Velvet Elvis

Refreshing

Until this book, I had not found a work on spirituality that I had resonated with to such a strong degree. I've read and continue to read many authors, scholars and pastors, from schools of all sorts of thought (ranging from radically liberal to radically conservative), and while I have found valuable truths in all of them, this was the first work that manages to make me fall in love with it. It is a book that I would feel comfortable recommending to every Christian.

Along with Dallas Willard's Divine Conspiracy and N.T. Wright's Surprised by Hope, Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis is some of the most important Christian writing of the past 20 years. Rob has a brilliant way of recharging the batteries of Christians whose faith has gone stale. He reminds me why Jesus is the only way to live.

This book will blow your spiritual doors off!

This book is a refreshing look on Christianity. I recommend this book for both Christians and non-Christians alike. Rob does an excellent job of inviting the reader to join him on a wonderful journey to loving our creator. For me, this book was a turning pointing my life. It opened a new perspective about the way I interact and view God.

A former high school soccer player of mine recommended Velvet Elvis to me several years ago. Rob Bell has a different take on the Good Shepherd and what it means to live the kind of life Jesus teaches us to live. Unfortunately I believe it is too different. Rob Bell is a talented and creative man, but I disagree with much of his theology. I think Velvet Elvis is overpriced and will not take you long to read. There is just far too much white space on the pages. This is done to give the book a trendy appearance. I would have liked to have seen Bell dive deeper into the various topics he hits. Not only is there not enough words to justify the paper used to produce this book, there is simply not enough Scripture to support his opinions. Bell will make you think. He will force you to practice careful discernment. I cannot recommend Velvet Elvis, and I would advise Christians new to the faith to spend their time elsewhere. For a highly critical look at Rob Bell and his teachings, I recommend visiting the Tim Challies site.