Brian Recker | Hell Bent

Schedule

Tue Sep 30 2025 at 07:00 pm to 08:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

Quail Ridge Books | Raleigh, NC

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

ABOUT THE EVENT

Tickets include a copy of Hell Bent, guaranteed entry to the event, and a seat in the reserved section. Brian will sign books after the program.

All live author events are subject to change. More information about our events can be found at quailridgebooks.com/eventsfaq.


ABOUT THE BOOK

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

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.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BRIAN RECKER, M.Div, is a public theologian, speaker, and writer on Christian spirituality without exclusionary dogma. The son of a Baptist preacher and an alum of the fundamentalist Bob Jones University, he spent eight years as an evangelical pastor before deconstructing his faith to find a more inclusive spirituality. He now speaks about following Jesus without fear of hell on his popular Instagram account and his Substack, Beloved. He lives in Raleigh and has four children and a rescue pup named Maev.

Advertisement

Where is it happening?

Quail Ridge Books, 4209-100 Lassiter Mill Road, Raleigh, United States

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

USD 0.00 to USD 34.81

Quail Ridge Books

Host or Publisher Quail Ridge Books

It's more fun with friends. Share with friends

Discover More Events in Raleigh

WWE Raw at Lenovo Center
Mon, 29 Sep at 07:30 pm WWE Raw at Lenovo Center

Lenovo Center

ENTERTAINMENT TRIPS-ADVENTURES
A Night of Dance at The KIT KAT CLUB
Mon, 29 Sep at 07:30 pm A Night of Dance at The KIT KAT CLUB

Theatre Raleigh Arts Center

WORKSHOPS ART
The Village Effect: Where Entrepreneurs Refuel and Rise
Tue, 30 Sep at 09:00 am The Village Effect: Where Entrepreneurs Refuel and Rise

TRAINE at Seaboard Station

BUSINESS WORKSHOPS
Raleigh Job Fair - Raleigh Career Fair
Tue, 30 Sep at 11:00 am Raleigh Job Fair - Raleigh Career Fair

Raleigh

JOB-FAIRS VIRTUAL-RUN
NC Assistive Technology Pre-Conference
Wed, 01 Oct at 09:00 am NC Assistive Technology Pre-Conference

McKimmon Center

BUSINESS CONFERENCES
Fall Candy Crawl
Wed, 01 Oct at 11:00 am Fall Candy Crawl

Raleigh Police Department Headquarters

KIDS
RALEIGH \u2728 Fairy Hair Flare at At Ease Boutique
Wed, 01 Oct at 11:30 am RALEIGH ✨ Fairy Hair Flare at At Ease Boutique

6625 Falls of Neuse Rd, Suite #103 Raleigh NC 27615

ART
eXp Lunch-n-Learn: Beyond Compliance, Creating Inclusive Communities
Wed, 01 Oct at 11:30 am eXp Lunch-n-Learn: Beyond Compliance, Creating Inclusive Communities

Car Space Raleigh | Private Social Club, Greens Dairy Road, Raleigh, NC, USA

MEETUPS
Inspirational Book Club Meeting
Sat, 02 Aug at 06:00 pm Inspirational Book Club Meeting

Virtually

MEETUPS
Regina Black | August Lane
Wed, 13 Aug at 07:00 pm Regina Black | August Lane

Quail Ridge Books

ART MUSIC
Banned Book Club
Thu, 14 Aug at 01:00 pm Banned Book Club

658 Maywood Ave, Raleigh, NC, United States, North Carolina 27603

Victoria Benton Frank | The Violet Hour
Thu, 14 Aug at 07:00 pm Victoria Benton Frank | The Violet Hour

Quail Ridge Books

ART LITERARY-ART
Lisa Gardner | Kiss Her Goodbye
Fri, 15 Aug at 07:00 pm Lisa Gardner | Kiss Her Goodbye

Quail Ridge Books

ART LITERARY-ART
Superhero Party with Kelly Starling Lyons and Kwame Mbalia!
Sun, 17 Aug at 02:00 pm Superhero Party with Kelly Starling Lyons and Kwame Mbalia!

Quail Ridge Books

ART LITERARY-ART
Raleigh Brewing's Smut Book Club
Mon, 18 Aug at 06:30 pm Raleigh Brewing's Smut Book Club

3709 Neil St, Raleigh, NC, United States, North Carolina 27607

PERFORMANCES ART
Ania Ahlborn | The Unseen (Meet & Greet)
Tue, 19 Aug at 06:00 pm Ania Ahlborn | The Unseen (Meet & Greet)

Quail Ridge Books

ART LITERARY-ART
Sharon Kurtzman | The Lost Baker of Vienna
Wed, 20 Aug at 07:00 pm Sharon Kurtzman | The Lost Baker of Vienna

Quail Ridge Books

ART LITERARY-ART
Read in Peace Book Club at Historic Oakwood Cemetery
Thu, 21 Aug at 10:00 am Read in Peace Book Club at Historic Oakwood Cemetery

701 Oakwood Ave, Raleigh, NC, United States, North Carolina 27601

Meet Melanie Sue Bowles, Author of "Liberty Biscuit!"
Fri, 22 Aug at 10:15 am Meet Melanie Sue Bowles, Author of "Liberty Biscuit!"

Quail Ridge Books

ART LITERARY-ART
Network & Dine: Elevate Your Voice with Cynthia Stokley
Fri, 22 Aug at 07:00 pm Network & Dine: Elevate Your Voice with Cynthia Stokley

Consider It Done Events and Meeting Center

ART LITERARY-ART

What's Happening Next in Raleigh?

Discover Raleigh Events