I was asked recently to give my thoughts (again) on the ministry of Mark Driscoll and particularly his involvement in The Gospel Coalition Movement. I listened to his message from 2 Timothy 2 from the recent Gospel Coalition Movement. Driscoll is articulate, funny and has a reputation of being on the edge that he seems to work hard at maintaining.

His Song of Solomon series is an example of the worst of his edginess. This side of Driscoll has been dealt with extensively (e.g. The Rape of Solomon’s Song by John MacArthur -http://www.shepherdsfellowship.org/pulpit/Posts.aspx?ID=4168; Phil Johnson’s message at 2009 Shepherd’s Conference “Preachin’ Dirty” [dealt with the issue more broadly than Driscoll] and the follow-up to that message which speaks more directly to Driscoll http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2009/03/preachin-dirty.html)

What struck me was not so much the problem Driscoll’s edgy preaching creates and its embrace by ministers I highly esteem but how it is nothing new.

In the mid 1980’s I was exposed to Jerry Johnson (an evangelist out of Kansas City who passed out a book at his meetings that my pastor at the time said “You feel like putting a brown paper bag over it so that no one knows what you are reading”. It was controversial and popular because of its crudeness. His gospel left a lot to be desired as well.

A few years later – in the early 1990’s Tommy Nelson (Pastor of Denton Bible Church) gained quite a pop following through a singles bible study he conducted in Dallas on the Song of Solomon. What made Nelson popular was his use of pop language and borderline crass speech to deal with matters of sexuality – all the while taking a position that promoted purity and contained a biblical gospel. Sound familiar?

I recently found some study material that I worked on for some young preachers at that time. These were young men I loved who I was afraid were being enamored by this style while benefitting from other positive aspects of Tommy Nelson’s Ministry (by the way – aspects that I too am thankful for).

I encouraged those young pastors in 1990:
1) to find role models who went hard after holiness and loved faithfully handling the Word of God. Pursue a course of ministry that runs the risk of being “too holy” rather than “not holy enough”.

2) to always be cautious about “the new” and “the clever” in preaching

3) to scream loudly against and run away from any message that makes Jesus a means to an end rather than the end. (Nelson had stated in his series that coming to Jesus would give you a better sex life)

4) to be men who loved and treasured the praise of God more than the praise of men. It matters much more that God is pleased with your message than that people laugh at your jokes.

Listen to Mark Driscoll’s message on 2 Timothy here (http://www.dennyburk.com/Podcast/?p=49) 

 and John MacArthur’s message on the same text here http://www.gty.org/AudioPlayer/Sermons/55-9

Is Driscoll’s popularity the result of handling powerfully the text or being clever and edgy?

Driscoll in 2000’s, Nelson in 1990’s, Johnson in the 1980’s – There is nothing new under the sun or in the church.

May God give his church holy preachers and powerful preaching.