Cowardly Pastors

A bit of a storm has been raised by some comments, apparently made, by Mark Driscoll from Marrs Hill Church in Seattle. I say apparently because I did not hear the original interview and can't seem to even find it now but I did see his blog which seeks to clarify what he said he said and make some criticism of the manner of the interview.

Now if the interview had been conducted and reported by one of the British "red tops" I would have had definite sympathy but it was in "CHRISTIANITY" hardly a rag looking for mass circulation. CHRISTIANITY, in turn have set out their view, making the point that they saw no disrespect.

Whenever someone makes a criticism which I believe to be way off beam I have a number of responses in my head-one is to think "What a tosser. They have no idea of what things are like here or of my part in them", the second response is to wonder if they have been reported correctly or is this person out to make a name for themselves and the third response is to ponder if there is any truth in what they say, even if they say it in an inappropriate or even unpleasant way.

Mark Driscoll, or Pastor Mark Driscoll as he likes to be referred to as the title gives respect, is a pastor in Seattle in Marrs Hill which began, I understand, with a handful of people in his living room and now has thousands every week in a massive building full of young professionals. He sees his ministry to be to the post-Christian generation who have long since stopped attending any church. he has a radical style but an orthodox theological perspective based on a reformed systematic theology, is against the ordination of women into the preaching ministry but likes to remind the congregation that Hell is a definite reality waiting those who do not follow Christ.

He is well-known for making controversial statements which place him in the spotlight yet he says in his blog that people should not be blogging about Mark Driscoll as Jesus Christ is the centre of the faith. In this most recent interview with a British evangelical journalist he is reported to have called British evangelical pastors, "cowards" who wear dresses and speak to elderly women.

There are so many questions that this raises that I wonder how anyone could say them and then say that people should not be talking about him-they are bound to when he says or is said to have said such things. You might be thinking, as I am, that given his propensity for the outrageous "has he not learnt yet that he needs to be very careful about what he says"?

Here are some of my questions-
1. There is the culture question. By that I mean that the press scene in the USA and in Britain are very different. In this country it is expected that a leader will be challenged whether they be politician, celebrity or churchman (hardly churchwoman in this case as Mark (hope he doesn't mind me calling him that)

2. Why, Mark, do you think in a post-modern society you should expect journalistic to show reverence to you? Forgive me for putting it this way but precisely who do you imagine yourself to be? I know of no evangelical denomination which had a pope who is answerable to no one.

3. I question why we, in Northern Ireland anyway, outsold desire more testosterone leaders in politics or church. We have had them before and still have some who have just led us up dead allies

4. Where does grace appear in the way of the outrageous-if I am throwing out insults and slandering people, and they are within the church-but do you consider these people to be brothers at all?- can I really say, as Mark Driscoll says in this blog that he "loves" the British evangelicals?

5. I know that my parish (that description in itself is outdated but its the short hand that is mostly used)is a place which has suffered from this kind of mentality. The people in this area do not need to be hammered over the head with a sledgehammer of disapproval and be told they are going to hell every day. They know tghat they have sinned, what they need to hear and to know is that there is a way back and that redemption is possible but the gospel has been pushed down their throats with a lump of hypocrisy and a dollop of arrogance. Most ministers (that is the description that we prefer to use but it seems to be impossible for some
Americans to get over what they think is right and consider it might not be right)

6. Is his problem with the Church of England? He talks in his blog about pastors (but surely he means priests and vicars or clergymen/women) wearing dresses and preaching to old women (I guess he is talking about vestments and usually it is the Anglican and Catholics who wear them although it would appear to this Irishman that many American Baptists choirs were these dresses also.

7. Has he allowed the heady atmosphere of the adoring thousands, as we would say, to loss the way of himself? It is very much easier to say the bold things to the crowds than to say the same things when eyeballing the people in a small number or even more so when talking to an individual whom you know and has some level of accountability to

8. Who is Mark Driscoll accountable to? Who actually ordained him? When I was ordained I had to go though theological training, having graduated in another discipline altogether. I had to go through a selection process and then be called by a congregation and was ordained by the local presbytery. I do not, for a single second, believe that we have it all right but I do believe that everyone should have some person or body to whom they are accountable

Then I ask myself, "is there even a smigon of truth in the criticism?"

I think I would be very foolish to say there was no truth at all in what he is reported to have said. It is clear to anyone who has eyes to see that the church in the UK is in real decline and has been for some time. Even in the once religious Ireland we have noticed decline and in the part of the city where I live and work too many people have turned their backs on the church. It is also very clear that we have a shortage of men in our churches but we all know that and we do not need someone from outside making harsh criticisms as there are many faithful men and women seeking to proclaim the name of Christ in some extremely difficult places. In my part of Belfast we have experienced the pain of terrorism up close and personal. we have seen the destruction of communities and the ruination of family life by murder, bomb and hatred. Some people have been standing up for the principles of Christ and His Gospel for 20 and 30 years. I firmly believe that this ministry is not for everyone and I would take some convincing that some of the mega church leaders in America or the UK or Ireland would be able to work in these situations. If they could why, then , have they not given their active support? why have they not come alongside us to get the work done and help us to take the courageous decisions?

Have their been times when I have been a coward? Yes there have or at least there have been times when I have asked myself if I have taken the easy road but there have also been times when i have stood up and taken the hit and done, what I thought, was the right thing to do. I am really tired of getting lectures from people who see their ministry as destruction-I have no need to be told when I am failing-I wake every day with that feeling. What I need is to be told that my brothers and sisters care and are prepared to support me and help me instead of doing, what i consider to be, doing the evil one's work for him.

Is there any truth in this "cowardly" charge? Of course there is. We are ALL weak, damaged human beings who need the grace of God to get us through each day but God has called us to this place at this time and we do not accept that God's blessing is always and only seen in the crowds that flock through our doors. I see no need to elaborate as there are other massive congregations which Mr Driscoll would have little time for. None other than the Apostle Paul said that the "foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom"

When I hear the apparent words (to some extent the actual words matter little as I and others are left feeling the damage is already done)I just feel let down. i have given 25 years of my life to the work of ministry and for several years before that I worked knocking on student's doors asking them if they would like to hear about Jesus Christ. I think that Pastor Mark would have been about 6 when i was doing that! There is nothing wrong with youth, and I could tackle is chronological snobbery but will leave that for another day, but please remember that the church of Christ is made up of all ages, both sexes and the rich and the poor and we work with those who are interested to work with us.regardless of sex, colour or age.

I cannot help but think that a little real contextualisation would have been rewarded. I fear all that teaching in England, Scotland and Ireland, did not include talking with the people of Inner-city, loyalist/nationalist Belfast-we welcome anyone who wants to come and see our situation as both they and us might learn something.

There is a tendency to feel beaten up when people from privileged situations speak critically and I can imagine what Paul was experiencing when he said "we are hard pressed on every side, but not in despair; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed"

We have the word of God, we have the power of His Spirit and we will endeaver to be faithful. Only God can make me a hero and only God will judge whether or not I ever attain that status in any way at any time.

So, for all those who think like Mark Driscoll appears to be thinking; will you stand with us and pray for us and support us in practical ways? Please don't allow your critics to say you are all mouth. What I say will hardly make any impact on the Christian media but what you say will always be picked up and reacted to so will you use your words carefully and use them to heal and restore that the work of God's kingdom can prosper.