Sex God, Rob Bell

Book Review **** 4 stars

Rob Bell is very unique in His delivery. He pastors a church in Michigan and is an "artsy" type. Many people have issues with Him, because of His approach. Their is controversy surrounding Him. (I'm hoping my husband will write his review when He gets the chance.) We have many of his materials and watch them in a watchman's way, (like we do with all materials - it's a crazy world). And with exception of a few tiny things (which we see could throw many people into a tizzy) we have not found just cause for the persecution he undergoes by other pastors. The backbiting in the body is very frustrating to me. It is usually caused by someone's finite understanding of things and "fixed" perspective. It seems to me that when we are in that place, it is the most dangerous place we could be; AS IF we could have God all figured out. It is prideful and leads to great deceit and devision in The Body.

What I love about Rob is that he is that He encourages those He comes in contact with to dig into the word themselves and discuss it with others. He is very "real" in that He says it's OK, if you have problems with things or your don't understand...just keep pressing in. Some may interpret that to mean that it's OK for you to"disagree with the Scripture and write your own book in it's place" and that is simply not what Rob tried to communicate. He simply says it how He sees it. He says that we all see the scriptures through our own filter, our own ability to understand things and see the truth. How can that be argued unless someone is threatened by that reality and claiming their understanding is good enough for everyone... without any recognitions that his is process everyone must go through and own for themselves?? His style is similar to Hebrew understanding, instead of the Greek method of trying to box God in 10 easy steps. Which we agree with that 100%.

OK, enough trying to defend Rob, I am not a groupie, just an sympathizer - I suppose.

The book Sex God, will surely rub some "perma-press Christians" wrong. His analogies are rough around the ages (he may use a frat party or the typical couple "living together" as His examples and because He doesn't do it in a condemning way - some may say He advocates such things. In fact- He does not. He just isn't afraid to talk about things like that. He wants to reach people and He doesn't put on the "perfect Christian hat" when He teaches.

This book is complex yet so simple. He helps us see the convenient between us and God as being very intimate and He draws many parallels with people's relationships with one another. This may make people very uncomfortable because, "You don't talk about those sorts of things, and certainly not in teaching about God!" He doesn't get graphic or anything, but it is a book of mature content. He is trying to help a crooked world (although He wouldn't call it that) see the beauty of the marriage between Christ and His Bride (the church). He does this by showing how messed up our understanding of marriage and sex in general IS, and then brings us back to the place where God intended.

It is a great book worth reading and determining for yourself. Post your review here at the comments, I would love see what YOU think!

Personally, I can't "read" Rob Bell's books. I must listen to them. He writes like He talks, which is fine when processed through my ears, but it makes my head explode when I try to read it. My husband laughs at me. He just says he hears Rob speaks as he reads it, so it doesn't bother him. To me it is disjointed and distracting, like trying to sit down and read a script to a play. So I "read" Rob's books through audio (on my IPOD). I am glad, he offers them that way otherwise, I would not get through His books.