Rob Bell is a terrible songwriter.
A few years ago, the bestselling author and former mega-church pastor turned motivational speaker wrote and recorded several songs, playing every instrument except the drums. He sent a few copies to friends, who, perhaps out of politeness or not wanting to hurt his feelings, never said a word about it.
“They basically communicated, ‘Hey Rob, don't quit your day job,’” he said. But rather than feel rejected, Bell took pride in the effort that had given him great personal satisfaction.
Experiences like this are at the core of his new book, How To Be Here (HarperOne, March), in which Bell encourages readers to take personal and professional risks like the ones that led him to the studio.
How To Be Here also marks a departure for Bell—it’s less spiritual than his books such as What We Talk About When We Talk About God (HarperOne, 2013) and Jesus Wants to Save Christians (Zondervan, 2008), and more a self-help guide urging readers to live in the moment.
“I think a lot of selves need help,” he said. “I’d love to help some people get off the couch and move from disempowerment to empowerment, from observing to doing. I want to tell them, ‘You can do this.’”
In 2011, Bell was the pastor at Mars Hill Church, a non-denominational Christian mega-church in Michigan. Then his book, Love Wins (HarperOne, 2011), was published. In it, he detailed his belief that hell does not exist, which created a maelstrom within the church and in the Christian community at large. Shortly thereafter, he and his wife Kristen left Mars Hill and moved their family to Los Angeles.
Bell forged a new career as an inspirational speaker, setting up a program of seminars that take place primarily in Los Angeles—open to the public, but for a fee of $350. He doesn’t miss being a pastor, “In some ways I feel like more of a pastor than ever,” said Bell. “I’m having unbelievable interactions with people. The beautiful thing about having a church is seeing the people you care about regularly. But it also means they’re looking over your shoulder in whatever you’re doing.”
While leadership roles in the church seem to be a thing of the past for Bell, he continues to share pastoral wisdom as an author. “At some point you go, ‘Wait, if the joy has to happen in the outcome, there might never be an outcome,’” said Bell. “The joy has to be right here, because otherwise we’re always going to be waiting for the next big thing [to happen] —you’re always there and not here.”
Incorporating personal stories of struggle as well as those of key figures in the Bible, Bell also addresses how to identify and pursue your passions, explaining that great joy comes from living out a dream job. As in his seminars, the book encourages people to take the initial step towards joy and empowerment despite the risks that might appear to threaten their success. “I want people to get the overwhelming sense that they get to create their lives and they have way more power to do this than they realize,” he said. “Failure is over-rated and whatever is holding you back doesn't have to.”
