If you haven't already, you really oughta watch the 90-second clip of Rob Bell. If you don' know him, Bell is head pastor of the Mars Hill Bible Church, in Michigan. More than that, he's one of a new genre of younger pastors who are looking at Church in a different way.
Bell got off the ground when he started a church aimed spcecifically at the type of youth who don't look like they go to church. Tattoos, black hoodies, lip piercings, pink mohawks, whatever. Bell wanted to address those who fell through the cracks, and he wanted to do it in a way modern youth would naturally understand.
Sure, his worship bands have raging electric guitar solos, he preaches in black jeans and Pink Floyd t-shirts, but he's keeping the message the same. The youth of today exist in a place that is increasingly secular. They feel their churches are too judgemental, railing against the sins of modern culture without bringing it a relevant, hopeful Gospel. Bell, and others like him, seek to apply that Gospel in this generation's native tongue.
And this is something to be excited about, for if the lost and troubled youth of this modern time are going to have their souls ushered into the Kingdom, it can only be done -- nay, must be done -- by those Christian youth who have found their way.
No comments:
Post a Comment