Hebrews 11:1

“I think the things we want most in life, the things we think will set us free, are not the things we need.”

Donald Miller in “Blue Like Jazz”

As a Christian something that makes me grin from ear-to-ear like a fool is when a non-Christian gets a glimpse into what being a Christian is like. One writer I’ve come across this past year across Rashaad who writes a blog called Synchronicity where he documents all of the things going on in his life in an open and honest manner. While reading through some of his older posts I was grinning from ear-to-ear when he wrote:

I was telling my friend this morning, that I was almost tempted to go to church this morning. Whenever a tragedy happens in this country or beyond, I find that the clergy are often times able to put things in such a way, that it makes sense. Plus they give you a bit of inspiration/hope that can get you through the week and beyond. And ultimately, that’s ONE of the things that church and the word of God should do. It should inspire you to want to do better and to live right, and yes I’m oversimplifying, but you get my point…

While it would be ideal to see him become a Christian – a fact that his mother I’m sure is praying for regularly – I can be content to see him take baby steps towards Christ.

If you haven’t seen a “Nooma” video yet make sure you head to Nooma.com to check out some previews or that you head to your church’s library to sign out one of Rob Bell’s DVD’s.

The website explains these DVD’s as:

We can get anything we want, from anywhere in the world, whenever we want it. That’s how it is and that’s how we want it to be. Still, our lives aren’t any different than other generations before us. Our time is.

We want spiritual direction, but it has to be real for usand available when we need it. We want a new format for getting Christian perspectives.

NOOMA is the new format.

It’s short films with communicators that really speak to us. Compact, portable, and concise. Each NOOMA touches on issues that we care about, that we want to talk about,and it comes in a way that fits our world. It’s a format that’s there for us when we need it,as we need it, how we need it. 

Sounds cheesy, right? Wrong!

When my small group leader popped in one of the DVD’s last night I thought it would be yet another cheesy video I would be forced to watched but I was instantly caught up in the monologue that Bell had with the camera and then with me as a viewer. I watched Kickball last night at my bible study and Bell’s ability to compare a young child wanting a toy and being told no had me sitting on the edge of my seat because it reminded me of something that I’m currently going through (wanting something from God and pouting because I’m not given this).

Bell did a masterful job of using a relevant example to my life while providing some great scripture and food for thought that challenged me spiritually. If you are sick of reading books or listening to Podcasts from Christian speakers and want another way to challenge yourself spiritually then check out Bell’s DVD series called Nooma.