Mars-Hill — Pomomusings

Mark Driscoll, this Wink’s for you.

September 24, 2007 by Adam Walker Cleaveland 76 Comments

I promise this won’t turn into another Mark Driscoll rant – if you want something like that, I’m pretty sure you couldn’t find something like that on this site. I ran across a link to a new podcast of Mark Driscoll on Bob’s blog – I don’t agree with much of his analysis. Driscoll is speaking at the Convergent Conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and you can listen to the podcast here. You can skip the first 14 min or so – it’s just Driscoll telling about his upbringing. Around minute 14 or 15 is when he begins to start criticizing people, specifically Brian McLaren, Doug Pagitt and Rob Bell (really? Rob Bell?). Apparently, the battle has begun (again) and it’s time to take up your battle positions. While there is so much more I want to say, I’ve said it before. So – Mark Driscoll, “this wink’s for you.” I like to think of it as an “Aww, isn’t that cute”-wink. And I’m not the only one – many are giving Driscoll the wink.

For those of you who don’t want to listen to the entire 80+ minute lecture, here are some ~~ridiculous~~ snippets from it:

I don’t mind a conversation…but when God speaks, we are not to converse, we are to obey.
Brian McLaren was asked this question: ‘What is your position on gay marriage?’ His answer was this: ‘You know what? The thing that breaks my heart is that there is no way I can answer it without hurting someone on either side.’ To which I would respond: ‘Now you have hurt God.’
The Southern Baptist Convention of North Carolina is bringing him [Doug Pagitt] to teach in October. Shame on you.
If Rabbis don’t love Jesus, they have a bad hermeneutic.
The Bible is all about Jesus. Ultimately, it’s all…about…Jesus.
Brian McLaren also has a new organization called “Deep Shift” and I think somebody inadvertently put an “F” in there.
I believe Emergent is, like Judas, in the process of hanging itself.
And all the nonsense of emerging, and Emergent, and new monastic communities, and, you know, all of these various kinds of ridiculous conversations — I’ll tell you as one on the inside, they don’t have converts. The silly little myth, the naked emperor is this: they will tell you it’s all about being in culture to reach lost people, and they’re not.

So Mark Driscoll – you just keep on doing your thing. This wink’s for you.

UPDATE: Join the *Wink Revolution* – here are some winkers: Doug, Tony, Mike, Marissa, Gavin, Josh, Will, Jay, Kyle, Andrew, Brother Maynard Josh, Blake, Joe, Nick and Kay. Some are giving peace signs: Scott and Steve.

Filed Under: Emergent, Random, Rants Tagged With: Brian-McLaren, Doug-Pagitt, Mark-Driscoll, Mars-Hill, Rob-Bell, Southern-Baptists

Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches: Mark Driscoll

April 2, 2007 by Adam Walker Cleaveland 45 Comments

Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches Part 1: Mark Driscoll

Mark Driscoll: Biblicist Theology
I just don’t get this guy. I really wonder why Zondervan asked Driscoll to be a part of this book, and I have to wonder why Driscoll said yes. Mark apparently thinks that the number of Biblical citations is directly proportional to how faithful his chapter actually is to scripture? Seriously, he has 176 footnotes, 174 of which are practically lists of Bible verses for a 14-pg chapter. It also seems as though Driscoll has an unhealthy need for power; Driscoll mentions numerous times about how a major point in his essay is to show how “The Christian revelation of God is distinct from and superior to all other views of God” (26) and “But the fact remains that Jesus Christ is distinct from and superior to all other religious leaders and their religions…” (27). Later on, in response to John Burke’s chapter, he writes again, “It is imperative that we remain steadfastly committed to articulating the reasons why Jesus is distinct from and superior to all other religions and religious leaders” (71). What is his deal with this power trip?

We all know that Mark is a big penal substitutionary atonement guy, and he definitely shows his colors in this chapter:

“Many people warmly recollect the kind deeds of Jesus, such as healing the sick, caring for the poor, and feeding the hungry. Many people also appreciate Jesus’ teachings related to doing good deeds and being loving. But it is the death of Jesus and what it accomplished that is the most controversial aspect of Jesus’ life and ministry, because it is the most important” (29).

There it is – Jesus’ life, ministry, care for the poor…nope. Let’s focus on the most important thing: Jesus’ death. I am all for the theological diversity that exists within Emergent and the emerging church discussion, but I just don’t get what Driscoll’s deal was with this chapter? Was this so he could show the chapter off to his buddies like John Piper and Douglas Wilson – to show that even an uber-conservative, Reformed, fundamentalist self-described biblicist can shed the light on the emerging errors? I really just don’t get it, and I had to nod in agreement with Doug Pagitt, when he wrote in response to Mark, “At times I found it difficult to read Mark’s chapter” (43).