Former Mars Hill Bible Church pastor Rob Bell is currently on the road with media mogul Oprah Winfrey for her eight-city "The Life You Want" tour.
The tour spends a weekend in each city, and Bell's next appearance will be Sept. 12 and 13 in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
"The Life You Want" features world-class speakers, shopping experiences, giveaways, and a "pop-up town square" called "O Town."
Bell said that joining Winfrey on the tour has been an unforgettable experience.
"It's awesome, that's my word for it," the best-selling author told the Toledo Blade.
"My work has been predominantly talking to a room full of people about the things that matter most, as teacher, preacher, pastor. This tour for me is like coming home, like being in the zone, like pure joy. I'm having so much fun, a blast."
The founding pastor stepped down from the Grandville, Michigan megachurch in 2011 "to devote his full energy to sharing the message of God's love with a broader audience."
He has continued to reach audiences across the globe through speaking engagements, television appearances, and a book, "What We Talk About When We Talk About God." The publication was featured in Oprah's "Book of the Month" club in September 2013.
Bell had nothing but praise for the self-made billionaire.
"Oprah, of course, is a master teacher; she is a really, really good preacher," he said. "A lot of people don't know that. People will be blown away by what she has to say. It's interesting to watch this tour unfold and people go, 'Oh, my word, she is a master communicator.'"
Also appearing on "The Life You Want" tour are "Eat, Pray, Love" author Elizabeth Gilbert, poet and philosopher Mark Nepo, and New Thought teacher Iyanla Vanzant – who Bell also praised.
"Iyanla is just, like, a healer of the highest order," he said. "She just helps people, as she says, do their work."
Dr. Deepak Chopra will also appear on "The Life You Want" tour in select cities. More information and the complete tour schedule are available on OprahWeekend.com.
