Category Archives: shifts

*updated* Yesterday, embattled Seattle mega-church pastor Mark Driscoll “stepped down” for a minimum 6 weeks. CT has a thorough summary here, be sure to watch the video at the end. Then pray for that local church, for him his family, and for the Church.

This saga – far from over- could be, if studied carefully, an incredible teaching tool for young pastors. Most look to guys like Driscoll as models for the way they do ministry. Seeing the incredible “success” of Mars Hill, they say “I can learn from this example.” Maybe.

There is no doubt that we can learn from the success of others. But we better be sure to learn from their failure too.

Driscoll is getting the counsel of a group of wise people. I wish that would include guys like J. R. Briggs who have walked through failure and been “real” about it. See my post on his book Fail back in July. At the very least someone should send Mr. Driscoll a copy.

Let us learn from this that our priorities need to include biblical accountability steeped in loving counsel which often means listening to hard voices that don’t tell us what we want to hear.

Without such, we too will increase our failure.

We should all be saddened by Driscoll’s saga. Any thoughts of “he’s getting what he deserved” should be rebuked as not from a God of grace and mercy.

Learn from this saga* that we don’t repeat it.

(the original post was titled “Driscoll sage continues” – what sort of autocorrect Freudian thing was that?)