Local Pastor on Rob Bell and Calvinistists

I subscribe to a lot of local blogs, just to keep tabs on what's going on around town.  When I saw that the pastor over at 5 Stones Community church posted a blog on the latest book by Rob Bell my interest was peeked, to say the least.

Rob Bell, if you haven't heard, is one of those cutting edge, postmodern pastors who always likes to push the envelope.  He recently published a book entitled, "Love Wins:  Heaven, Hell, and the fate of every person who ever lived."  He recieved a tsunami of criticism because he denies the doctrine of eternal concious torment in hell and expouses a form of universalism where hell is essencially purgatory-esc at best.  His premise is that God is too loving to punish someone forever as the church has believed for her long history.

A simple search will supply you an infinite amount of material on Bell. What I found intriquing was the Pastor of 5 Stones Community Church's review.  I confess that I was wary due to his earlier enthusiasm and embrace of The Shack by William Young.  I believed that his review of Bell would fall upon similar lines.

I was extremely glad to see that Pastor Sherwood began by speaking to Bell's errors, identifying in bullet point form where Bell steers off.  Most especially I was glad to see a clear critique of the emergent church and postmodern leaders, a firm regard for historical orthodoxy and a definate affirmation of the Bible's clear teaching on wrath, atonement, hell and such.

Unfortunately, he couldn't keep from giving a ripe slap at the Calvinists.  Sherwood, in sum, decries the Calvinists who sided with orthodoxy and spoke out against Bell's heresy with vigor.  What's more is that his criticism of the Calvinists is more harsh than his criticism of Bell.  He paints Calvinists as uncompassionate gossips because they have sought to stem some of the title wave power that Rob Bell has in evangelicalism today.  Whiile I wouldn't doubt that some Calvinists might come across abruptly in their criticisms, the portrayal of the whole camp as such is amazingly unfounded.  As well, we can detect a hypocritical spirit in Pastor Sherwood as he criticizes the Calvinists for speaking out in blogs and not following Matthew 18--which is exactly what he did in his blog towards the Calvinists.

The truth is, when someone has published a book or blog or some other form of public expression of heresy, it is right and appropriate to speak out just as publically against it.  How else will the error be corrected?  Again, Bell has enormous influence throughout the broader church.  And to remain speaking in hushed tones about his radical departure from orthodox Christianity would only allow the hand of Satan to gain great stregnth.

If you read the blog, you'll notice that Sherwood then wobbles on the teter toter of unorthodoxy himself.  He puts forth a very good basic gospel and his personal identification with Christ's redemptive work.  However, this is followed imediatley by twice acknowledging the possibility of alternative ways to heaven other than through Christ.  He begins by saying that while the gospel is true for him,

There are vague scriptures that do allude to other possibilities, but they offer us only speculation. And speculation cannot offer hope. The hope of the nations and the world is Jesus.

• but what about those who never heard
• what about those who have a limited IQ
• what about an infant who dies

Scripture is vague on the issue of those who have never heard the gospel?  Since when?  It would seem that "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father but by me" is rather clear.  As is "There is one name under heaven given among men by which you must be saved." 

A bit later Pastor Sherwood touches on what Jesus said regarding him having "sheep that are not of this fold."  He seems to take something of a mormon position where sheep come unto God other than by the revelation of Christ in the gospel.  Traditional orthodox teaching on that passage though, has said that those "not of this fold" are the Gentiles who would come into this (Jewish) fold through the preaching of the Apostles and subsequent believers throughout the world.

Sherwood then wraps up his article by embracing Rob Bell despite his heretical beliefs.  Yes, we ought to show compassion for Bell since he is so lost.  We should pray for him.  But we ought to keep our distance from him and warn everyone else to do the same!  Paul says to Titus, "Warn a man once, then twice, then have nothing to do with him.  Such a person is warped."  In essence, what fellowship does light have with darkness?

If anything the later half of Pastor Sherwood's blog reveals a great deal of ignorance of Scripture and doctrine.  I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt and just say he is a poor writer.  However, it would seem that, despite his initial good start, his post inclines towards a heretical spirit.

At the very least I would encourage people who attend 5 Stones to talk further with their pastor regarding these things to find where he stands.  But, given Sherwood's record, I'm more inclined to just encourage you to seek another place to worship.