I have been meaning to write this for several weeks now and am finally getting around to it. I wanted to share about some thoughts regarding the recent decision to remove Pastor Mark Driscoll from the pulpit at Mars Hill in Seattle.In my opinion this decision should not surprise Pastor Mark at all. After all he has associated himself with and has created group(s) that have been the “self proclaimed watchdogs” of the Gospel. And now those groups have turned on him. No surprise. I believe that Pastor Mark lived by the sword therefore he died by it as well.
One thing I want to make clear is this. I am not a Pastor Mark “fan” (meaning I do not follow him or read his stuff), but I do believe he is a minister of the Gospel and a solid believer in Jesus Christ. Therefore I support him. The way Mark is going to preach in Seattle (one of the most spiritually dark areas of this country) is going to be radically different that the way it is preached in Southern Georgia, or greater Dallas or the Northeast, etc…
He brought the Gospel in a loud and powerful (sometimes offensive) way to throngs of people who may have needed to hear it in a “different” way. Obviously… we must all be walking in the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS…) so I am not making excuses for his brashness, but I will say he proclaimed the Gospel and that is key.
Just like Paul said in Philippians 1:15-18, “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.”
Paul rejoiced that the Gospel was being preached. He was wise enough to overlook motives, methods and preferences. I see no area in Marks preaching that would account for him being removed. He is a hard headed man and difficult I’m sure but I would argue that the Apostles Peter and Paul would be “labeled” that as well. Maybe we would have removed those 2 from the pulpit as well if we were around then?
The way one of our Christian bookstores have dealt with the matter is un-honoring as well.
Romans 12:10, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” They have removed all his books from the store. ALL OF THEM. When INDEED there is much more damaging theology and dangerous “gospels” being preached out there in the same bookstores. I find this a bit disturbing.
The Church reacted to Rob Bell like this a few years ago. Its amazing that we can love these guys so much one day and all they say yet the next day when they say something that the masses don’t agree with we want to burn them at the stake and burn all of their previous writings. A familiar story in Church History.
As we move forward from this I want to learn from it. I may not agree with all the different views out there, ranging from baptism, foreknowledge, prophecy, evangelism, discipleship, leadership, men and women etc… Or the way it gets communicated or even the delivery method. I will say though that I am very pleased that Jesus Christ and His Resurrection and He being the only way back to God is being proclaimed from the mouths of these people. And in that I rejoice.
How about you?
This issues is tragic from all sides (Pastor Mark's, those who he's hurt, those who've attacked him). He and his family have moved three times because of the death threats against them. Christians are the only "people group" who shoot their wounded. Tragic.
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