Seattle
megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll has thrived on controversy since he began Mars
Hill Church in 1996. His tough-guy image, in-your-face style and distressed
jeans made him the ultimate Cool Preacher Dude, especially for young men who
regularly enjoyed his non-religious gospel on YouTube. Driscoll became an
evangelical celebrity, and his congregation—which is reaching one of the most
unchurched regions of the country—quickly grew to 14,000 members among 15
locations.
But
Driscoll's ministry hit hard times last week when leaders of Acts 29, a church
network Driscoll founded, broke ties with him and charged him with
"ungodly and disqualifying behaviour." Acts 29 leader Matt Chandler
said Driscoll doesn't show signs of repentance. As a result, LifeWay Stores, a
large network of Christian retail outlets in the country, pulled Driscoll's
books from its shelves and website.
This
is a good time to remind people of the warning signs of an unhealthy church:
1.
Little or no accountability. When celebrity preachers seem eager to tell
everyone else what to do but aren't willing to hear correction from others,
prepare for a train wreck. There is safety in the multitude of counsellors (see
Prov. 11:14). There is much less safety—even danger—when a leader does not seek
counsel from a diverse group of his peers.
2.
Spiritual elitism. If there is a spirit of control in a church, people are
usually told their group is superior. If people choose to leave, they are
shunned or branded as renegades. Sometimes, in extreme cases, people are even
cursed if they leave. This cultic behaviour inflicts unimaginable emotional
suffering and also divides families
Comment:
I
have read a number of Mark Driscoll books over the last few years, I was shocked why someone in his position of
influence and to certain degree of authority in the transatlantic evangelical sphere would say the things he said it seems to me
that an in-mature believer was pushed into Christian leadership/ministry
through situations, circumstances and self-promotion and because of this error,
Mark Driscoll lacks/lacked the strength of character to be a leader in His
Church.
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