NOOMA

Yup, I'm a groupie-and this is my Life Group from Victory Point Ministries. Actually, about half of us were missing tonight-but it's summer and schedules shift. So, these are some of the ladies from my church who support me in my life and vise verse. Our church, Victory Point Ministries, is all about being relational and experiencing our spritual journey in community. The Life Groups are safe places to talk about and process whatever is going on in your life. We pray for one another and just offer friendship and fellowship.
This summer we've been watching the Rob Bell videos that he calls NOOMA-for what reason I do not know! The NOOMA website explains this as the new format for sharing the gospel of Christ with the contemporary world. Who is Rob Bell? He's a young pastor at the Mars Hill Church in Grandville, Michigan. It's a church that has grown exponentially-many believe because of the unorthodox method Rob Bell has of getting his message across. Unorthodox but amazingly effective.
There are a lot of things I do not know about Rob Bell. One thing I do know for sure is that all his NOOMA videos come from a slightly off-the-wall approach and yet always make an impactful statement.

The first week we watched a NOOMA titled Kickball. Rob uses the example of one of his son's wanting a particular toy and pitching a fit at the mall in front of endless onlookers to try and get it. Rob compares that to how we act with God. Asking for things and not reacting well when God doesn't give them to us. Rob explains that he, as a parent, just like God as our Heavenly Father, considers whether what we are asking for is good for us and if it will further us in our lives or set us back. Sometimes the "no" we get from God is His way of being compassionate and merciful because we don't understand the implications of what we are asking. Also, if you, as a child received everything you asked for would you come to feel entitled, ungrateful or demanding? There's a good chance that might be true. What about timing? Would a car be an appropriate thing to give a 3 year old if they asked? Sometimes our "no" is really intended to be temporary. God wants us to wait for the right time with some of our requests. This is a really tough concept for kids but I've seen a lot of adults-myself included-struggle with this as well!
The second video was called Name. It had a montage of people, all wearing T-Shirts with words printed on the back. The words said things like: happy, adopted, single, HIV positive, poor, uneducated, Ph.d., lawyer, son, daughter, teacher, EMT, police officer, etc. Each round of words became more descriptive and more personal. The last shirt said name and the person said who they were. The message behind this NOOMA was to own every part of yourself, even the hurtful, shameful or ugly ones. To ask God to help you accept and love who you are-all parts of who you are-because He does! Everything about you is part of the bigger plan and picture. As far as God is concerned, you are perfect how you are and how you aren't. Own it all~ultimately, it's all good...
The third video was Today and all the people were going about their normal routines when they just stopped doing what they were doing and all congregated to one spot to watch the sunrise. Point of his message there: To appreciate each day as a gift from God and to not take for granted the little things and life's simple pleasures and to acknowledge the presence of God in each day that we live because He has a lot of great things for us as His children. Be open to what God has for you each day. Live in the moment and be open to acts of service and ways that God would have you reach out to others. Be willing to be inconvenienced or change your plans if God puts someone in your path that you can help in some way.
Tonight we watched a NOOMA called Store. It was all about anger, it's manifestation in people's lives, it's purposes, what we can learn from it, how God even uses and works through the things that make us angry. We can take even the most negative of emotions and use it to help and heal rather than hurt and destroy.
No, I'm not going to tell you ALL about ALL the NOOMA's. I'm hoping that you will check them out for yourself. There is a website:
http://www.nooma.com
You can watch 3 of the videos for free on this sight. I always come away from these NOOMA's a little shell-shocked at the powerful messages Rob Bell gets across, sometimes in the oddest ways! His style might be an acquired taste. I am also respectful and aware that others have views and belief systems which differ from mine.I'm not trying to come across like some big Holy Roller or Bible Thumper person here. But if you watch with an open mind to the bigger message, I believe you can gain something no matter what your faith, belief system, or absence of...it's just good stuff, Maynard!
Let me know if watching these videos does anything for you...