4 replies to this topic

[Persona]

I never think of Rob Bell as a guy with too much time on his hands. He works himself to death getting the message of Christ, of hope and healing and the reconciliation of all things, to anyone within his reach, be it 26 Sundays a year at Mars Hill, or in the various Nooma videos or hours-long teachings that he tours around the globe. If anything, I'm always glad to hear when Rob takes time to rest, takes a vacation, has fun, has time with his family. His message and the way he carries it are far too important to see him burn out.

Hearing that he went to Nashville and recorded this short initially made me wonder whether he had too much time on his hands. I say this in jest, of course, but what I'm getting at is that it's the first time that he's really toying with a more style-than-substance approach in a film. Then again, the substance is excellent -- sometimes I forget that the Gospel at its most simplistic is still the Greatest Story Ever Told.

As I understand it, Rob did all the music himself. He probably had some of the Nooma guys work in all the fancy MTV-ish style points. He paid for the video himself and has offered it for free online (the download worked perfectly for me, btw, as opposed to the streaming)... This was the launch of our Easter service last week, we went straight from the video into very edgy worship hymns. (It seems that they are back to hymns more and more, particularly at Easter when it is always only hymns, although they might be funk or house or disco, but they are hymns.)

Anyway, I wanted to share it after watching it again. The way Rob presents the Gospel always reminds me that it's something I want to be a part of, whether I happen to be on a high emotional mountain, or in the lowest valley of my life.

You can get a glimpse or download the four-minute video Here.

PS I put this in "arts in general." One thing that continually impresses me about Rob is that he chooses to be a Pastor/teacher, when what he really is is an artist. I see him as an artist with a Pastor/Teacher's heart, I see it every time he speaks in Grandville. You can probably get a glimpse of it in some of the Noomas or from his tours. I really love Rob's heart, I need to be reminded to pray for him daily.

Edited by Persona, 07 April 2010 - 05:58 PM.

[MattPage]

Thanks for that Stef. I just downloaded it and will let our Easter Event planning people know.

Matt

[jfutral]

Persona, on 07 April 2010 - 05:27 PM, said:

PS I put this in "arts in general." One thing that continually impresses me about Rob is that he chooses to be a Pastor/teacher, when what he really is is an artist. I see him as an artist with a Pastor/Teacher's heart, I see it every time he speaks in Grandville. You can probably get a glimpse of it in some of the Noomas or from his tours. I really love Rob's heart, I need to be reminded to pray for him daily.

Long time admirer of Rob Bell. He is an artist. I think he realizes that. Actually all pastors/preachers/teachers are artists. There is no such thing as delivering "just the facts". Even when a pastor tries to preach in such a way as to not "cloud" the message with emotion, that is an artistic decision.

Joe

[NBooth]

Wow. I've not followed Bell at all, but now I'm going to have to. This video is a powerful expression of the truly game-changing nature of the Resurrection.

[Persona]

jfutral, on 08 April 2010 - 07:28 AM, said:

Persona, on 07 April 2010 - 05:27 PM, said:

PS I put this in "arts in general." One thing that continually impresses me about Rob is that he chooses to be a Pastor/teacher, when what he really is is an artist. I see him as an artist with a Pastor/Teacher's heart, I see it every time he speaks in Grandville. You can probably get a glimpse of it in some of the Noomas or from his tours. I really love Rob's heart, I need to be reminded to pray for him daily.

Long time admirer of Rob Bell. He is an artist. I think he realizes that. Actually all pastors/preachers/teachers are artists. There is no such thing as delivering "just the facts". Even when a pastor tries to preach in such a way as to not "cloud" the message with emotion, that is an artistic decision.

Joe

I think you're right about that, and I think the line, "I think he realizes that" is where the difference is. Many teachers don't realize that.

Still, Rob's art in the form of Sunday mornings in Grand Rapids, as well as his books, Noomas, teaching tours -- they seem "off the charts artistic" compared to anything else I've seen in the church. And they aren't artistic, like, "Oh, gee, we know how to make cool effects on a computer," which is what originally turned me off to this video. He has substance, in my opinion being there on Sundays -- deep, healing messages, and from many different approaches and angles. The style points for Rob are but the icing on the artistic cake.

Edited by Persona, 08 April 2010 - 03:37 PM.