The Bible - Authentic Interpretation

I don't know how much trouble I may get into for this post, well ---trouble may not be the word but I am fairly confident I will get some good talkin' toos. I do not mind admitting that I am a fan of Rob Bell, you know from Mars' Hill. I love the way he communicates, seeming to be thinking through his thoughts yet delivering them at the same time. A friend and fellow blogger - Donna has much of the same gift. Right now every other post of hers (this is an exaggeration that comes from a bit of jealousy) is about her upcoming move to Europe yet the words are very provoking and can really make one think. Thus is how it is with me and Rob.

Our church family is in the process of updating its bylaws. I have been in several congregations that have needed to tackle this issue. Basically bringing our polity and process up-to-date with operations. At the same time we will get to tackle, discuss, discern and probably discover spiritual truths that tend to be more important to our day-to-day lives now more so than in 1984. We are not a congregation of heavy drinking-bar hopping, night-life people but I am sure that we will have a word or two on the usage and appropriate levels of alcohol. Another topic will be women and how God intended their role in the church to be as the Bible states. (This is where Rob comes in for me.) Now, I am not about to debate the qualifications of leadership within the church specifically related to gender roles on this blog. It would neither be appropriate nor redemptive. I do however want to quote from Rob Bell's "Velvet Elvis" and from page 46 "In order to live it out and not just talk about it, someone somewhere has to make decisions about this verse. Someone has to decide what it actually looks like to put flesh and blood on this command. And that's because the Bible is open-ended. It has be be interpreted. And if it isn't interpreted, then it can't be put into action. So if we are serious about following God, then we have to interpret the Bible. It is not possible to simple do what the Bible says. We must first make decisions about what it means at this time, in this place, for these people."
Now that makes me think and in my slightly pious thoughts-should make you think. Well, enough of that! Thoughts and------please be gentle!