GRAND RAPIDS, MI - On the eve of his return to West Michigan Sunday to promote a new book, Rob Bell would like to clear a few things up.
First things first: Bell says he was not forced to leave Mars Hill Bible Church in late 2011 because of congregational discord over his controversial book "Love Wins." The suggestion that he was, in a November profile on him in The New Yorker, was based on "a misquote of the highest order" of his wife, Kristen, Bell insists.
“The people at Mars Hill were unbelievably supportive and encouraging,” Bell said from his new home in Southern California. “Even when we said we were leaving they were incredibly gracious and kind and loving and cheered us on: ‘Go do it.’
“Some idea that we were forced out is absolutely untrue.”
In his first interview with MLive and The Grand Rapids Press since he left Mars Hill, the charismatic speaker and best-selling author said he resigned as pastor of the Grandville megachurch to launch a spiritual talk show in Los Angeles. He acknowledged many worshippers didn’t like “Love Wins” but said that was not why he left.
“Kristen and I had a profound sense of calling that there was the next chapter of our lives ahead of us,” Bell said. “And that the next stage was, how can we talk about the Jesus message to a world of people who aren’t currently listening.”
That mission could also describe Bell’s new book, “What We Talk About When We Talk About God,” to be released next Tuesday, March 12 by HarperOne. The book explores the nature of God for those who can’t buy traditional conceptions but long for deeper spiritual connection.
Local readers will get an exclusive early peek on Sunday, when Bell will sign copies beginning at 2 p.m. at Schuler Books & Music, 2660 28th St. SE. Also on sale will be “Love Wins for Teens,” an adolescent-friendly version of the 2011 best-seller that made Bell preacher non grata among many conservative evangelicals.
RELATED: New video promoting Rob Bell's "Love Wins for Teens."
He also will return for the first time to Mars Hill, the megachurch he founded in 1999 and built into one of America's fastest-growing congregations. Bell will preach at the 9 and 11 a.m. services of the church he started as an outgrowth of Calvary Church, where he served under the Rev. Ed Dobson and preached informal Saturday night services.
Dobson’s son Kent is now Mars Hill’s pastor.
Church members are looking forward to the reunion, Kent Dobson said: “It’s good for him, it’s good for the community.”
Dobson agreed with Bell that he was not forced out due to fallout from "Love Wins," adding that conclusion is "reading into the New Yorker article a little bit."
“It is true of course that he received backlash from ‘Love Wins,’ but not directly from the community, certainly not from the leadership,” Dobson said. “He decided (to leave) because he wanted to go do something else, not because of internal pressure or internal disagreement. Everyone in the leadership was sad to see him go.”
But like Bell, he acknowledges many stopped coming after “Love Wins” brought down conservatives’ scorn for its unorthodox take on God and the afterlife. Critics charged him with subverting Scripture by suggesting non-Christians may be saved and that hell may not be an eternal banishment.
“Farewell Rob Bell,” tweeted one irked theologian.
The New Yorker’s Kelefa Sanneh wrote attendance dropped by 1,000 due to the book, a figure both Bell and Dobson say wouldn’t surprise them. But Dobson doubts many of those who left were longtime members.
“Anyone who had been coming to Mars Hill and been paying attention had heard these sorts of things before. A lot of people who were just curious about where Mars Hill stood on this or that, for them (the book) was not something they were comfortable with.”
Attendance has stayed at about 3,500 adults since Bell announced his departure, Dobson added.
While generally endorsing The New Yorker’s lengthy portrayal of his ministry and writings, Bell strongly rejects its implication he was chased from Mars Hill by controversy.
The article quotes his wife, Kristen, as saying, “There was a cost. And part of the cost was, we couldn’t keep doing what we were doing at Mars Hill.”
Bell insists the quote was taken out of context. Kristen was not talking about some members’ criticisms of the book, he said, but about “our realization that in order to pursue our calling, we needed to leave Grand Rapids and move to the Los Angeles area. Mars Hill members were overwhelmingly positive and encouraging.”
But he also acknowledges his writings – this is his seventh book – videos and public speaking tours had long presented struggles for the church. Did everything he wrote and said represent the congregation?
“How do we interact with him and his voice in the larger world? That was about a 10-year discussion,” Bell said. “And then I release a book that creates a tremendous amount of ambient energy drain for the church. The church was really supportive, but it does create tons of, ‘We’re all going to spend a bunch of energy dealing with Rob’s latest book, and there’s probably another one coming in 18 months.’”
By the summer of 2011, Bell said he felt pulled to take his teachings to more people through television – and church leaders reluctantly agreed.
“Lots of people said to us, ‘We’re surprised but we’re not surprised. You need to go do this.’”
Bell says that after 12 years, his season at Mars Hill had come to an end.
“People always hang on too long,” he added. “’They should have put 10 songs on their album, but they put 14.’”