Driscoll's vulgarity draws media attention

sermonindex Feb 13, 2009

~~[b]~~Driscoll's vulgarity draws media attention[/b]

EDITOR'S NOTE: The story contains references to sexual matters that Baptist Press tried to veil somewhat in order to lessen the possibility of offending readers. However, Baptist Press needed to include a reference to these adult elements so that readers might fully grasp the importance of this news item.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--An in-depth New York Times Magazine feature on a controversial Seattle pastor has generated a new wave of debate about vulgarity in the pulpit.

"Who Would Jesus Smack Down," a 3,200-word profile of Mark Driscoll, founding pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Wash., focused on Driscoll's Calvinist theology but, like most secular reporting on the Seattle pastor, began with a vignette on his "racy" sermon topics and casual clothes.

Critics like pastor John MacArthur of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, Calif., however take Driscoll to task over his use of sexually ...

T

theopenlife Feb 13, 2009

This is terrible. God, have mercy on Your Church and give us pastors whose lives adorn the doctrine.

sermonindex Feb 13, 2009

why must Mark do this?

I understand the meaning of a "mars Hill" witness, not the church, but in the way that Paul engaged the Greek "philospher's" of that time, but Mark....please, stop, in the Name of Jesus, stop...its not "cool"! meek, humble, merciful, loving, gentle, wise, well-spoken is "cool" done in the leading of the Holy Spirit.

How many come into a church, beset with a foul mouth, and hear their pastor, their "sheperd" doing as such? How many come into a church with an addiction to sex, or internet porn, (and this can include a married man or woman) and get stumbled by such "teachings"?

ENOUGH with the "cultural revelance"! Something has to happen to SHAKE the Church awake! We don't need "cultural relevance", we need a Heaven sent, Spirit led REVIVAL, where men and women's hearts are pricked in their very chambers, or on the roadside, or at the Macdonalds, before they even REACH the Church, we are thirsty, we are sleeping, we have been steeped in this rotten culture long enough, like tea bags. Pour that foul brew out, clean the cup and fill it with the Pure Living Water. We need MORE JESUS in our lives, we are desperate.

Oh God have mercy on us! Mercy Lord, Mercy!! please, we need more Jesus, we need more of you Lord.

Oh please, if somebody knows Mark, send this to him, Mark, i am not a "legalist", i am not a "pharisee", i'm not some "square" i'm just a lowly worm of Christ, and i am begging you in His Name.....TURN!! brother please, turn, go back to the first sermon of Peter, you are called to be a witness! not an enabler. I am begging you, we need JESUS, we need more of Jesus, not the carnal blueprints of a world gone mad!!!

God have mercy on us is my prayer, God, pour out YOUR WATER on dry and thirsty grounds, You see our hearts, You hear our drys, our pleas,You are a convenant keeping God, merciful, loving and You hear us, so please God have Mercy on us, In Jesus' Name, amen.

May Mark Driscoll listen to this:

~~[url=http://www.fireonthealtar.com/compilations/neil%20g/Shake%20the%20Nation.mp3]~~Shake Mars Hill, Shake the Nation[/url]

thats the only way I know how to preach, or to rebuke, a compilation made one lonely night in a house trailer.

sermonindex Feb 13, 2009

"At a time when American young people are hit in the face with graphic sexuality in every facet of our culture, the church should be a safe haven where the sacredness and privacy of the act of marriage is respected by pastors

"The Church should be a safe haven", though I agree 100%, however today's Church surroundings are anything but safe. It's a world of confusion, lies, deception, hate, division, segregation. Even those that are condemning the outward show that Driscoll is manifesting, should look at their own Churches inner sanctum. The trash that is hidden in closets and the "peacock" show that Christians put forth is more sickening then what Driscoll is doing. I am not defending Driscoll. What he is doing is just as bad as those that carry on secret lives and put on a holiness air in Church, but at least he's open about it. Talk to any Church member that is highly esteemed in the Church and ask him if he has any thing in his closet that needs to be dealt with and you'll probably get a slap in the face for suggesting it. But they are there and more of it. God told Ezekiel to dig into a wall and discovered all manner of disgusting things, and they represented the sins of the people done in secret.

Judging righteous judgement is seeing what no other sees. It's easy to judge Driscoll because his sins are following him, but what about the hundreds of thousands of believers that hold the truth in unrighteousness that we don't see? I think there is more mercy for Driscoll then those that profess to be Christ and live secret lives.

This is my assessment of this news item.

M

MrBillPro Feb 13, 2009

When I first saw this I thought it might be Phil Driscoll, thank God it was not, he has been such an inspiration to Mr. Bill with his powerful testimony.
We all need to Pray for Mark, that is still the most powerful weapon we have against the enemy.

F

fuehrerbe21 Feb 13, 2009

I have read Mark Driscol's "Radical Reformission". While his theology is good, his "cultural relevance" is off beat. I agree with much of what is said here. It just goes to show that you can have good theology but still be far from God. If the theology doesn't change you, why bother?

M

micaiahsword Feb 14, 2009

I attend Mars Hill. Do not listen to the negative press or the complaints about Mark. He is as genuine and solid as they come.

I dont like some of the past language that is used. But remember while your using it on your wife or kids or some inanimate object Jesus is offended.

Mark is preaching, hes dealing with subjects that others will never touch.

Mark is not far from God, he's not apostate, heretical or a bad minister, far from it.
You all would do well to imitate Mark in many ways he walks with Christ. Dont think for a moment that our pesky sins wouldnt draw down fire on yourselves if you were public like Mark.

Again I attend Mars Hill and find Mark an outstanding minister. Yes he has faults, no, Im not making excuses for inappropriate words, Im only saying he is not some loon or some dirtbag that should be ignored like the TV ministries we all see.

Micaiahsword

M

micaiahsword Feb 14, 2009

"For generations, Christian pastors have managed to convey the Scripture's teachings on fornication, adultery and the beauty of sexuality within marriage without sullying and cheapening it" Schlueter added. "Mark Driscoll is a sad product of our times. While waving his orthodox doctrinal credentials, he has simultaneously embraced the spirit of the age when it comes to his treatment of sex. In the process, he is pornifying the church and only adding to the moral squalor of our culture."

The above quote by the baptist press is just plain nonsense. Mark just finished a section on the song of solomon. Now, while I didnt hear all of it, what I did hear was some of the best exegesis on marriage, singles, child care, manhood, womanhood Ive ever heard in my 30 plus years as a believer. That is saying alot, Ive been around great preaching.

But this above condemnation and pronostication of doom, is just unwarranted and extreme exaggeration

Micaiahsword

M

micaiahsword Feb 14, 2009

Mark doesnt get any amens for one of the largest churches in Seattle. Thats Seattle folks, they brag on hugging trees not God or their bibles.
Mark is not getting any amens for a huge congregation of young college students going to an intensely liberal university. Mark gets no amens from taking a stand in orthodoxy while the non-cussing preachers deny the bible, deny Christ and deny the eternity of hell. So you tell me which ones need the real rebuke?

I know Ill hear from the pious about cussing, but your preaching to the choir here, I dont cuss and I dont condone it, but I dont condone scrambling a mans ministry because a few magazine writters got the itch to beat on Mark. Now, Mark has repented of a great deal of error in his speech. I know that Mark is always repenting and always seeking to be honoring to God. I am a first hand observer of Mark, not a tongue wagger that can find fault.

I ask that you reconsider your mark-bashing and pray for Mark to become more and more Christ-like just as you would have us all pray for you.

Ill end my defense of Mark, and I aim these statements at no one particularly, only in general to the sermonindex posters.

Micaiahsword

C

chrstsm Feb 14, 2009

What do we possibly expect from this whole system? Show me in His Word where the pastor is the Head/leader of the Church? Show me in His Word where these buildings are called Church and why this system has so little fellowship and intimacy in each other's lives. Maybe, one day we will actually follow His Gospel of Grace and not follow satanically inspired systems that glorify mankind's flesh. Repentance unto God as His Holy Spirit is continually grieved by all of us.

M

MrBillPro Feb 14, 2009

micaiahsword wrote:
Im only saying he is not some loon or some dirtbag that should be ignored like the TV ministries we all see.
Micaiahsword

What TV ministries are you addressing? I Love to watch "In Touch" with Dr. Charles Stanley, would his ministry be on of these? since your statement seemed to address all TV ministries.
Just Wondering
Mr. Bill

sermonindex Feb 14, 2009

I attend Mars Hill. Do not listen to the negative press or the complaints about Mark. He is as genuine and solid as they come.

Ok, I believe you, and respect that, I GOT TO. If you dont believe another brother's testimony about what he has seen, heard, experienced, then we have nothing, no trust.

I guess I got a little twiggy because I had just seen some of the mess that John Crowder (google him) had filmed, ie "lets get whacked up in the drunken glory" ministry....so sorry, God bless the saints at Mars Hill. Keep on keeping on IN Christ.

neil

W

White_Stone Feb 15, 2009

What do we possibly expect from this whole system? Show me in His Word where the pastor is the Head/leader of the Church? Show me in His Word where these buildings are called Church and why this system has so little fellowship and intimacy in each other's lives. Maybe, one day we will actually follow His Gospel of Grace and not follow satanically inspired systems that glorify mankind's flesh. Repentance unto God as His Holy Spirit is continually grieved by all of us.

Ditto

M

micaiahsword Feb 15, 2009

Hello Mr.Bill:

In my reference to TV ministries, I refer to those who major in prosperity teaching, those who deny the trinity, those who preach only on money and wisdom books of their own, those who offer clothes, oils, waters to support their financial ends. These I believe have turned aside to error.

As to Stanley, I would never speak a word against. I also love John Macarthur, Some of the ones that I found very edifying are no longer on the TV circuit.

Micaiahsword

M

micaiahsword Feb 15, 2009

Hello: Natan:

Thank you for the grace towards a minister of the gospel that is a God sent blessing to all of us here in Seattle.

Micaiahsword