I've
been struggling with how to deal with Driscoll, especially as I credit
him with being the catalyst
for bringing me into Reformed Theology and waking me up after sleeping
through church for 30 years. Unfortunately, I've heard several things
from him that have concerned me, and with the above in mind from
Baucham, to hear Mark state, "God spoke to me audibly and told me to
marry Grace, plant churches, train men, and preach the Bible."
Then there's the "pornographic divination" that Phil Johnson talks about here: http://teampyro.blogspot.com.au/2011/08/pornographic-divination.html
I'm really struggling with this. As Mike Abendroth said, "Intro level stuff. Basically true; mostly biblical. Graduate from it."
My biggest challenge is in thinking about all the people I've introduced to Mark's preaching. Do I go back to them and tell them hey you need to move on from this guy and start listening to Macarthur and S. Lewis Johnson?
What do you think now?
ReplyDeleteMy quick read of Driscoll is that he is perverted. He encourages sex toys and the like.. really?? That is just not the job description of a pastor.. totally weird. And they require some serious convenants in his church of 5,000 that go beyond the traditional understanding of membership, that is usually a bad sign.
Any updated thoughts?
Eliza
Hi Eliza, thanks for your comment. I apologise for the long delay, I haven't been here for a while.
ReplyDeleteMy only problem with the things you've mentioned is that Mark discusses them from the pulpit. In my opinion, those things should be reserved for private counsel, as it's impossible to be sensitive to the hearts of everyone within range of your voice (or podcast) when you make that kind of thing public. I'm sure there are better ways to approach those topics.
Covenants? I don't have much of a problem with that. There is too much easy-believism these days, and to borrow a phrase from Mark himself, for most churches today their condition for membership is that you can fog a mirror, in other words all you have to do is show up alive.
So I'm a big believer in church membership and the responsibilities and obligations it puts on the body of Christ. If people aren't willing to be part of that they can go fog someone else's mirror!
But to your question, I don't actually listen to Mark Driscoll any more. I have plenty to fill my time with, between No Compromise Radio (Mike Abendroth), Wretched Radio (Todd Friel), The Dividing Line (James White), The Briefing (Al Mohler), Ravi Zacharias, apologetics training, marriage and parenting teaching, classics like A.W. Pink's books on audio download from Stillwater Revival on sermonaudio.com, you can see why I have to be choosy in who I spend time with.
That all doesn't take into account my church responsibilities, bible study, music, etc.
Frankly, Mark Driscoll is someone who slapped me in the face and woke me up, but I think I've reached my saturation point. I've moved on to other teachers who I think offer more solid teaching, less risky content and are less likely to have me gritting my teeth like I do with Mark when he goes off down rabbit trails.
Expository preaching isn't a licence to preach your agenda INTO the text of the week.
Do you have a link to the sermon by Voddie?
ReplyDelete