Rob Bell Featured in Time Magazine

The latest issue of Time contains a feature story on Rob Bell, creator of the Nooma video series. You can read it here.

Dec. 2 - "Dust" (segment 008)

Discussion guide questions:

• Why are the "small and unnoticed' things such a big deal?

While sitting in his cozy office, overlooking his neighbor shoveling snow from the driveway, Rob starts explaining how men became rabbis during Christ's time. Only boys and young men considered the cream of the crop would be selected, based on their knowledge of the Torah and other talents, to participate in years of training. These students were devoted to their rabbis and followed them everywhere, to the point that the young men would be covered in the dust from their travels.

• Would you consider your self a disciple?

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water. "Come," He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt? - Matthew 14:25-31 (NIV)

• How big a role do your insecurities play in your life? Do they ever affect your faith?
• Do you believe that God believes in you?

Rob goes on to say that Jesus didn't pick his disciples from men already following other rabbis, so his disciples weren't the number one - or even number forty-seven - draft picks. "He calls them to be his disciples," Rob says, watching his neighbor continue to shovel, "and they change the course of history."

• What message was Jesus sending us by not choosing the best of the best?

"Faith in Jesus is important, but what about Jesus' faith in us?" asks Rob. "Jesus has faith that you can follow him and that you can be like him."

• What does it mean to be like Jesus? Can you do it?

Rob finally puts on his jacket and goes outside. He gets his mail from his mail box, and his neighbor, done shoveling her neighbor's driveway, goes back to her own house.

Class discussion: why Rob wasn't helping the nieghbor shovel snow, Paul's lack of faith in himself, different interpretations of the Scriptures creating different churches, having the courage to do small acts of kindness, the guilt of not doing small things, generosity as both a giver and a receiver, why it's hard to accept help.

Action items for the week:

• Give a sincere compliment to a stranger or someone you don't know well.
• Allow at least one person to help you this week with something, no matter how small the task.
• Come up with one small thing our church could do to impact the community we live in.
• Check to make sure you have cocoa, warm gloves, and a good shovel in preparation for snow days ahead.