Man Down

Anybody in evangelical circles who has missed the swarm of controversy surrounding Mark Driscoll lately must not have an internet connection. The embattled pastor is the founder of Mars Hill Church in Seattle and the Acts 29 church planting network. My purpose is not to rehash Driscoll’s troubles (just google him for details) but to examine how we should react to them. Right now followers are abandoning the leader like passengers on a sinking ship. Speaking engagements have been canceled, Acts 29 removed his church from their network and Lifeway pulled all his books from their shelves.

I confess, I have been a Mark Driscoll fan. Two of the favorite books on my bookshelf are “Vintage Jesus” and “Doctrine” authored by him. I thought it was cool when Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae sampled a sermon from Driscoll on the “Rebel” album’s intro track. I’ve watched hours of Driscoll on youtube and listened to numerous podcasts from him. However, I stopped being a fan years ago.

I could sense something going awry as I saw a man I respected saying things that could inflict pain and also presenting the Holy word of God in a crude fashion. It seemed like he was starting to lose his direction. I never imagined that the course he was on would be transforming into the evangelical pariah he seems to be today. He had successfully founded a church in the most unchurched part of America and had reached thousands with the Gospel. How could it all go wrong?

I don’t have the answer. However, I know it can go wrong for any of us. Any of us who has ever worn any semblance of the title church or ministry leader are in danger of falling deeply away from Christ’s true calling. It could be me. I try to remain mindful of the particular pitfalls Satan, the world and my flesh can effectively use against me. I am not bulletproof – I have to armor up every day for the spiritual war being waged around me.

One thing I learned early in ministry is that people will say nice things to you even when they need to say tough things. When I first started preaching everybody loved my sermons. I knew it was too good to be true. They did love me. They did love seeing God calling me out of atheism and into the ministry. They just wanted to encourage me to do better and better and so bragged on me and complimented me. I had a friend and I told him, “You have to be real with me. You have to tell me like it is. I am counting on you to critically judge the things that come out of my mouth with your spiritual discernment and God’s word.” We need that person or group of people to keep us grounded.

I’m not a “yes man” and I don’t need “yes men” around me in ministry. I need people to hold me accountable. I worry that maybe Driscoll failed to do that. Again, I’m not sure where he went wrong. Sadly now, instead of people gathering around and trying to hold him accountable, they are circling around and trying to find a better place to hit from. As Christians we seem to take such perverse pleasure at seeing one of our own fall and taking personal shots at him. It should not be that way.

I do believe Mark Driscoll needs to step down from ministry. I’m not sure he can ever be in a similar position of leadership again. I do believe he is not beyond being salvaged, redeemed, restored and used by God in even greater ways. However, he seems to be surrounded by two types of people – fans who don’t want to admit there is a problem and enemies who don’t want to admit there is any hope.

I wish I had prayed more for Driscoll. As I saw him going in a direction that made me uncomfortable, I “unliked” him on facebook and stopped watching him on youtube and unsubscribed from his podcasts. I should have prayed for him. We all should pray for him. We should pray for all the leaders in church whether we agree with them or not.

The Apostle Paul was no stranger to dealing with leadership issues. We think that our 21^st Century church scandals trump those of the 1^st Century. However, I think any church today would be hard pressed to outdo the Church of Corinth or the Church of Crete for scandals and illicit behavior. Paul dealt with it seriously, decisively, lovingly and with restoration and redemption in mind. I’m not sure what the fate of Mars Hill and Mark Driscoll will be. I wish we had a man like Paul to step in and help out today. I am reminded of his wise words written so long ago:

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. (Galatians 6:1 NIV)

"That's Impossible!"

Christian musical artist Michael Gungor has caused quite a stir due to some recent posts on his personal blog. First let me say I’d never heard of him until today due to this. He is in the category of Christian Contemporary Worship music and I am definitely off in another direction (heavy metal / hardcore like Sleeping Giant, For Today, Those Who Fear, Gideon, etc.). I found his comments intriguing and perhaps becoming more common in his generation (he is 33) and other younger Christians.

Mr. Gungor questions the veracity of the Biblical flood narrative and the ark in Genesis. Basically he says it is scientifically impossible. First let me say I agree. Next let me say this as well (please stick with me and don’t click away until the end):

• Creating the universe in 6 literal days is impossible!
• Flooding the entire world with 40 days and nights of rain is impossible!
• Saving members of all land dwelling life on one big boat is impossible!
• Joseph’s story of slavery, imprisonment and rise to be Pharaoh’s right hand man is impossible!
• Parting the Red Sea so the Jews could walk across on dry land is impossible!
• Feeding a population of people in the desert with a mysterious food called “manna” for 40 years is impossible!
• Marching around the fortified city of Jericho for a week and then merely playing trumpets and shouting to collapse the walls is impossible!
• Gideon and a rag tag band of 300 men armed with torches and trumpets defeating a battle-hardened group of 135,000 Midianites is impossible!
• A young, inexperienced boy killing an elite, heavily armed and armored 9 foot tall Philistine with a slingshot is impossible!
• Elijah calling down fire from heaven to consume a sacrifice saturated with water is impossible!
• Elijah being carried away to heaven in a chariot of fire is impossible!
• Elisha raising a young man from the dead is impossible!
• Daniel describing and interpreting a dream he never personally had is impossible!
• Three young men tossed into a blazing furnace and emerging with not a singe mark or the smell of smoke on them is impossible!
• Being eaten by a big fish and surviving in its belly for three days is impossible!
• Being born to a virgin is impossible!
• Turning water into wine is impossible!
• Healing the lame, blind and demon possessed is impossible!
• Walking on water is impossible!
• Turning five loaves of bread and two fish into a meal that can feed 5000 is impossible!
• Raising a young girl from the dead is impossible!
• Raising Lazarus from the dead after he had been lifeless in a tomb for 4 days is impossible!
• Returning from the dead 3 days later after suffering the most brutal execution imaginable – beating, scourging and crucifixion – is impossible!
• Rising into the clouds is impossible!
• Speaking in languages you’ve never known is impossible!
• Changing a zealous and violent persecutor of Christians into the greatest Christian missionary in history is impossible!

This is just a brief list of impossible things found in the Bible. Science and naturalism claims these things are impossible. However, we serve a supernatural God that laid down the guidelines of the natural world and is well within his power to overcome any of those scientific, mathematical and naturalistic limitations. I am reminded of the words of the angel Gabriel, who stands in the very presence of the Lord God Almighty and knows him better than any of us do down here on Earth:

“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 6:37)

"Change the World"

When you let Jesus in your boat, he turns your whole world upside down!

This Is Not A Joke

Shocking news hit the headlines this afternoon. Already we were witnessing the violence and chaos in St. Louis over the police shooting of a young man. We continued watching the unfolding air strikes in Iraq and the horrors committed by ISIS. Then in shock and disbelief I saw it pop up on my facebook feed: Robin Williams was dead at 63 - suicide suspected. Details are still developing, but his publicist has stated that he had been battling severe depression.

Some of us grew up with Robin Williams - from the early days with "Mork & Mindy" throughout his colorful career as Mrs. Doubtfire or a couple of my favorites, Genie in "Aladdin" and Batty in "Fern Gully." The man had a gift for making people laugh. But he was more than a comedian - he was a great actor with tremendous talent.

It makes us ask - how can a man who made so many laugh fall into the depths of depression? Let me assure you, depression is a killer. It's hard to understand if you've never experienced it firsthand. It's difficult to articulate the darkness it brings into your life. Innumerable people suffer silently with it day after day. I'm not sure what was at the heart of this legendary comedian's depression. I'm not sure if others really saw it or understood it. I do know we all need to try and make a difference.

You see, you never know what that person in front of you is experiencing. They could have on a mask of joy and laughter, and be quietly dying on the inside. They could be just one criticism or insult away from calling it quits in life. They could be hanging onto sanity by their fingernails. Whenever somebody asks how they are doing they could be self conditioned to continually lie, "I'm great. I'm fine. I'm good" when they are everything but those things.

We can make a difference by really caring. You can make a difference with something as simple as a smile. You can make a huge impact with a word of encouragement, a hug or a compliment. You could help that stranger hold on one more day and give life one more chance. Don't just say, "How are you doing" as some form of greeting. When they reply, "I'm fine" try saying, "No, man. Really. How are you doing today." Listen. Love. Make a difference.

When I saw the news about Robin Williams I thought it must have been some sick internet joke. Unfortunately, tragically it was not. Suicide is not a joke. People every day are deciding to end life instead of continue it. Depression is not a joke. People are struggling every day to keep on keeping on. Listen. Love. Reach out. Make a positive impact on those around you. Be the change.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV)