I continue to hope with all my heart that no one at Capital Christian, let alone Senior Pastor Rick Cole, has ever recommended Rob Bell's book Truth Wins - or, for that matter, any other book authored by Rob Bell. Just recently, I was conversing with a long-time friend of mine Gerry Breshears, Professor of Theology at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, who, without hesitation, declared, "It is clear to all that Bell has walked away from the faith: first universalism and now gay marriage. More to come, I'd guess."  The late Pastor Glen Cole, whom I knew personally and with whom I worked on many occasions, would be stunned if he thought that Rob Bell was gaining traction at Capital Christian - at any level, whatever the circumstances, and however discretely put. (See previous newsletter)

And the same goes for Brian Mclaren. He too has clearly departed from the faith - and he too has scored inroads within some evangelical churches here in Sacramento, but especially among evangelical college students throughout the country. I've posted two videos featuring Brian Mclaren that leave no doubt about his stand concerning both homosexuality and Christian exclusivity - that, more specifically, there is no common ground between the Christian Faith and other faiths. Yes, we can be civil to one another and avoid demonizing one another, but we cannot allow our desire to be civil and avoid conflict to trump our flat-out affirmation that there is no other name given in heaven or on earth by which a man can be saved.