Emerging Church leader Mark “The Cussing Pastor” Driscoll has been getting a good deal of play from the media lately. Recently, Christianity Today profiled Mark Driscoll in an article appropriately entitled Pastor Provocateur.
Here’s a quote:
Driscoll “comes off as a smart-aleck former frat boy,” according to The Seattle Times. Guilty as charged. If he hasn’t offended you, you’ve never read his books or listened to his sermons. On any given Sunday at Mars Hill, it’s possible that a visiting fire marshal will get saved. But it’s just as likely that a guest will flip him off before walking out.
And just last week the Mars Hill pastor spoke at the “Convergent Conference” held at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Emergent Village has provided an excellent roundup of the conference. The infamous Roger Moran has even offered a few thoughts on Driscoll and the Emerging Church Movement. On the Baptist seminary’s campus, Driscoll had this to say (as reported by Baptist Press):
Driscoll also noted the position of Rob Bell, a pastor that he does not know personally but whose writings, including “Velvet Elvis,” he has read. Noting that Bell has called into question the virgin birth, Driscoll said, “The question that begs to be answered is, ‘Do we lose anything if we lose the virgin birth of Jesus Christ?’ …
“To the Lord Jesus, [such doubt] is insulting,” Driscoll said. “First of all, Mary said that she was a virgin. If she was really a lying whore, that does change the story. Because if the lying whore raises a young boy who says He is God, why believe the extravagant claims of the child of a lying whore? Following the resurrection, Jesus’ mother Mary was with the disciples worshipping Him as God as part of the early church. Why would we believe the testimony of the resurrection of Jesus from a lying whore?
I have never downloaded a Driscoll sermon. I only know Mark Driscoll through Donald Miller’s Blue Like Jazz where he is described as Mark “The Cussing Pastor.” So, I decided to check out Pastor Provocateur.
Driscoll doesn’t disappoint. He’s offensive In the following clips you’ll find a short clip on “The Chick-i-Fied Church” and a 8 minute bigoted rant.
I read this thinking you were going to offer an opinion about Driscoll. Instead you just said he doesn’t disappoint. I will hold off what I think about him (though you could probably guess), but I would like to know after listening to these two sermons what do you think of him?
wow. The rhetorical linking of Christianity and masculinity has always interested me; I need to pay more attention to Driscoll. Fascinating.
Driscoll is interesting, definitely entertaining but also quite offensive in the first video on “chick-i-fied men”
His style especially in the second video is entirely unattractive. Who wants to hear their pastor go into an obnoxious 10-minute rant on a Sunday morning?
I respect a pastor who doesn’t hold back and says what’s on his or her mind. But Driscoll is a loose canon, a time-bomb waiting to explode. I suspect that Driscoll will make more than a few headlines in the years to come with his rather strong opinions…
I think he’s imagining things. Where are all the effeminate pastors? A lot of men are too physically and intellectually lazy to attend church or they are legitamately tired and put leisure above worship. If they don’t want to participate, then let them, I say.
I think Mark Driscoll is inspired by the holy spirit. The fact that he criticize Rob Bell’s position abt the Virginity of Mary and firmly stands for the bible doesnt make Mark a “time bomb” or a “loose cannon” as someone here stated.
The problem is that Mark speaks the truth abt the gospel and many people feel bothered by his “ways”, because people are MORE interested in “FORMS” rather than the SUBSTANCE, the CONTENT of the gospel.
After watching these videos, I can tell that Mark Driscoll is biblical and speaks the truth…not the way your usual pastor, priest will talk abt Jesus (very soft/sweet/nice etc etc) but as MAN.
Is not an issue of “masculinity” but to be a MAN of God, just like David and the rest of the Men of God…(firm, with character,standing for Jesus, never giving up the truth,) in this world full of sin(which takes a lot of masculinity)
Seems to me very worthy things to be hopping mad about. I think more of us need to be angry about this sort of thing.
The second video is pretty popular but it is not a regular occurence at the church. He does not “rant” that often. This was a particular soft spot for Driscoll. But most critics of Mars Hill Church are people who have never been there
[...] long-time readers know, the big daddy weave is not a fan of Macho Man Mark. His attitude towards women not his use of a few foul words is what I find [...]
Most of these discussions are marquee examples of “cookie-cutter” Christianity. It seems like you all want everyone to look the same, act the same, believe the same, and speak the same. So the Seattle Times gave Driscoll a negative review. Since when have they been friends of Christians? Critics hate most of the movies and music that I enjoy, and I still watch and listen to what I like. I know not everyone who has a great following is of God, but Mars Hill Church seems to be bringing great Biblical truths to the table, and it seems like the members and attendees are being properly discipled. Discipleship in the Seattle environment may not look the same as the Bible belt, and that should be fine. So what if people are just as likely to flip off Driscoll after his preaching as respond in repentance. Maybe more pastors ought to know what it feels like to be flipped off as often as they lead people to Christ. (For many they won’t be flipped off much.) I’m sure I may have offended just about everyone who has read my 1:00 a.m. rant. Maybe you should flip me off!
He’s very arrogant and offensive. Many many many many believers that I have spoken to in Seattle and across the country are highly offended by his arrogance more than anything else. ..puh-leaze, I get it..oooooh so edgy, and crass…it’s more than played out, boring and frankly ridiculous. How about we don’t make loving God a gimmick Mr Driscoll. Who are you trying to point people to? …Jesus or you? Unfortunately the only thing people are smacked in the face with in any and all of your sermons, media stories/coverage, blogs etc about Mars Hill is you…that’s why I and many others attended your church and never went back. Btw, I live in Seattle and actually attended the conference mentioned (it was excellent), the Rabbi was indeed a messianic Jew. Sorry, I know it made for a good Mark show..but factually incorrect.
Big Daddy Weave,
Please see my blog based on research on what is happening at Mars Hill Church Seattle, under the radar or a surface view. There are many, many people who are suffering from what I can only consider to be spiritual and psychological abuse. If you think my blog has merit, please post the address here for others to see another side to Mars Hill.
As a mental health counselor and a survivor of spiritual abuse, I perceive many signs of cult like control and spiritual abuse at MHC:
.Controlling Pastor with “Yes Men” Elders;
.No Talk Rule;
.No Dissent;
.Emphasis on Submission and Obedience;
.Shunning of “Unrepentant” Former Members;
.Dis-fellowshipping “Questioners” and Critical Thinkers;
.By-Laws Removing Accountability of Pastor/Elders;
.Mind and Thought Control;
.Membership Covenant and Financial Giving Pledge Required;
.“Biblical” Counseling Only, if Referred Out, Must Sign Release Form (no confidentiality allowed);
.Kangaroo Court Firing of Two Elders Who Dared to Question;
.Extreme Gender Role Enforcement;
.Members Must Attend Accountability/”Community” Groups
… Scary!
In my blog you will find postings which cover:
Mars Hill Church Abuse; Mark Driscoll; Spiritual Abuse; Church Abuse; Psychological Abuse; Former Members of Mars Hill; By-Laws; Controlling Personalities in the Church; Narcissistic Leaders & Other Character Disordered Leaders; My Brief Experience of MHC & Abusive Systems; “Christianized” Misogyny; “Wives Submit!”; “Obey Your Leaders!”; Membership Requirements; and more…
In Him always,
Truth & Grace