nuance

Day 2: Mark Driscoll Evening Session
Ahhhhh, yes. And finally we come to the main event for the first conference day, the long awaited talk from pastor Mark Driscoll.

When the man arrived, I must confess that I felt a little like a 20something Brazilian gal at a New Kids on the Block reunion concert (inside joke there) - in other words, freaking excited for no discernible reason. I had to consciously calm myself down. It was pathetic. I’m the dude who incessantly scoffs at Christians who make Teen People stars out of other Christians (whether singers, preachers, or whatever), and yet there I was getting all flustered. Mark Driscoll - OMG!!!!!!!!!!

ANYway, after I reminded myself that I’m not only a DUDE but a fully grown DUDE, I picked up the pad and pen and got ready for the evening session.

Session 5: Mark Driscoll
Something struck me as Mark began to talk; it probably was a cumulative effect of all the day’s speakers, especially Tim, combining with what Driscoll was saying, but the thought that came to mind was that God has done something remarkable in Seattle through this man’s passionate obedience. As my dad would say, there was “presence” on him - an anointing perhaps, a prophetic tone and feeling in the words he spoke. It was a glimpse of the thing inside this guy, that God put there, that has resulted in such incredible fruit - a culture of godliness in an ungodly city, a city within the city of Seattle.

The thought was, there is something more important than a list of qualifications when it comes to reaching a city - there must be unrelenting passion.

Mark’s topic was ordinary, perhaps the most low-key of the day, which made it all the more interesting that I was so deeply impacted. The topic was Dwelling in the Text.

Driscoll laid out six questions that will help pastors properly dwell in and expound the Scriptures:

1. What does the Bible say? Get time in the Word - it is a must. Set aside time to fast from internet, email, cell phones, etc. and withdraw to just be with God and his Word.
2. What does it mean? Use resources and commentaries to help you with this; make sure your church gives you a significant book budget, good software, etc.!
3. What is memorable? What do you take away, what will people take away, what is the hook? Look for the word, the image, the doctrine, the emotion. Connect people’s emotions to a character or story and use it to build them up.
4. Why or how is there resistance to what is true in Scripture? You will personally have moments of resistance, and you need to be honest with God in admitting the reasons. Do you shy away from certain topics because you feel like a hypocrite teaching on them? (That last point was especially convicting; I do struggle with a feeling that I can’t speak on certain things because I am not well-sanctified in that area; this is pride, and I need to submit to the Word, speak it, and strive to make my life line up. Further, avoiding the Word won’t help my weakness; confrontation with and immersion in the Word sanctifies.)
5. Why does this matter? It is the key to transformation in yourself, your people, your family, and your city. The Bible is true - and helpful.
6. Where’s Jesus? Jesus is the hero. Find him in the text and preach him as the hero every time. When you magnify Jesus the Holy Spirit shows up to work. Jesus never gets boring.

Some additional thoughts:

• Church planting is what happens to guys who love Jesus, whose love for him is infectious, gathers people, forms a core group, and then turns into a church. Love Jesus, and you’ll get your church.
• Reformed theology sometimes forgets expiation in a passion for propitiation. Yes, Jesus absorbs God’s wrath towards sin, but he is also the scapegoat that takes sin away from us and makes us totally clean. Driscoll told a story here about an adulterous woman who is taken back by her husband because he chose to see her as totally pure and clean, the way that God does. The emergent folks who diss the substitutionary atonement just don’t get it; the gospel is real and necessary and helpful.
• If Jesus is not the reason you go to the Scriptures, then God will oppose you in everything you do. Jesus does not want to be used for some other agenda - he wants us to go to him for his sake, to believe, love, and obey.

During the Q&A, Mark made some interesting statements:

• Mark’s attitude towards emergent leaders has changed from anger to grieving. He has a pastoral concern for them. He feels that a demonic deception is at work.
• If you are a couple years out from planting, start now with preparations for sermons and lessons!
• Don’t be afraid of pragmatism - we want stuff to work - just be afraid of false doctrines.
• Have a study room in your house and occasionally get out of town.
• A missional thought pattern affects marriage and family - you need to bring Christlike love to wife and kids right where they are.
• The culture of a church is shaped by what the pastors are excited about, always talking about, etc.
• Mark responded to our table’s question about how Mars Hill trains men:
  • The purpose of the church is to develop men to be good elders, fathers, and husbands. This is the starting point.
  • The church needs to come alongside men and educate them on how to be responsible and godly, to the glory of God.
  • Your goal should be to see all men mature to having elder qualifications.
• Be a sanctified version of you! Don’t change who you are; if you’re independent and passionate, be that way. Be yourself, just not at the expense of holiness.

And then we walked a while and went to bed.