Shane Hipps, the man who took over as head pastor of Mars Hill Church after Rob Bell left (Shane has since left, too) is releasing his new book, Selling Water By the River. The trailer for the book was released a few days ago, and though nobody has bid Shane “farewell,” the “heresy buzzards” are swirling above, waiting for somebody like Challies or a “Gospel” Coalition blogger to make the “kill” and offer them something to eat. The buzzards are hungry (at least, the ones posting at YouTube are).
While I’d never wish the “hell” that Rob Bell received for “Love Wins” on anybody, if it gets people to read Shane’s book, it wouldn’t be all bad. Because Selling Water By the River is wonderful, probably my favorite “spiritual life” book released so far this year.
What are your thoughts on the video? While Shane’s wind/sail analogy is just that, an analogy, I think it paints a beautiful picture of the mystery and wonder of Jesus. Buy the book. I think it will inspire you.
You can enter to win a copy of the book here.
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As a person who has grown up around more unbelievers than believers, I have to say that I agree with him. I hope not to spark any controversy, but there are unbelievers in the world whom I see emulate Jesus in one way or another. Of course, I can’t say that they’re completely Christ-like since they aren’t Christians but something about them says that Jesus touched them, but they don’t know it yet.
No, the trailer isn’t heretical. It won’t get the same backlash that Bell did for this trailer, but I said it before and will say it again: Bell asked for it. His trailer was beyond provocative. He sounded like he was looking for a fight. “Gandhi’s in hell? He is? And someone knows this for sure?” “What kind of God is is that we need Jesus to rescue us from Him?” With his trailer, Bell was asking, begging for someone to argue with him. The fact that some went too far doesn’t change the fact that he asked for a fight, and he got what he asked for.
I would imagine people misinterpret this analogy just like they do Jeremiah 29:11. I think it’s a good analogy. A great example would be Westboro “Baptist”. They claim their “sail” is for the “Wind”…but really they are just a limp flag…
How is this video ‘heresy’??? I have the feeling that Shane is inviting everyone to know Christ without the Christianity. And that seems exciting. However his book cover looks like it’s a copy of a 80’s Pentecostal how-to book.
If Jesus taught us anything, it’s that if you make God too big, religious people will be there to crucify you. I wish Shane luck, and I look forward to reading this.
Have not read the book yet, but am thankful that your brought it to my attention. I think Shane’s analogy is a powerful & beautiful one that will ruffle the feathers of legalism and simultaneously inspire the hearts of seekers. As with all analogies, this too is errant and lends itself to the interpretation of universalism, but if you understand the parameters of analogy, this could be a powerful gift, especially for those who struggle with which denomination to associate with. I have only seen a trailer and am walking away with inspiration!
It reminds me of Justin Martyr’s analogy of the Logos. That all truth, outside of Christianity, is borrowed truth. The truth is the wind and regardless of what spin you put on it, the wind remains the same.
OMG THATS HERESY DON’T BUY THIS BOOK PRAISE JESUS OR GO TO HELL!!!!!111111
Just kidding.
I think the wind and sail analogy is beautiful. And I also think, I shall now read this book.
I loved it. I loved that I had to listen, really listen, to what he was saying as it conflicted with my go to narratives about Jesus needing to fit into my well defined and refined theologies. Then it hit me that my theology of today is so different that my theology of ‘yesterday’ (enter Dallas Willard and Richard Foster). Again, I loved it.
I do wish that Shane would have been different enough to have used a plain or even homely looking model in the video. He seems to want to differentiate himself (don’t all authors) all the while using the same old video technics and images that are in conflict with the idea of letting our yes be yes and our……
Don’t think this is his first book. Flickering pixels and another on technology came first 🙂
Thanks for the edit!
Just one thing, this is not Shane Hipps first book, I am currently reading “Flickering Pixels”, also a great book.
Thanks!! Fixed now.
Are you cretins really going to vote for Obama? Don’t you understand the value of the Consitutional freedoms he is working to eliminate? I’m an atheist by the way, but I’m astounded at how many of you people do not understand how governments tend to abuse the powers that useful idiots like you are so willing to give to them.
You don’t believe tobacco companies are so pure in intent that you would trust “scientific” reports from them on how tobacco is healthy. Why do your brains shut off when it comes to trusting government?
Maybe you have psychological need to have blind faith in SOMETHING to bring about utopia, and you must fixate on government.
Will you people at least consider the possibility that due to human nature, utopia is probably not achievable, and that therefore, at a certain point, trying to combat “bad” behavior of certain individuals (like corrupt CEOs) by giving power to government is just transferring power from one corrupt entity to another, and that would be a mistake if the latter has the force of law behind it and simply cannot be rejected (as by boycotting the corrupt CEO’s company)? Maybe the best we can hope for is to stop companies from committing outright fraud, and otherwise hold individual consumers responsible for not being total idiots (just google Caeser Barber).
Do you really want the US to sign “treaties” with the UN so that people cannot paint their houses whatever the fuck color they want? Are you aware that globally, temperatures have been *declining* for the past 16 years? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2217286/Global-warming-stopped-16-years-ago-reveals-Met-Office-report-quietly-released–chart-prove-it.html
You are aware that entropy will eventually cause all temperatures to drop to a few degrees Kelvin in any case? And how much time will ecofascist measures buy us in terms of “sustainability”? Instead of a few million years of survival from now, a few million years plus a couple hundred thousand years? Does anyone have the right to determine decide that speculative extrapolation has the force to justify destroying people’s lives *now*? I say this as someone who bikes to work, but must still buy groceries impacted by fuel prices.
Please all libtards here. Pull your heads out of your asses. I think the Bible is completely full of shit and cannot believe passages like Genesis 30 that teach that peeling twigs and putting them next to mating goats will cause the baby goats to be born with coat patterns matching your twigs.
But Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin aren’t making economic decisions based on that. They keep their religion fairly private, but secular liberals are openly saying non sensical things that rival the Genesis passage. Ceding your rights and money to government will not make you any freer or richer. It has NEVER worked and NEVER will. Will you people PLEASE pull your heads out of your asses and wake up?
Um, excuse me, Mr. Tea-Bagger? Who said anything about politics? Somebody get this troll back under the bridge!
The 1st book i read of Bell’s was Velvet Elvis. It quite literally changed my life. I believe his approach (i.e. Love Wins) is one to invite conversation, whatever form that may come in and to challenge our legalistic thinking. I “get” that about Bell. Same way with Shane. If it gets you to think, to chew in things a bit then GOOD. Jesus used parables, analogies etc. Why? One reason I think is because it invited questions. Thank God for both if them. I love anything that challenges the status quo.
*cough*
so you’re not only going to engage in an ad hominem you’re now going to censor me.
hmmm…that says a lot don’t you think?
Well, I thought the video was thought provoking. I loved the analogy of the wind and the sails. mIght just get the book. Thanks for the introduction to it.
But after reading the comments I am wondering if I missed something….
Wrong forum! Delete
Haven’t read the book, so I have a question to anyone who has…
How much wind does each religion catch? Does he list them in order? for example I would have thought Taoism would catch more than Scientology.
Awesome Shane, I live in the city of Auckland, New Zealand which coincidentally is known as ‘The City of Sails’
Hey I am in Auckland Too!!!
I didn’t get heresy from the view. But he didn’t offer any of the qualifiers that would be necessary to appease the heresy hunters either.
I haven’t read the book, so I can’t comment on it, only the trailer.
I think this gets back to another recent post about the semantics behind the “religion” vs Jesus debate. When Shane says, “Where do we get the idea that Jesus binds itself to a religion? What if Jesus could do his work with or without a religion,” there seems to be a disconnect to who Jesus was here on earth. Jesus was a Jewish rabbi. He taught based on Hebrew scripture. He did bind himself to a religion, and that was the Jewish faith. That is how he chose to preach his message. Or, once again, is “religion” here a synonym for “the law.”
Now, if we only see Jesus as an abstract (as the supernatural, grace giving, love of the world) then I understand his point. Love and grace has no religion. But I don’t think it’s accurate to say that he didn’t use “religion” during his teachings.
Perhaps someone who has read the book could clarify what his overall message is.
I have no issue with the theology here but why do so many videos, music videos and presentations always cement the idea that gods chosen people are attractive white folk?
This isn’t news (let alone heresy) for those who have learned that Jesus never set out to start a new religion. As a former Fundamentalist, I’ve been reading a lot of texual criticism (esp. Bart Ehrman) which points to real meaning of the manuscripts which made up the Bible. What Erhman says is that Jesus (and later Paul and other writiers) was trying to proclaim that the end of the world was at hand and that people listening should prepare for what was to come. Subsequently, the more people who listened, the more the movement grew until it could have a respectable foothold (and then dominance) in the Roman world. Being a former Christian, I also agree that people need to follow what Jesus said and not try to belong to a group of people who claim to do whatever they please in the name of Christ.
Did anyone else also notice that the cover of Shane’s new book is an enso drawn the other way and not completely enclosed?
I think the word Religion has to be defined by whoever is using the word. I think what Shane is trying to say is that Jesus didn’t bind himself to any form of belief that says ‘I’m right and you’re wrong’
Alli; it is true that Jesus was working within the Jewish context, but he was trying to change what they thought was the way to redemption. Read Marcus Borg’s doctoral thesis for a fascinating explanation.
Rachel; while you’re mostly correct, it was the end of the world as Jews knew it. In 70AD their temple was destroyed, and their way of doing religion changed forever because they failed to heed the message of Jesus. Again read Marcus Borg.
As a sailor I really appreciate the analogy