I
don’t know Mark Driscoll. I have never
been to Mars Hill Church in Seattle.
Frankly, except for watching a couple of short videos, I have not spent
much time analyzing Driscoll, his theology, his church, or his situation. I have not read any of his books.
Having
said what I don’t know about Mark Driscoll, what I do know is that an awful lot
of people seem to think they are obligated to constantly do everything they can
to tear the guy down. World Magazine,
for instance, in its latest issue again discusses Driscoll, although in a
relatively smear free article. Warren
Throckmorton, a regular blogger on Crosswalk.com has recently decided to go
after Driscoll . . . again. Often I
would provide a link, but I refuse in this instance. Not too long ago there was the big Janet
Mefferd dust up in which Driscoll came out looking badly.
I
understand that Driscoll appears to have embraced his image as the evangelical
“bad-boy” but this doesn’t make it okay to decide his every breath should
become a headline. That’s worldly
thinking – he deserves it, or has brought it on himself, or some such other
notion. No, it’s up to those in the Christian
media to exercise some self-restraint.
Just because Driscoll says or does something or just because someone
claims something about Driscoll doesn’t mean it needs to be reported. We’re not cannibals, are we? His naysayers may well be correct about some
of his defalcations. I’m not giving him
a pass for things done wrong. If he’s
done people wrong, he ought to own up to it and man up.
Over
the past year or so, though, we have learned the stunning secret (shhhh!) say this in a
very soft, low voice: Mark Driscoll, oh no, is a sinner. I’m surprised . . .
not. He doesn’t get a pass for this
anymore than anyone else, but the judgment on pastors that is greater than others comes from God, not us.
What
I don’t like is that Driscoll seems to be some sort of whipping boy who gets
conveniently pulled out when somebody has a slow news day or nothing better to
blog about, as if all of us need to know what he’s done wrong now. There is absolutely nothing in Matthew 18
about media coverage, nor does every Christian “have a right to know.” Frankly, if Driscoll cheated on his wife with
a member of his church, I don’t have a “right” to know! No doubt, given his rock-star like notoriety,
this would become an instant headline in the Christian media. Just because this kind of news becomes
available doesn’t mean it HAS to be distributed. But boy, we Christians are just as happy to
lap up the gossip as anyone else, aren’t we?
What
I don’t understand, frankly, is when did this become the standard for Christian
media? This makes it look just like the
secular media – another piece of juicy gossip just oozed out from Mars Hill –
better get that into the latest edition before someone else scoops us! Really?
Whatever
sins, whatever bad acts, whatever foolishness, whatever hypocrisy Mark Driscoll
has committed, you and I have likely done just as badly or maybe worse. I don’t know the guy and I’m not defending
any of his bad acts. But, you know, he’s
just a man. Much of what gets reported
seems to me things that are between Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill church. Some of it is between Mark Driscoll and
specific people. Some of it may be
between Mark Driscoll and God alone.
I
propose the Christian media go Driscoll-less for the next six months. Yeah, I know that’s like giving up the very
breath of life for some out there. I’m
not saying this on Mark Driscoll’s behalf – like I said, I don’t know the guy. I’m saying this for me and any others out there
who are all Driscolled out. When he
starts going all Oprah on me, let me know.
When he starts preaching health/wealth like Joel Osteen, let me
know. When he renounces Christ, let me
know.
In
the meantime, when he continues to (gasp, harrumph) sin like every other
sinner, please keep me out of the loop.
I’m too busy repenting for my own. And, yes, I'll have another latte - no Driscoll.
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