Hmmm… Well, well, well…. Perhaps, just perhaps this is the beginning of what many of us have been praying for over the years re: Mr. Mark Driscoll… God did it with Paul, once Saul… My prayer is that God would thoroughly break Mark in order to thoroughly use him.
Interesting article (note: contains profanity, language…) with some interesting video clips, especially of Mark’s very recent announcement regarding his stepping down for a “minimum of 6 weeks” in which time a thorough investigation will be made of various charges against him over the years and more recently. My concern is it sounds like this investigation will be conducted by his elders… sigh. But at least with it being so public and with so many former pastors and elders of Mars Hill coming forward and with so many former members speaking up, maybe, just maybe that reality will keep the process a little more honest than would otherwise be the case, so I would hope.
Lord, I fervently ask that you bring all the truth to the surface. You are the One who brings to light that which is hidden in darkness and you will expose the motives of people’s hearts. I pray that Mark will receive counsel from those outside his circle, from those outside his think tank. In Jesus’ name, Amen, and I thank You!
Freedom!
I don’t live close enough to Seattle to do this, but wouldn’t it be interesting to print out a lists of all the misogynist quotes from Driscoll. Then pass them out to the congregants and ask them if they agree with the statements to sign the bottom. I wonder how many would be taken aback and start to realize what they have been filling their head with by listening to him.
Freedom4captives. You’re still a total superhero for the work you did with this blog. I wanted to pop by and say thankyou for being an inspiration. I had the enormous privilege of being a co-leader of the movement to stop Mark Driscoll speaking at Hillsong Conferences in Sydney and London in June/July this year (2015) (teehee I added the parenthetical since I don’t know how long it make take for the comment to get approved). Hillsong listened and we were successful! Hurrah!
Unfortunately, your Paul/Saul analogy touches on a comparison Driscoll himself made in his appearance recently at James River Church in Missouri, where he once again cast himself as the victim (the narrative he’s been busily building lately) an very much compared himself to both Stephen the first martyr and Paul the Apostle, while characterising his many victims as ravening wolves and demonic tormentors whom he has magnanimously forgiven. I continue to hope that eventually Mark will undergo real change, but it doesn’t seem like it’s happened yet.
Anyway, again, you are an inspiration. Thank you for your bravery. You were there in the background of my own thinking as I helped with the recent campaign to prevent Driscoll’s appearance at Hillsong Conference. You. Rock.
Thank you so much, Benjamin! Your kind and encouraging words mean a lot! 🙂
Since the fall of Mark’s “kingdom,” I occasionally think back to this site and wonder “Did I have an impact? Did I help folks? Was it worth it (time, energy, etc)?” And then I get an amazing report like yours, and I am psyched again to keep on fighting the fight in whatever arena I am currently called! Thank you!! Thank you!! And I am proud of you for fighting your fight and keeping him off the speaker platform of Hillsong. I love the Hillsong worship projects and so respect that movement; I would not want it influenced by an (apparently) unrepentant Mark Driscoll.
Yes, it sounds like I may have been too generous or optimistic re: our dear little Mark. I have not had the time or inclination of late to pay much attention, or to go looking for what Mark’s current stance and status are, but I had heard quite awhile ago that he was initially trying to get incorporated into leadership in an already established church, and that burdened me greatly. This was only 3-6 months after the implosion, if I remember correctly. Unless this fallen leader seeks deep and prolonged emotional and spiritual healing, he will only repeat the same patterns. If he is playing the victim card–and making his actual victims out to be the problem–he is really in warp zone and poses a hazard to any who would fall under his “leadership.”
Many blessings to you! And thank you again for your appreciation and for your valiant efforts on the side of integrity, sanity, and sanctification!
FREEDOM!