Just got done skimming the online edition of The Pathway (my state Baptist newspaper) and saw this headline, "Alternative View of Seattle Pastor Expressed." When I saw the headline, I was like "Alright! Finally, a little balanced journalism! Someone is sticking up for Mark Driscoll!"
I should have known better.
What followed were the old, familiar attacks. One question for The Pathway... How is this an alternative view? Falling in lockstep with Baptist Press, all you've done is run critical pieces on this man! This edition alone attacks Driscoll in numerous articles. This piece is simply more of the same. What are you presenting this article as an "alternative" to?
I'll just be real frank... I'm embarassed for Missouri Baptists right now. At a time when practically the entire SBC is getting on board with the "Great Commisssion Resurgence" and uniting around missions, our Missouri tribe is handing out "publications," making crazy motions, questioning the integrity of men such as Ed Stetzer and Danny Akin (Are you kidding me?), and our state paper is giving such ones a platform.
Where is the mention of the messenger, who called for Driscoll to come to next year's SBC and be given the opportunity to confront his attackers, whose motion was roundly applauded by the hall? Where is the mention of Dr. Marshall's call (in the annual sermon) to treat young pastors like sons, and that none of us would embarass our son by publicly calling him out by name, but we would go to him in private if we had concerns? Honestly, Pathway! Where is the fairness? Where is the balance?
As for the merit of these people's complaints about Driscoll, I would ask everyone to do one thing before they form an opinion... LISTEN TO HIM PREACH! Anyone with any discernment, who listens to Driscoll preach, will know that he is a man of God. Is he blunt? Yes. Does he curse? No. (He publicly repented of this years ago, yet some continue to drudge up his past. This, in my opinion, is the most shameful and disgusting aspect of this whole thing. Those who engage in this owe Mark Driscoll a public apology.) Does he preach about sex? Yes. And judging by the culture we live in, a whole lot more of us need to be preaching about it as well.
I am not a Driscoll worshipper, I promise you. I don't agree with everything he says, or how he says it. But I'm telling you, the man is one of the most substantive and bold preachers of God's Word in the country. And what is being done to him is despicable.
