideas? Afraid of thinking? hmmmmm... that question just frustrates me sometime.

*end rant*

So anyway.. where was i? Oh yeah.. Mars Hill. Sweet body of believers. The church itself is actually in an old mall.. and you know what? It STILL looks exactly like a mall on the outside. That was cool to me, because it really struck home how the Church (big "C") isn't about a building... it's about the body of Christ within that building. Their gathering area is "decorated" warehouse basic. The seats are arranged in "the round" with the teacher standing on a stage in the center of the room, constantly walking, turning and moving about to face the people seated at each of the 360°. Talk about a lot of exercise!
I think my favorite part of the service, well besides seeing Rob Bell in person (btw, he is A LOT taller in person than he looks to be on his Nooma videos!) was the fact that they brought in the local high school drum-line to assist in the worship. It was CRAZY cool! And they were soo amazingly good! It was a totally different style of worship but I thourougly enjoyed every minute of it... I hope that is what heaven is like someday... a little bit of everything.. sounding oh so amazing together-- praising our Lord...
Anyway.. and amazing evening... if you are ever around the Grand Rapids area check it out! And check out the Nooma videos.

Last but not least... never stop asking questions... and exploring along the way in this journey we call Life.