If it looks like a cult, and smells like a cult, it must be...

If you own a cult and think that any news is good news, you must be having field day when Brian Williams, Katie Couric and whoever is now on ABC comes on the tube at 6 PM.

I've never personally been involved in a cult - unless I am now and just don't realize it. I really don't care for kool-aid, have never visited a "compound" and do not live in a town named after someone who is alive and owns his own church. I don't think spaceships are going to come and rescue me and I don't really like to dress in all white. I'm not into multiple wives - my goodness can you imagine the nagging going on in that household!

I am guilty of idol worship. Brady Anderson was my favorite ballplayer back in the 90's and still have long sideburns because of him. I spend way too much time in front of the TV and on the computer. I don't spend nearly enough time "loving the Lord with all my heart..."

I must admit that when I walked into the Christopher Mathew's bookstore about 3 years ago and sat down to watch a video called Nooma I was in awe. It was refreshing, relevant and had a hip preacher dude whose message really tore at my heart and soul. He was at another level of understanding and honesty that I really hadn't heard before. I bought the video and every one after that I could get my hands on. Rob Bell had become someone that I followed.

When we moved to Western Kentucky I showed these videos to our youth group and they fell in love with it also. I passed the videos on to a Sunday School class who were also captured by the message. I sent a couple to my Dad and he showed it to his Sunday School class. A few months ago we went to hear Rob Bell speak in Louisville and again were just amazed by his insight into the Word - his ability to make it come alive and connect the dots so it became something that we could relate to 2, 3, 4 thousand years later.

Soon afterward I became aware of a fissure in the 21st century church leaders and Rob Bell seems to be in the middle of it. (I won't call it the Emerging Church because I don't think this term is defined well enough). And after watching almost all the Nooma video's, reading one of his books, and reading countless articles, I must admit that there are some troubling things that have come to my attention. For every one article that he causes me to doubt where he is coming there is another that makes me comfortable with what he is saying.

I will not sit here and list them all, but Rob Bell is honestly the third "man of God" that I have lost respect for this year. They range from Evangelical to so called "Emergent" - Conservative to Liberal.

This is not a warning to stay away from Rob Bell, but it is a warning to place your trust in one Man, on one Truth, on one Life. I cannot say that I will not continue to search for the real Rob Bell but that search will be with one thing in mind - he is a man, created by God the Father.