Saturday, July 14, 2012

Why I Just Want to Smack Some Jesus Into Mark Driscoll

Here are a few quotes from the magnificently charming Marky Mark Driscoll.  All of these except the last two are from an article in Relevant Magazine (2007-ish) which I was reading on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.  I wish I could say I've seen some progress in his attitude... but I haven't.  I honestly think his greatest need is for someone to take him down a notch... or twenty.  It worked for me.  But given his ego and deep-seated sense of self-importance, it would take God himself to do it.

I’ll be happy when we have more than just prom songs to Jesus sung by some effeminate guy on an acoustic guitar offered as mainstream worship music.

This generation can be a whiny bunch of idealists getting together in small groups to complain about megachurches and the religious right rather than doing something.


There is a strong drift toward the hard theological left. Some emergent types [want] to recast Jesus as a limp-wrist hippie in a dress with a lot of product in His hair, who drank decaf and made pithy Zen statements about life while shopping for the perfect pair of shoes. In Revelation, Jesus is a pride fighter with a tattoo down His leg, a sword in His hand and the commitment to make someone bleed. That is a guy I can worship. I cannot worship the hippie, diaper, halo Christ because I cannot worship a guy I can beat up. I fear some are becoming more cultural than Christian, and without a big Jesus who has authority and hates sin as revealed in the Bible, we will have less and less Christians, and more and more confused, spiritually self-righteous blogger critics of Christianity.

You have been told that God is a loving, gracious, merciful, kind, compassionate, wonderful, and good sky fairy who runs a day care in the sky and has a bucket of suckers for everyone because we’re all good people. That is a lie… God looks down and says ‘I hate you, you are my enemy, and I will crush you,’ and we say that is deserved, right and just, and then God says ‘Because of Jesus I will love you and forgive you.


So I decided to start a church, for three reasons. First, I hated going to church and wanted one I liked, so I thought I would just start my own. Second, God had spoken to me in one of those weird charismatic moments and told me to start a church. Third, I am scared of God and try to do what he says.  (Confessions of a Reformission Pastor)


All I can hope is that my friends in church leadership consider following in someone else's example.  But if this is what you consider a Christ-like example... by all means, follow at will.

3 comments:

Patrick Russell Ray said...

I heard something about him this week that I liked. Evidentally, about a year ago he apologized to his entire congregation for not speaking with humility. I gained a bit of respect for him after hearing that. I don't know.

Matt Ray said...

I've seen Piper confront Driscoll publically on this he said, "When people come to your church do they see Jesus or Mark?" I thought it was pointed. Mark has publically stated that he needs humility. I enjoy much of his preaching but humility is a constant struggle for him. I think the Relevant mag interview was him trying to appeal to that type of reader, but that's not a good excuse.

Matt Ray said...

I've seen Piper confront Driscoll publically on this he said, "When people come to your church do they see Jesus or Mark?" I thought it was pointed. Mark has publically stated that he needs humility. I enjoy much of his preaching but humility is a constant struggle for him. I think the Relevant mag interview was him trying to appeal to that type of reader, but that's not a good excuse.