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Reconciling Mark Driscoll

By Jeremy Myers
36 Comments

Reconciling Mark Driscoll

I am sure you have heard about Mark Driscoll and his recent resignation from Mars Hill in Seattle.

This post is not really about Mark Driscoll, but about how his resignation is a symptom of a wider problem in Western Christianity.

As much as I never really cared for Mark’s preaching, approach to ministry, or theology, I always felt a bit sorry for him. He was another victim of the corporate, celebrity-style Christendom that operates under the word “church” in most of the western world.

mark driscoll

About ten years ago I listened to a sermon by Mark Driscoll in which he publicly stated his desire for Mars Hill to become the largest church in the United States. It had already been recognized at that time as the fastest growing church, and he wanted to leverage that growth into the largest congregation. Yet according to recent news releases, by January 1, 2015, Mars Hill will be no more.

I think people around the world are finally starting to wake up to the fact that when it comes to church, bigger is not always better. Of course, this doesn’t mean that smaller is better either.

Church is not about “how many” at all. It is not even about “how.”

In a culture which says “It’s all about you,” we need to reawaken to the fact that Church is all about “who.”

Who is the church about?

Jesus! He is the sole head.

Who is the church about?

People meeting together for friendship and fellowship.

Lots of people point to the description of “two or three” in Matthew 18 as the minimum requirement for church. I personally don’t think this text has anything to do with how many people are needed to “do” church, for church is not actually something we do, but is something we are.

But even if we say that church exists where there are two or three, nothing is said in Matthew 18:20 that when these two or three gather, one of them needs to stand up and give a sermon. Nothing is said that when these two or three gather, they need to sit in a circle with their bibles open on their laps, discussing a particular text or point of theology. Nothing is said about prayer or music or food.

It is best to think of church as you think of family.

Do you ever talk about going to “family”? Of course not. You are a family.

Do you ever plan regular family events? Well, sometimes. But these are rarely set in stone for all time, and you never assume that what you do in your family is what all families everywhere should be doing as well.

But even when family events are planned, true “family” most often occurs outside and away from these family events. True “family” happens as life happens. True family occurs at 4:00 in the morning when someone has a bad dream or wakes up with a stomach ache. True family occurs when memories are formed while buying celery at the supermarket. True family occurs when everybody laughs at a joke about peas on the curtains. If you tried to package and export these family events to all other families, it wouldn’t work.

How did I get onto this topic after beginning with a discussion about reconciliation and redemption of abusive leaders?

For Mark Driscoll, I hope that he does not enter into another form of Christian leadership any time soon. It’s not because he is disqualified. Far from it! He might be more qualified now then ever before. It is just that modern Christian forms of “leadership” look nothing like the leadership modeled by Jesus.

For all the fans of Mark Driscoll, I hope that rather than simply turn to another celebrity pastor or mega-gathering for their weekly fix of preaching, they see that Jesus Himself wants to lead them into the biggest adventure of a lifetime.

And as for all the critics of Mark Driscoll, I hope there is absolutely no gloating whatsoever. What happened to Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill is extremely sad, and anyone who gloats is in danger of the exact same problem.

Ultimately, I hope that western Christianity in general learns from what happened to Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill.

I hope we learn that reconciling and redeeming abusive church leaders begins with reconciling and redeeming the church itself.

The problem is not the church leaders. Church leaders are some of the victims of a church structure that functions as God never intended.

So let’s abandon our power structures, our titles, our positions, our platforms, our offering plates, and even our buildings and campuses.

Instead, let us turn to love. Love for our neighbors. Love for our enemies. Love for our family.

Let us not rush to get fallen leaders back into positions of authority. Let us not rush to get anyone into any position of authority in the “church,” for there is no authority other than Jesus Christ, and there is no church other than the family of God.

This post was part of the November 2014 Synchroblog. Here are the other contributors:

 

  • Justin Steckbauer – The Servant Leader: A Radical Concept
  • Mary – Can I Get A Doctor?
  • Glenn Hager – The Man Of God Myth
  • Lisa – Forgive
  • Peggy Brown – Abi and November’s Synchroblog: Spiritual Abuse and Redemption
  • Edwin Pastor FedEx Aldrich – Shooting Stars: Of Scandal, Abuse, Restoration, and Systematic Failures
  • Tara – Forgive Us Our Sins As We Forgive Those…
  • Liz Dyer – Sorry

 

God is z Bible & Theology Topics: church, Discipleship, Jesus, leadership, Theology of the Church

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6 Things NOT to Look for in a Church Leader

By Jeremy Myers
14 Comments

6 Things NOT to Look for in a Church Leader

leaders Are you looking for a leader for your church, ministry, or organization? Make sure that along with things you do look for in a leader, you do not pick a leader based on the following six characteristics.

Oh, and I learned all of the following the hard way. At one point or another, I allowed people to be leaders based on one or more of the following characteristics, and lived to regret it.

How to Pick a Leader You’ll Live to Regret

  1. Pick a leader based on how much money they give to the church.
  2. Pick someone who has lots of influence in the city or in the church. (Note: Though leadership is influence, Godly leadership requires Godly influence.)
  3. Pick a leader simply based on who wants to be one. (Note: Yes, it’s okay to desire leadership (1 Tim 3:1), but it seems that most who desire it are power hungry.)
  4. Pick leaders based on who is initially very supportive of you. (Note: If they show up in church one day, and are supportive and encouraging…and want to be a leader, watch out!)
  5. Pick a leader based on how talented they are at something you desperately need in church (like music, or children’s ministry).
  6. Pick a leader because they talk a lot about their leadership skills. (Note: Leaders listen more than they talk, and are not proud or boastful.)

Now, after weeding out leaders with these six “disqualifiers” if there is anybody left in our “potential leadership pool” … Congratulations! You’ve found your leader!

And always remember … it’s okay to be “leaderless.”

After all, if we have no leaders, it forces us to look to Jesus as our leader. And He does okay…

Still need a bit more help looking for leaders? Here is my main suggestion: If you are looking for leaders, the best place to look is in the silent servants of the church. Who shows up and just serves, not looking for recognition or glory? These may make you best leaders.

We have “Servant Leadership” backwards. We think that “servant leadership” means that leaders should serve. Actually, when we look at what Jesus teaches about “servant leadership” He is saying that servants should lead and that leaders should be taken from the servants. So you want to find leaders? Look to the servants.

Don’t ask your leaders to serve. Instead, ask your servants to become leaders.

God is z Bible & Theology Topics: Discipleship, leaders, leadership, servant leaders, Theology of the Church

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6 Ways Good Leaders are Like Marshmallows

By Jeremy Myers
4 Comments

6 Ways Good Leaders are Like Marshmallows

marshmallow leadersIf you want to find good leaders in your church, you need to look for marshmallows.

No, not people who are puffed up and white. We have enough of those already…

Instead, look for six other good leadership qualities which leaders have in common with marshmallows.

First, good leaders, like marshmallows, are tasty.

Marshmallows can make bad things taste good (Marshmallow Yams) and good things better (Ever eat a Fluffer Nutter?).

Similarly, good leaders are enjoyable to be around. They will be people of grace, kindness, tenderness, and compassion.

Second, good leaders bind together and are sticky.

Rice Crispy Treats would be just a bowl of cereal without the marshmallows. And have you ever tried to get melted marshmallow out of your hair?

Good leaders bring people together and bind them around a common purpose or goal.

Third, good leaders always rise to the top.

Ever try to sink a marshmallow? It can’t be done.

People naturally follow good leaders and good leaders naturally lead. In your church, who do people look to for solutions? Who do they go to for answers and advice? Who do they turn to for comfort and safety?

Fourth, good leaders are multifunctional.

Marshmallows are not only good for eating, they can also be used to generate laughs (Chubby Bunny anyone?) and for endless holiday crafts.

Similarly, good leaders are flexible enough to work in a variety of situations and flow effortlessly from one role to another.

Fifth, good leaders are often singed because they’re frequently near fire.

A good church leader storms the gates of hell. They make friends at the fringes and take risks where they might get burned or come home smelling like smoke.

Sixth, when good leaders get in the fire, they actually get bigger.

Good leaders learn best in the forge. If they can stand the heat, they will increase their leadership skills, expand their sphere of influence, and become great leaders.

good leaders

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: Discipleship, leaders, leadership

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10 Lessons Church Planters Can Learn from Will Smith

By Jeremy Myers
7 Comments

10 Lessons Church Planters Can Learn from Will Smith

Will Smith - the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air(Note: This post on church planting principles from Will Smith is from 2007… back when I thought I was going into church planting. A lot has changed since then!)

I’ll admit it….

When I was in Jr. High, I listened to DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. My friend and I listened to all of his tapes (CDs were just coming out).

His rap was just what Junior High white boys in Montana liked: It was smooth, funny, and just a teeny bit rebellious.

I remember that some of the more serious, hard-core rappers gave The Fresh Prince a hard time for his music. “It’s not rap,” they criticized. “Real rap has edge. It’s angry. It’s not rap unless there is some profanity.”

The Fresh Prince took it all in stride, and just kept selling tapes. Then he got a TV Show and a few movie roles. Now, 30 years later, he can look at all those who criticized him and, with country-western singer Toby Keith, say “How Do You Like Me Now?”

The Fresh Prince, now known as Will Smith, is one of the most sought-after actors in the movie industry, not only in Hollywood, but in the entire world. TIME Magazine recently did a brief article on him and how he got where he is.

As I read it, I was amazed at what church planters (and all pastors and leaders) can learn from Will Smith.

Will Smith

In the December 10, 2007 issue of TIME magazine, there was an article about Will Smith and how this transformation occurred.

What is Will Smith’s secret?

One thing: Intentionality.

Will Smith says his success is all according to plan.

TIME reports that “Because Smith has mastered the delicate art of appearing artless, few moviegoers realize that his is one of Hollywood’s most meticulously planned and executed careers.”

He hatched his plan at age 16 after his first girlfriend cheated on him because (in his mind) he wasn’t good enough. He decided that he was never not be good enough again. He made a plan to correct this, and never looked back. You can see the plan unfold as you watch the career of Will Smith.

10 Principles of Success

But what interests me are ten principles he operates by to execute that plan. Here they are as gleaned from the article:

1. Don’t have a Plan B. Relentlessly pursue Plan A.

Smith says “By even contemplating a Plan B, you almost create the necessity for a Plan B.”

As church leaders, while it is often a good idea to make plans, I think we sometimes get derailed from God’s vision for our lives by naysayers and setbacks. But if all we have is Plan A, we will work at it wholeheartedly because there is no other  option.

2. Read. Read. Read. Find your answers in books.

Will Smith has a library stocked with books on every topic imaginable. He reads and studies to find the answers he needs.

This reminds me of something Chuck Swindoll used to say: Readers are leaders.

3. Study what others have done, and emulate. Learn by watching others.

When Will Smith began his acting career, he would watch and emulate the various actors that came on the show, even mouthing their words after them when they rehearsed. Later, when he started to try to get into movies, he and his manager found a list of the 10 top-grossing movies of all time, and looked for patterns and similarities in them.

Church leaders can do this with churches, but we have to be careful how we define “success.” Big churches are not the most successful churches.

4. Be Friendly. Make contacts. 

Will Smith had a knack for charming his way out of trouble and winning friends.  This is how he met “DJ Jazzy Jeff” and later, James Lassiter, his manager.

Church leaders and planters cannot afford to be introverted. We must love to spend time with people.

5. Work hard. Be Diligent.

Will Smith has a good work ethic and works hard at everything he does.

Leading a church is not easy. It takes hard work and lots of sweat and tears.

Church Planting with Will Smith

6. Understand ideas, and which ideas move people.

Will Smith says that when studying movies, and which ones are popular, he tries to back up and get the big picture. “I look at movies in their essence,” Smith says. “Will that idea sell?” If you look at the movies Smith does, he always does movies that focus on an idea or a story that resonate with the vast majority of people on the planet. He is not just trying to entertain, he is trying to connect.

This is key for church planters. Too often we get caught up in the entertainment mode. But entertainment is fleeting; personal connections are forever.

7. Understand universal patterns.

This is related to number 6. Will Smith calls himself a student of universal patterns. He watches for movements in worldwide society and culture, and then tries to focus on these patterns. He and his manager sit down every Monday morning any analyze the box office numbers for the past weekend, as well as the past 10, 20, and 30 weekends. He is looking for trends and patterns.

We too can look for universal trends, needs, and patterns. Study history, culture, and relationships. These are the areas in which God is at work.

8. Think globally.

Will Smith doesn’t just want people in the US to see his movies. He wants to be a worldwide movie star. So after a movie debuts in the US, he travels to England, Germany, Japan, Brazil, China, and promotes his movies. This, of course, makes him popular with the movie producers because it is  more money for them.

So also with church planting. While our first focus is our neighborhood, we must also develop a global perspective. See the excellent book by Bob Roberts on this: Glocalization: How Followers of Jesus Engage a Flat World.

9. Go where the people are.

Since Smith didn’t initially have worldwide recognition, he knew it would be hard to get a worldwide platform unless he went where people were already gathering. So when he travels, he travels intentionally. He promotes his movies in South Korea at the World Cup, in Brazil during Carnival, and is headed to Beijing for the 2008 Olympics. Why try to gather a crowd on your own when you can just use a ready-made crowd?

Churches often try to gather their own crowds, and they spend huge sums of money and large amounts of time to do it. Why not just go to wherever the crowds are already gathering in town?

10. Never neglect what is important: family.

This I though was the most amazing thing of all. Hollywood actors are not known for stable marriages, mostly because they are trying to follow their dreams and make it big. Smith has been married for 10 years and says, “Our first official date was with a relationship counselor. The math is simple. Start while it’s good. Do it three times a week while you’re laughing and still having fun. You get so much more work done. You head off problems. Do it during the ether time, and do it aggressively.” Smith knows that all of his fame and glory is nothing if he doesn’t have a his wife and kids to share it with.

Church planters and church leaders take heed! What good does it do to have a huge church if you lose your wife and kids in the process?

Conclusion

Most of these ten principles are driven by secular goals. But if you go back through them, and substitute in spiritual, biblically-based goals, you have a surprisingly good list of what it takes to hear God say “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

God is Uncategorized Bible & Theology Topics: church growth, Church planting, Discipleship, evangelism, leadership, Theology of the Church

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