Over the last few months, a number of controversies have been growing around an already controversial Mark Driscoll. The pastor of the 15,000 member Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, didn’t really need to do anything to be controversial; his “no holds barred,” brash teaching style was enough. But in recent weeks he has been accused of – in no particular order – plagiarism, using church funds to boost his book onto the New York Times bestseller list and behaving badly toward church staff which resulted in a culture of fear among those he was leading (this stuff is everywhere, but you can catch up on most of it here).
As a result of some or all of these issues, he stepped up to the mic this past Sunday in order to announce that he would be stepping down for a season while all of these charges are investigated. I read his full statement, then watched it with Wendy, and when it was over, I found myself wanting to be God.
[Tweet “We all know Mark Driscoll is sorry. Right now, only God knows if he’s repentant.”]Now, I’m not the first person to want to be God. Lots of us would pay hand over fist if “God for a day” was up for auction on eBay, and all of us would have varying reasons for wanting to spend 24 hours with the crown. As far as the Driscoll controversy is concerned, some would want to be God so that they could *poof* the whole mess away and save their hero from almost certain personal and professional loss. I think it’s safe to say, too, that there are others who wouldn’t need 24 hours of divinity in order to carry out their desire. A simple clap of their God-hands and lightning bolts would be on their way to the Driscoll home faster than a heat-seeking missile.
But I don’t want to be God for any of those reasons. I don’t want to absolve Driscoll or destroy Driscoll. I just want to know him.
As I listened to what he said, I realized that he could say everything right and it probably wouldn’t change anything about how people see him. At one point, Driscoll said, “Some have challenged various aspects of my personality and leadership style, and while some of these challenges seem unfair, I have no problem admitting I am deserving of some of these criticisms based on my own past actions that I am sorry for.” To some it sounds genuine; to others, hollow. Same words, different message.
Our experiences, our agendas, and our sins cloud it all, and that is why Mark Driscoll makes me want to be God. I want to look in his heart and really know him. Not the “angry young prophet” Driscoll, or the Twitter famous “Pastor Mark” Driscoll. Just the “child of God and this is who I am” Driscoll, and from way over here on the outside, I’m not sure that’s possible, because, unlike God, my view of any or all of the Mark Driscolls is tainted. My guess is that yours is, too.
[Tweet “If we were God, we’d see each other as a Father sees a child and not as a sibling sees a rival.”]It’s hard for us to see each other apart from the worst that we’ve done, but if we were God, we’d see each other as a Father sees a child and not as a sibling sees a rival. I want to be God so that I can know the heart of a man like Mark Driscoll, a man who boldly and soundly proclaims the gospel while at the same time revealing a heart so desperately in need of the gospel he’s preaching.
A man so much like me.
Jeremiah said that our hearts are deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). Paul wrote that the message is greater than the messenger (Romans 7:21-25). Having hearts that trick us and truth that trips us isn’t an excuse to preach one thing and live another. It’s a reason as leaders to model daily repentance, something that Mark Driscoll may have been doing as he read his statement to his church a few days ago. But how do we know for sure if this is real sorrow or just a show in the long line of public shows from public preachers whose private sins were exposed?
Outside of winning that eBay auction, there’s only one way. As an oddly dressed prophet said to a bunch of religious leaders that he didn’t really like or trust, the proof is in the pudding (Matthew 3:8).
We all know Mark Driscoll is sorry. Right now, only God knows if he’s repentant.
But eventually, given enough time, we’ll all know, because the fruit of his ministry and leadership will show it.
##########
There are TONS of people writing TONS of things about Mark Driscoll. While that’s not a bad thing, it would be terrible if ALL we did was write ABOUT him without praying FOR him. Why not take a minute to pray right now, and then share the tweet below to encourage him, his family and his church? God’s kindness leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4), and this is a great opportunity for the body of Christ to lead the way in kindness!
[Tweet “I just prayed for God to be close to and glorified through @PastorMark, his family and @MarsHill!”]
