it's in the middle

First off, let me say that I have some very dear friends as well as folks I call family who attend Mars Hill. To them, I apologize for what I am about to say. I am NOT calling you into question. You are above reproach.

For those that don't know about Mars Hill, let me explain briefly- Mars Hill is a church here in the Seattle area, and it is pastored by an incredibly bright young man named Mark Driscoll. Mark is brilliant- he's well versed in apologetics, theology, exogesis and all the things necessary to be what anyone would consider a great pastor should have. He stands on Scripture, and whether or not you agree with his Scriptural viewpoints, one will have to admit that the guy does his homework. There's no argument there from me- maybe others will disagree (get your own blog if you do- this is my opinion) but that's how it stands.

He's also horribly, horribly misguided. I know what you're thinking- "what the hell kind of compliment is that?"

I'm not fond of Norman Vincent Peale. Peale is way too "rosy colored glasses" for me. Everything is great; everyone is equal; I'm Ok, You're Ok; every idea, as long as it has a moral center is awesome and relevatory; blah, blah, blah. I don't see it that way. Peale's message, in light of things like Newtown, Columbine, the Middle East and natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy and other widespread calamity just falls flat with a big SPLAT. It turns a blind eye to real pain and suffering and instead foments this idea of a God that is basically a kindly old gentleman in the sky who is kind of like a celestial parent who hopes for the best and has nothing to do with the worst.

Now I know that this sounds weird, but I see Mark Driscoll and Norman Vincent Peale as so far from each other that they actually are no different at all. Driscoll's message is more about how broken we are as humans, and that only his baseline (Driscoll's) for human behavior is how we get close to Jesus. That, in and of itself really isn't my problem, though- because there has to be a benchmark. I get that.

My problem is that Driscoll's measure of how right he is is merely how much trouble he causes. The more muck his remarks make, the more he sees it as correct. He's made many a statement that, while I might agree with his source and his exogesis of that source, makes me wince at the delivery, its impact, and more than that- the inevitable fallout from the comment. I don't think I've ever seen anyone come to a lasting (or firsting) understanding of Jesus from his statements; nor have I ever met anyone that feels they have to plow their noses into a pile of dog crap to know that a rose smells good. It just doesn't work, from a mathematical or spiritual standpoint.

Mr. Driscoll might read this and think that I'm making his case for him. Maybe I am- but, really- am I? I've been a follower of Jesus Christ longer than he's been alive, and I'm not stupid- and, I've done a bit of homework myself. I simply cannot get around this scripture, 1 Peter 3:15-16:

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

The key here is "gentleness and respect". Mark Driscoll is a sinner, just as I am, just as you are. He is no worse and no better than any person who has ever lived or ever will live. I firmly believe that God's score keeping isn't aggregate, it's absolute. For Mark Driscoll to continually deliver diatribe with no real measure of grace really serves no purpose other than to alienate the people who need God the most. Just because he gets death threats or written up in the newspaper doesn't mean he's correct.

So, if by some chance, Mark Driscoll reads this and thinks "he's making my point"- you are certainly free to think that, Mark, but that is not my intent. What I'm asking you to do is think - apart from some weird, dysfunctional measure of success - the people that God wants you to help Him get nearer to Him (because no man ever saved anyone) - is your message going to encourage them, or drive them away? Is it enough to merely preach and let the chips fall where they may, or do you have more work to do? I say you have more work, here, and your words really should bear the message that, even though people fail to acheive a Christ-like status or behavior (and, btw, so have you, Mr. Driscoll) that does not mean that they are further from God than you are.

Basically, what I'm saying- again- is that The Truth is somewhere in the middle.