It has recently been reported that Mark Driscoll will
Step Down While Mars Hill Reviews Charges. The same article details the fallout in other ways. For example, Mars Hill canceled its fall Resurgence Conference, and "After Acts 29 removed Driscoll from its membership, LifeWay Christian Resources, the nation’s second largest Christian book retailer,
pulled Driscoll’s books from its website and 186 stores." Here is the video of Mark's statement before his church family, in which he discusses stepping down:
You can read the text of the statement
here.
I think this has been coming for a couple of years now. I really like Mark Driscoll. He's one of my favorite pastors out there, but I do believe there is some truth to the accusations just because of his personality type and some of the things I've seen over the years. Especially last year when he purposely went to a John MacArthur conference to undermine it on their cessationist differences.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching this video, what I see is a man who probably knows that he has a problem, has repeatedly repented of it in the past (and shame on those who bring up previously dealt with sins), and who is has been humbled (through the multitude of new accusations) to realize that he's once again gone too far. I don't know whether he should be disqualified permanently, for a time, or at all as pastor, but I do think that he's probably on the right path for his own soul if his words and body language are authentic.
I certainly hope so because I still really like him and his preaching and want to see him succeed and be used mightily by God. I certainly hope he's a Peter and not a Judas.
We'll have to wait and see, won't we? Frankly, I think the reason his past transgressions keep coming up -- in my circles at east -- is not because people are unwilling to forgive them, but because he keeps doing all the same kinds of things. This reminds others of his past transgressions and makes them wonder if he has ever really repented or grown as a result of having been confronted. In other words, it has been his own continued bad behavior that has been the problem. He keeps saying he's sorry, but he doesn't seem to change, so people are becoming less and less inclined to take him seriously. I hope this time will be different.
DeleteI agree that we need to wait and see. His statement (above) is only the first step and at this point there needs to be fruit of repentence-- especially since he is a pastor held to a higher level of accountability. As far as Mark Driscoll the man-- a fellow believer-- I can accept his words at face value because afterall, there are certain habitual sins in my own life which I confess, pray for strength to overcome, am granted success, and then fail again over time. I am thankful to a God who definitely has forgiven me 7x70 70 times over. But I would agree that a pastor is held to a different standard. In my comments, I truly am dividing Mark Driscoll into two parts. The man like me who probably will fall over and over again and need forgiveness but also there is Mark Driscoll the pastor and perhaps the nature of his sins are such as to permanently disqualify him from ministry even as he is forgiven.
DeleteI definitely despise those in the media who seem to take joy at his downfall. Really the problem I have with Mark Driscoll is the same problem I have with any personality in the church who has too much hero worship. Whether it be Mark Driscoll, John Piper, John MacArthur, James MacDonald, or if it's in Reformed Baptist circles, Al Martin, Sam Waldron and in years past Jim Huffstettler. It seems that these men usually have very strong personalities and have strong followings and when there is sin, there is strong disillusionment. I prefer the local pastor who never grows to be bigger than his own congregation. This is not a criticism of any of the men mentioned above.