I think of the huckster pastor Mark Driscoll. I have never been a fan of his Gospel told through an overgrown ego with splashes of marketing spin, but watching his ministry crumble before the world depresses me. I am hesitant to write about him out of fear of seemly celebrating his current troubles. We have to separate the man from the brand. We also can’t turn a blind eye to those who have been hurt by his ministry. The ear must hear the longing of all souls involved and we call for Jesus to bring peace.
Driscoll seems shocked by the fruit of the seeds he has planted. The vitriol of those former members and colleagues must come as ripe tide of ice cold ocean water to a red sunburned whale of man sleeping on his supposed paradise. The tragedy of Driscoll comes from his public humbling. Friends abandon him and others are attacking him. Their are bloggers making their reputations by cataloging his missteps and fallout from his actions. He made himself into a brand and now the band is on recall, but what happens to the man and his family. Driscoll is still a man, fallen and weak like the rest of us.
Jesus can step in with his saving grace, and that is what we who have little connection to him can do for him. Pray for Jesus to find him. Jesus was strung on a cross because he love too much. Driscoll’s fall comes from the revelation of the truth of man, we are all sinners and none of us are Jesus. His actions took to building a tower of his own ego trying to reach the heavens is collapsing in front of him and he will have to learn a new language. That tower, if we are honest, we all share in indulging. We all have been tempted to be gods of our own world.
Once Driscoll said he couldn’t worship a Jesus who he thought he could beat up, but who is Jesus but the God we beat up on the cross? The good news for Pastor Driscoll is that Jesus returns with restoring love. Driscoll, the man, will need Jesus’ restoring love in the coming days and I do hope for repentance. Having former members filled with anger protesting his ego of being like God without God that we all share shows why we need Jesus and his ministry has to be turning toward Jesus, even when we think we can beat him up. Repentance means turning away from the God’s of our making and following the God who is love. That is my prayer for all people including Pastor Mark Driscoll. Love can find us all if we turn and follow. The Kingdom of God still remains at hand.
Ernesto, this is my prayer too. Amen.