These two quotes are from “Velvet Elvis” by Rob Bell, which you should go out and buy right now.
p, 144
God’s strength, not mine.
God’s power, not mine.
So what does this mean for the Christian life? To begin, Christians are people
learning who they are in Christ. We are being taught about our new identity. Do
you see how deeply this new identity affects the life of a community? I heard a
teacher say that if people were taught more about who they are, they wouldn’t
have to be told what to do. It would come naturally. When we see religious
communities spending most of their time trying to convince people not to sin,
we are seeing a community that has missed the point. The point isn’t sin management.
The point is who we are now.
p. 170
I am learning that the church has nothing to say to the world until it throws better parties.
By this I don’t necessarily mean balloons and confetti and clowns who paint
faces. I mean backyards and basements and porches. It is in the flow of real
life, in the places we live and move with the people we’re on the journey with,
that we are reminded it is God’s world and we’re going to be okay.