As a public speaker, I’ve tried to follow the cardinal rule of Investigative Reporters & Editors trainers: “Don’t run with scissors.” Have your material clearly mapped out, especially hands-on data exercises. Stick to the script. Quickly tamp down anyone who threatens to derail the class.
During a stop in Columbus, Rob Bell broke all the rules – to magnificent effect.
The best-selling author, podcaster and former pastor took about 500 of us to church at the Columbus Athenaeum as part of his “Everything is Spiritual” tour. Rather than talking for nearly two hours, as he has done on previous tours, Rob used audience volunteers in several segments. For some, he asked for a volunteer who was dealing with something specific, such as sadness or a feeling of being stuck.
For others, he had volunteers hold props such as an inflatable sun or Earth. Our friend Jenn held the Earth in her hands as Rob explained how our planet tilts – it’s not perfectly aligned or balanced. Why, he asked, should we expect to have everything in our own lives in perfect, straight, balanced order when we live on a planet that’s tilted?
Audience members revealed deeply personal struggles and experiences: A mother of two teen boys who feels deep sadness about “nothing and everything” at the same time. An Ohio State student stuck from a failed relationship that broke his heart. A mother of three who disclosed she had been born to a prostitute addicted to drugs — and later cast out of her church after she served as a surrogate mother for two gay men.
At times, it felt like we were watching one-on-one counseling sessions. But during each segment, Rob found ways to connect us to the person on the stage, and to connect that person to all of us. He created a profound unity and compassion among strangers.
For me, seeing Rob in person was the culmination of the past 18 months. His books and podcast (The RobCast) truly have helped sustain me throughout the pandemic. Many of you know that reading “Everything is Spiritual” last fall helped me realize that I needed to leave my IRE job and embark on a new journey.
Rob’s remarkable show reinforced that we’re all in this together. Everyone has baggage we’re trying to shed. You never know the struggles of the person in front of you at the grocery store line. Everything’s connected. Everything is Spiritual.
