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Published on Tuesday, 20 September 2011 13:50

I'm often struck by what people tell me the Christian message is.  I'm sometimes distraught to hear fellow Christians fight over what is the right (the one, true) message.  Since Rob Bell came out with his book on Heaven and Hell last spring, many more have come by asking my thoughts and opinions.  Some are shocked when I won't condemn him or his ideas. Others are surprised when I say I'm not sure I full agree with him.  Recently I came across a blog post entitled An atheist's encounter with Rob Bell.

 In the post, Ronnie Stockton shares an encounter that he has with Bell and his thoughts.  It's quite interesting because as he shares his experience he also shares some of his opinions of what he thought about Christianity and the message he heard it professing, "my image of much US evangelical Christianity, which can appear to be the shallow religion of a narcissistic, self-interested, rampantly capitalist society."

 His perceptions did not surprise me because I've heard them from many people, but they always disappoint me, because they are so far from what I have expereienced in the church and what I understand the Christian message to be.  The result of this mixed message is that many are turned off.  It makes me wonder how often we misrepresent ourselves as Christians.  Or perhaps the better question, how can we be more clear about the Grace of God in which we live our lives?