Nooma DVD Series by Rob Bell

There is a series of DVD's and books that are currently available on the Christian market that are produced by Rob Bell. Rob Bell is a minister at the Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan. This church is one of the fastest growing in the country. He has released these informative, post-modern looks at the faith and Christian church as a way to keep us thinking and growing. I would like to highlight the series and some of the best in the 16 volume series.

Most people wonder what the title means, this word "nooma". It is actually an English phonetic spelling of the Greek word pneuma, which means "spirit" or "breath". Pneumatology focuses on the study of spiritual beings, particularly the interactions between humans and God. Rob helps us, through these short usually less than 15 min. short films, to really take a look at our relationship with God. Do we understand it, do we acknowledge all that it really is?

Each of the 16 DVD's focuses on another tough question in our spiritual lives as contemporary Christians. We are given a new, original format to understand and communicate a spiritual truth. Each is a short, compact and crisp telling of reality for us as Christians, in a way we can understand. Each also comes with a booklet that contains pictures from the video along with discussion questions and scriptural quotes.

The list of Nooma DVD's are as follows:

001 Rain

002 Flame

003 Trees

004 Sunday

005 Noise

006 Kickball

007 Luggage

008 Dust

009 Bullhorn

010 Lump

011 Rhythm

012 Matthew

013 Rich

014 Breathe

015 You

016 Store

017 Today

My 3 favorites of the series are as follows:

006 Kickball

In this 11 min. clip, Rob takes a look at the way we always want something more in our lives. Something bigger, flashier, grander, more...we feel that if we had "this thing" life would be okay. But would it? Are we really not given these things we want because, when it comes down to it, we don't need it? Or we would be LESS happy with it? Maybe God holds things from us not because He is mean or cruel but because He loves us, and knows what is best for us. Rob uses the example of his own child, and how he knows what his kid can and cannot have, even though the child wants everything.

007 Luggage

In this 13 min. clip, Rob takes a close look at what revenge really means to us. We have all been hurt, wronged by others on our lives. And for most of us, we carry around this luggage, these reminders of the way we were hurt and brought down by another. And we forge this need for revenge. Do you do it? And we take revenge from God, and we want it for our self. But do we ever truly get even? Or do we need to forgive, so that we may be forgiven. The idea that Mr. Bell poses, that what if God didn't forgive us, what if God said "I'll never be able to forgive you"-how would you feel?

016 Store

This 14 min. clip takes a closer look at Anger, and how we are affected by it in our daily lives. Some people are more prone to it than others, and most feel they are constantly on the edge of exploding at others, situations and even family and friends. But what if our anger is meant to be used in a positive way? Rob looks at the anger of Jesus, and how it is used in a positive way, used in healing and towards peace. He poses the question "What does your anger lead to?" Can we really use our emotional anger to make the world a better place?

Rob Bell and his books "Velvet Elvis", "Sex God" and the Nooma DVD series has started a trend in the direction of deeper thought on Christian ideals at our fingertips. It gives us a chance to talk about it, think about it and really wrestle with the ideas and core beliefs or our faith. I strongly recommend these to a new or old Christian, to help you decide and examine your faith.