Rob Bell a Comedian? Life of the Controversial Pastor After "Love Wins"

To say that Rob Bell chimed the Christian world with his books is an understatement.  Few Christian writers writing religious books ever topped the New Yotk's Best Seller's List. Not only did Rob Bell's "Love Wins" topped the list, within a month of the book's release, the publisher, HarperCollins, has fired up the printer six additional times. 

Bell was the founder of Mars Hill Bible Church located in Grandville, Michigan, which he pastored until 2012. The church started from a small church plant and grew into a megachurch. Mars Hill became one of the fastest-growing churches in America. In 2011 Time Magazine named Bell on its list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. 

However, with "Love Wins," Bell denied the physical existence of hell. Critics later accused Bell of being a heretic, a political liberal, and a Universalist, among other labels. Bell told The New Yorker that the publication of his book resulted in a 3,000-person decrease in membership at Mars Hill Bible Church, which he founded in 1999.

"The book put pressure on the people around Bell, who found themselves having to defend statements they might never have heard, let alone approved," The New Yorker writes.

"Congregants reported that friends and family members were asking why they were allowing themselves to be led by a false teacher."

On September 22, 2011 it was announced that Rob Bell is stepping down from the church he founded to pursue other areas to reach a broader audience.

So, what is Rob Bell doing now?  Bell now tours, writes and even takes his sacred disruptions into LA's comedy scene. He has a residency at Largo, an LA comedy venue that also hosts the likes of Zach Galifianakis, John Mulaney and Sarah Silverman.

"[Comedian Pete Holmes and I] have a two-man show we do," he says. "So I will be with Oprah and then a couple days later I might be at Largo, and then a couple days later I might meet with a bunch of activists and entrepreneurs. And then I might go out and talk at a conference on science and spirituality. And then I might go surfing."

 

 

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