Dear Sir,
I read your article posted on the
Gospel Coalition site December 18, 2013 regarding Mark Driscoll. I have not
always been a fan of the man who, it seems at times, brings down the pulpit in
an unsavory way. I don’t care for his unabashed use of poor language and topic
from the stage that is his pulpit, regardless of his Seattle context. I was in
college when I first heard him preach and he made the many blush and giggle and
they thought it was cool. I vehemently disagree with his propagation of
technology for the sake of attentiveness and relevance—for many reasons, some
good others self-fish. I think, for the most part, his attire is as whimsical
as the faux-hawk he maintained for a time.
I’m sure, though, I wouldn’t like
John the Baptizer’s getup either—try to stand out much, John? I probably would
have disagreed with Jeremiah’s whiney attitude; Jonah’s sulky, self-serving
complaints; instead of being encouraged by Paul and Peter's many miracles
I might think them not helpful to everyone who can’t perform such acts—how are
we going to woo them now? Then there are other Hall of Famers like Samson?
There are a thousand people I have, would and do wholeheartedly disagree with,
that annoy me or I roll my eyes at and secretly wish they would have one of
their speeches with a bugger on their face for all to see.
As the saying goes, we must love the
church, warts and all, even if some are warts and some are smooth spots. I
don’t know Mark Driscoll; I’ve seen him in person twice. I also do not know
you. It seems clear that you do not know Mark Driscoll either. This is why I
was perplexed while reading your blog post about him. Though you identified
that the situation at hand was not a Matthew 18 circumstance
you did not refrain from casting your own portrait of the man who we both do
not know. With the content of your post—yes, I read the caveats—I was hoping
for a “Bless his heart” at the posts conclusion, at least.
I have followed your tweets with a
mediocre interest—as I do with all twitters—and I am sure I disagree with more
things more passionately than you do with Mark Driscoll. I would probably very
much dislike having a beer him, though not due of the libations. However, this
does not allow me, with the conscious God has given me and his Spirit within me,
to let the world know how I feel about the man. “This is not a Matthew 18
situation” was a perfect place to stop writing. But you went on to issue
complaints in the form of heart-felt concerns; listing his associations and
differences as a proof of his straying from the. . . neo-Reformed movement?
(admittedly I get confused with all the labels we have created.)
Why, if I may, was this article
written? It wasn’t for him, as you stated; was it for us? If so, to what end?
To, as you say, only highlight what has taken place? Okay. Was it so we could
all be aware that we should unsubscribe to his podcasts, not read his
plagiarized books—as an English major myself I was both appalled and confused,
given technology and people to prevent such things--, send bad vibes his way?
“Oh Lord, I thank you that I am not like these sinners. . .” We are to eat the
meat and throw away the bone not throw away every chicken that looks
funny.
I found your post troubling and
unfounded, purposeless. Admitting you don’t know the man yet in the same post
assuring us that he does not have any worthy close accountability. In the
non-nice version of life this is referred to as a smear; unfortunately in some
rubber-ducky Christian realms, your post is some P.S.A. that we are to be grateful
for. I’m not. I wish this was not written. The point that was made through the
“I love you” hazing the entire post was I don’t like you and you should all not
like him anymore.
I too am a fellow sinner, not by
confession alone but by practice. I’m fully aware of my own stink. Judge me.
Read all my grammatically poor posts, laugh at my theology if you like. I hope
that you find this helpful. Not dramatic; not a poo-poo on all your work and
effort and lifestyle and family. There is one purpose for this: to have you
evaluate the post that you decided to paste for all the world to see and be
confounded by.
Again, Mark Driscoll is not perfect
and I am not his biggest fan. But he is our brother, fellow citizen of Heaven
and Christ died as much for him as yourself and the author of this post. Thank
you for your time.
Brian A. McDaniel
