I understand that people who saw or experienced my sin during this season are hurt and in some cases have not yet come to a place of peace or resolution. I have been burdened by this for the past year and have had private meetings one at a time to learn from, apologize to, and reconcile with people.
What is that? I hurt them and THEY didn’t come to a place of resolution? What? Then I had to meet with them because I was ‘burdened’ - what, he had to ride into town and save them from their own bitterness? What kind of apology is THAT?
The Board of Advisors and Accountability is a great blessing to us all, as they combine wise counsel and strong oversight during this process. I have been a pastor for a long time, but have not had a close pastor since college. I now rejoice that God has been gracious to give me pastors for accountability and wise counsel.
But we fired those other pastors - the ones that should have been providing me with ‘wise counsel’ and ‘strong oversight’ - and then we forced them to sign legally binding NDA’s so that they can get their severance pay and health benefits after the fact. Otherwise, you know, they might mention some inconvenient truths. I bet that it’s easy to keep yourself under supervision and accountability when you’re firing the people asking hard questions.
However, this process has required a lot of changes, and admittedly we did not handle all of these changes equally well. We are fully aware of and grieved by ways we could have done better with a more effective process and more patience, starting with me. I am deeply grieved and even depressed by the pain we have caused. Many have chosen to air their concerns online, and I apologize for any burden this may have brought on you, and I will do my best to clarify a few things without, I hope, being angry or defensive.
But of course, since they’re online, they were just airing them out; you shouldn’t take them seriously. I’m not even going to dignify the accusations of plagiarism, anger management issues, or any of the other stuff because it ‘may bring a burden on you’; what you really need, dear attendee, is some ‘clarifications’ about the ministry.
The fact that people like Ray Ortlund are buying this line of horse hockey makes even more nauseating. At least Swaggart had the guts to get on live TV and admit he’d sinned. This? This is embarrassing and a disgrace.
I’ve seen more soulful and heartfelt apologies from dogs and four year olds.
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
It’s too bad Driscoll only has the clairvoyance to see other people’s sexual sins, and not the pit he’s digging for himself … If only the Holy Spirit had blessed him with that gift, as well!
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
Dan Phillips weighed in on repentance back in 2007, and this is exactly what I don’t see in Driscoll’s letter. It’s a good column that’s very insightful, and I’d encourage readers to check it out.
And that’s where the fruits accompanying repentance come in. The repentant person begs forgiveness of the wronged party, makes no excuses for his kill-Christ sin, leaves it no “wiggle-room.” He sets out to make his wrongs right. He does not dictate terms to the wronged party, but invites terms, asks what he can do.He humbles himself. The fruits of repentance set out to burn bridges to sin, and to right wrongs. We have been overcome by our own evil; now we seek to overcome our own evil with good (cf. Romans 12:21). The purpose of these fruits is both to signal that the pride/sin complex has died, and deal death to it. The fruits of repentance pour Roundupon the weeds of pride, so that the sin and all its survival mechanisms will die. So that we can live.
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
Long since shaking my head at the lack of discernment, or whatever it is, of those who still hold him up as pastorally viable. Though, but for God’s grace we all go.
That is truly the problem isn’t it? Those who are providing cover for Driscoll’s fake repentance are further enabling and giving their stamp of approval to him. Rather than stepping down, he has actually increased his work load in Bible related teaching. Who in their right mind is asking the human torch to teach more?
1 Kings 8:60 - so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other.
Those who are providing cover for Driscoll’s fake repentance are further enabling and giving their stamp of approval to him.
That’s exactly why this issue makes me so angry (hopefully in the right way).
If I felt like Driscoll had surrounded himself with people that were serious about this matter and sober minded, then they would be able to affect serious and lasting change. Driscoll would receive their instruction, and this wouldn’t be half the issue it is. But when people like Ray Ortlund (who, btw, is a church planter in Driscoll’s Acts 29 Network) take TGC and use it to write a paean to how Mark’s really repentant and is going to make last changes and everything will be glorious in the future, like this:
I wasn’t surprised, because I know him. What’s amazing is not how often he repents but how rarely other Christian leaders repent.
or
His repentance just pulled the rug out from underneath all the Driscoll-haters out there. He shifted the moral burden to them. Not that that was his purpose. But it was an outcome.
Everyone who feels the power of the gospel will also feel that a penitent man deserves another chance.
Blech. That’s not forgiveness, that’s enablement, and it’s galling.
/soapbox
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
Discussion
NewNot buying it
I don’t buy it. Not for one second.
What is that? I hurt them and THEY didn’t come to a place of resolution? What? Then I had to meet with them because I was ‘burdened’ - what, he had to ride into town and save them from their own bitterness? What kind of apology is THAT?
But we fired those other pastors - the ones that should have been providing me with ‘wise counsel’ and ‘strong oversight’ - and then we forced them to sign legally binding NDA’s so that they can get their severance pay and health benefits after the fact. Otherwise, you know, they might mention some inconvenient truths. I bet that it’s easy to keep yourself under supervision and accountability when you’re firing the people asking hard questions.
But of course, since they’re online, they were just airing them out; you shouldn’t take them seriously. I’m not even going to dignify the accusations of plagiarism, anger management issues, or any of the other stuff because it ‘may bring a burden on you’; what you really need, dear attendee, is some ‘clarifications’ about the ministry.
The fact that people like Ray Ortlund are buying this line of horse hockey makes even more nauseating. At least Swaggart had the guts to get on live TV and admit he’d sinned. This? This is embarrassing and a disgrace.
I’ve seen more soulful and heartfelt apologies from dogs and four year olds.
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
New"I See Things . . ."
It’s too bad Driscoll only has the clairvoyance to see other people’s sexual sins, and not the pit he’s digging for himself … If only the Holy Spirit had blessed him with that gift, as well!
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
NewAdditional reporting from CT
https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2014/march/mark-driscoll-retract…
Twitter
Jim's Doctrinal Statement
NewAgreed Jay. This is only
Agreed Jay. This is only getting worse.
1 Kings 8:60 - so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other.
NewRepentance
Dan Phillips weighed in on repentance back in 2007, and this is exactly what I don’t see in Driscoll’s letter. It’s a good column that’s very insightful, and I’d encourage readers to check it out.
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
NewNot sure..no, *pretty* sure..
..that a rudder reset won’t be much help.
Anyways, here are a couple of great articles (especially the one from Eric Davis) speaking into the yet-another-Driscoll problem-situation:
True Repentance, The Ministry and What (Really) Just Happened
Caring Enough to Wonder if What Just Happened, Happened
Long since shaking my head at the lack of discernment, or whatever it is, of those who still hold him up as pastorally viable. Though, but for God’s grace we all go.
NewThat is truly the problem isn
That is truly the problem isn’t it? Those who are providing cover for Driscoll’s fake repentance are further enabling and giving their stamp of approval to him. Rather than stepping down, he has actually increased his work load in Bible related teaching. Who in their right mind is asking the human torch to teach more?
1 Kings 8:60 - so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other.
NewBINGO
That’s exactly why this issue makes me so angry (hopefully in the right way).
If I felt like Driscoll had surrounded himself with people that were serious about this matter and sober minded, then they would be able to affect serious and lasting change. Driscoll would receive their instruction, and this wouldn’t be half the issue it is. But when people like Ray Ortlund (who, btw, is a church planter in Driscoll’s Acts 29 Network) take TGC and use it to write a paean to how Mark’s really repentant and is going to make last changes and everything will be glorious in the future, like this:
or
Blech. That’s not forgiveness, that’s enablement, and it’s galling.
/soapbox
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells