Hell Bent

How the Fear of Hell Holds Christians Back from a Spirituality of Love

By: Brian Recker

Narrated by: Brian Recker

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

A former evangelical pastor explains why we can stop worrying about hell and start focusing on love

"If you’ve ever struggled with...the idea of eternal conscious torment, Hell Bent is for you.”—Pete Enns

There is a black hole at the center of Christian spirituality: the doctrine of hell. No matter how hard we try to believe in a loving God, the fear of eternal torment always lurks at the back of our minds, warping our sense of what love means. Worse still, many churches act as if the point of Christianity is not to follow Jesus but to secure a get-out-of-hell-free card—and to “save” everyone you know by converting them to your religion. For many of us, the whole story of Christianity has punishment at the very center. But does the Bible really say we’re going to hell if we don’t do or believe the “right” things?

In this taboo-shattering book, former evangelical pastor Brian Recker takes an honest look at scripture and reveals what has been true all along: Hell isn’t real, and God’s universal love is radically inclusive, in this life and the next. By removing punishment from Christianity's center, Recker boldly reimagines the core questions of faith, such as why Jesus lived and died, and what it means to be “saved.” It’s time to rediscover spirituality as Jesus taught it: loving God, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Whether you’re Christian, exvangelical, or anywhere along a deconstruction journey, Hell Bent is the perfect resource to help you replace fear and church hurt with healing and peace.

Answered Questions

In this book, Brian addresses many contradictions the church creates concerning the Bible, individual faith, leading of the Holy Spirit, and of course- hell. I appreciate his honesty and openness and encouragement. This book would be (in my opinion) a good suggestion to people suffering from church hurt or who may have left the church (and or their own faith) for whatever reason. If anything, Brian gives attention to many things for mulling. I greatly appreciate his perspective and found this book (as well as Brian’s outlook on Hell) very interesting.

A Fresh Take

This was a helpful read as I work through my own deconstruction journey. It's impactful to hear things that back how I've felt for years, and not from a place of guilt or shame. Seeing god as a loving being for all people is a new perspective for me.

Warning: Preacher voice

I loved the content of this book, the perspective to scripture that was brought, and the ideas for application to lives. However, there were a number of times where it felt like Brian was giving a sermon. To be clear, that’s not necessarily bad! For me personally, I actually discovered how uncomfortable I felt when it seemed I was being preached to, and there’s a lot to unpack there. I know this is a me thing, but I think it’s worth warning other folks who may have a preacher sore spot in their lives.

A cool glass of iced tea on a sweltering summer day

I loved the audiobook so much that I bought the hardcover mid-listen so I could refer back and grab additional notes.

Brian put into words so many concepts I’ve struggled to make sense of and he removed a 100lb weight from my shoulders in the name of true, pure love. His educated stance on God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have deepened and strengthened my faith, and for the first time in my journey, I feel positively lifted to hear someone speak the truth that’s lived in my heart all these years.

Thank you, Brian, if you’re reading this. And for all others who are curious about the concept of fearless faith and a love that isn’t running from anything, grab this book in whatever format you prefer. ❤️

This should be required reading for all Christians!

I really appreciated Brian’s levelheaded and mature explanations on how he came to his understandings that became the basis for this book. Well done!!
Highly recommend!