They're at it again
They're at it again - "Christian" critics are coming down on both sides of a pastor who by many accounts has a ministry that is very effective at reaching people and making disciples for Christ. If you're not yet familiar with the name Mark Driscoll, you probably will be in the future. He "shoots straight" and I like that about him. But his "straight shooting" sometimes goes over the top. And that's when the critics come after him. I've held on to this compilation for a while, but another blogger, Mark Waltz over at Because People Matter has seen the critics come out of the woodwork and try to tear down what (again) appears to be a very healthy and effective ministry. Mark confronted them graciously, but having answered them, moved on. Hooray for Mark!
I'm encouraging you to look through the posts below and form your own opinion of Mark Driscoll and his ministry. You'll find strong "pros" and equally strongly worded "cons", many of them citing Scripture. You've been forewarned - it's not as easy a task as it sounds.
This is one of the posts that first brought Pastor Mark Driscoll to my attention. In it, Driscoll graciously critiques one of the foremost purveyors of the health and wealth/prosperity gospel. I think he "nailed" it on this one.
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This critique seems to be (very obviously) from a Southern Baptist. The "to the point, bottom line" is this (I am quoting these portions approvingly): The pastor who can fill his sermon with filthy words, coarse jesting, and sensuality without a single pang of conscience needs to get out of the ministry. The pulpit is the place where God’s Word needs to be elevated and exalted. It is the last place where holy things should be dragged through the gutter.....
Strong language and profane language [Alan's note: Here he has just finished talking about Paul's use of a word that in Greek is very strong.] are not the same thing. We need strong language in the pulpit, but profane (coarse, crude) language has no place there.
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This blog by Ed Stetzer (whom I respect) is a balanced view of the ministry of Mark Driscoll. He states up front that he's not in agreement with everything Driscoll does or says - and more importantly, Stetzer
sat with Mark and told him so. Now THAT'S a Christian brother sharpening another!
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This is (IMHO) a troubling post that points to a lack of reconciliation at Mars Hill.
Alan's thought: Forgiveness takes one. Reconciliation takes two,
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WARNING: The link here is to some of Driscoll's most controversial series.
In this post, Driscoll is critiqued for his coarse language in the pulpit at SEBTS. ======================================
"Team Pyro" notes Driscoll's connection to the Emerging Church and notes (to balance the critique) that Driscoll's approach to defending the Atonement was theologically sound and well reasoned.
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Of course you just know that if the atonement is mentioned, John MacArthur will come to life. MacArthur wrestles with the difficulty of critiquing Driscoll's ministry.
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I think at this point (if you're still reading) that you get the point: Mark Driscoll is not as evil as his critics affirm. He is not as good as his fans say. He's a pastor, with feet of clay that are (as with all of us) very much on display.
I don't know about you, but I'm praying for him - and that I can be as effective at sharing the gospel as he is, but without the coarseness.
Have you formed your opinion?
I'm encouraging you to look through the posts below and form your own opinion of Mark Driscoll and his ministry. You'll find strong "pros" and equally strongly worded "cons", many of them citing Scripture. You've been forewarned - it's not as easy a task as it sounds.
This is one of the posts that first brought Pastor Mark Driscoll to my attention. In it, Driscoll graciously critiques one of the foremost purveyors of the health and wealth/prosperity gospel. I think he "nailed" it on this one.
===============================
This critique seems to be (very obviously) from a Southern Baptist. The "to the point, bottom line" is this (I am quoting these portions approvingly): The pastor who can fill his sermon with filthy words, coarse jesting, and sensuality without a single pang of conscience needs to get out of the ministry. The pulpit is the place where God’s Word needs to be elevated and exalted. It is the last place where holy things should be dragged through the gutter.....
Strong language and profane language [Alan's note: Here he has just finished talking about Paul's use of a word that in Greek is very strong.] are not the same thing. We need strong language in the pulpit, but profane (coarse, crude) language has no place there.
===============================
This blog by Ed Stetzer (whom I respect) is a balanced view of the ministry of Mark Driscoll. He states up front that he's not in agreement with everything Driscoll does or says - and more importantly, Stetzer
sat with Mark and told him so. Now THAT'S a Christian brother sharpening another!
===============================
This is (IMHO) a troubling post that points to a lack of reconciliation at Mars Hill.
Alan's thought: Forgiveness takes one. Reconciliation takes two,
======================================
WARNING: The link here is to some of Driscoll's most controversial series.
In this post, Driscoll is critiqued for his coarse language in the pulpit at SEBTS. ======================================
"Team Pyro" notes Driscoll's connection to the Emerging Church and notes (to balance the critique) that Driscoll's approach to defending the Atonement was theologically sound and well reasoned.
=====================================
Of course you just know that if the atonement is mentioned, John MacArthur will come to life. MacArthur wrestles with the difficulty of critiquing Driscoll's ministry.
=====================================
I'm more than a little concerned that people like John Piper and Erwin Lutzer are endorsing Mark Driscoll. This blogger lists numbers for Piper and Lutzer and suggests you give them a call.
Alan's comment: Listing the numbers of Piper and Lutzer shows just how low some critics can sink. I've heard of and experienced worse, but this is pretty low.
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I think at this point (if you're still reading) that you get the point: Mark Driscoll is not as evil as his critics affirm. He is not as good as his fans say. He's a pastor, with feet of clay that are (as with all of us) very much on display.
I don't know about you, but I'm praying for him - and that I can be as effective at sharing the gospel as he is, but without the coarseness.
Have you formed your opinion?
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