For a number of years internet Calvinist heresy hunters have tide Rick Warren and Joel Osteen to the proverbial whipping post. I’m not down with a lot of what these guys teach, however the groupie like following that desires to do nothing but stalk them is weird. For a while pastor Rob Bell of Mars Hill Church in Michigan was the new star. A new pauper for the post. It appears the internet Calvinist has now become bored with Rob Bell. I’ve always joked,
“Given enough time, Calvinists will turn on each other.”
That day has arrived, again. The new pauper for the post is pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Seattle (no relation to Bell’s Church).
One of many grips about Driscoll is his language and humor. I’m surprised this is an issue. Why? Because if you’ve ever worked with the lawless youth of today, you can’t escape the dirty language. Driscoll is also operating in one of the most unchurched progressive liberal cities in the country, Seattle. Driscoll has a hard job.
Driscoll has also proven he can swim where the likes of John MacArthur would sink like a lead brick. Driscoll has planted more Church groups around the Puget Sound area of Washington State than some denominations have done in years. The Gospel has it’s price.
Driscoll responds to one of his critics (This response towards the end drives it all home)
(HT: Church Discipline)
Posted by tc robinson on July 1, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Bryon, I can live with his explanations. I’ve read somewhere, though, where one professor told him to stay away from Song of Songs.
I guess MacArthur is the one who sent Phil Johnson after Mark.
At any rate, we need the likes of Mark Driscoll.
Posted by Chuck Grantham on July 1, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Horrible reading of the Psalms he notes.
Language discussion at the end was a classic non-answer.
Doesn’t address the issues I have with the man, nor my lack of desire to take the time to find out if he is as bad as my initial impression says he is.
Posted by A.Admin on July 1, 2009 at 11:51 pm
TC: I don’t go along with everything he says, however he’s a much better organizational leader than many of his critics. I think we need his ideas too. I might follow someone else’s lead on Song of Songs.
Mr. Grantham: Despite some weird exegetical views, Driscoll is a conservative on the frontline in a city that is not friendly to anything Judeo-Christian. I don’t follow him but I least give him that credit.
Thanks all for commenting!
Posted by New Leaven on July 6, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Mark Driscoll Defends His Message and Method…
Blogger CD-Host, in the post The SBC is Wary of the likes of Mark Driscoll, referring to Driscoll says that “we need a real conservative who actually understands postmodernist thought.”
Pastor Mark Driscoll views himself in the same light:
…