Sunday, May 4, 2008

Being a 'man'.

First off I really sorry for posting on this topic. I realise that the christian book shop market is somewhat saturated with literature on it, and most off you who started off caring, like myself, have probably become so fed up where you'r actually way past the point where you care. Anyway here's my two bit rant...

First off I've been readoing to/listening to a lot of Mark Driscoll recently. I think he presents himself, or at least his ideal, as the only way to be Biblical 'man' but as far as I can tell I lot of things he says as just pain wrong. For example if being a 'man' involves "telling the lady at the front of the church with her tambourine to can it" then thats not the kind of man I want to be. If realising that "not everyone was welcome to our church", then again, I don't want to be that guy. Also he swears a lot (do a count of the times he uses p**s or BS... its an eye opener), and really doesn't seem to think about what he says. Not what I would call an exemplar of Biblical manhood. I should point out that I do actually agree with lots of what he says, and his defence of the Biblical Gospel is outstanding. Doesn't make the other stuff OK.

It seems to me that Driscoll and others like him such as John Eldridge are reacting to what they see as "pussys" in churches across the world. On this I kind of agree. I don't want to be a sweater wearing lady boy BUT, and heres the important bit, BUT if those guys love God, trust Jesus and seek to serve him and witness to his glory, whats wrong with that?! Isn't it bigoted to say that just because someone doesn't fit in with your matcho illusions of what a man (growl) is, they're somehow displeasing to God? What a load of rubbish. I'm not a 'scrapper' and to be honest don't think I'm that macho so it really annoys me that these guys can tell me I'm a "pussy" and that somehow the way I am displeases God. Find me a verse in the Bible that says if you're not into physical sports or fighting your less of a man... you won't find one.

Thoughts?

2 comments:

That mark our place said...

I am mindful of Phil Johnson's 23/10/06 Pyro comment:-

"Driscoll's smutty language and preoccupation with all things lowbrow are inappropriate, unbecoming, and dishonoring to Christ. I completely agree that many Christians fail to appreciate the true humanity of Jesus. But it's not necessary to get vulgar in order to communicate the truth about His humanity.

This is the first time I have ever posted anything critical of Driscoll. I have appreciated his defense of the atonement and his willingness to confront the neo-liberalism of other Emerging leaders honestly. But I don't think his perpetually coarse language in the pulpit and his apparent preoccupation with off-color terms and ribald subject matter are merely minor flaws in an otherwise healthy ministry. It is a serious shortcoming.

No, it's actually worse than that, because it blatantly violates the clear principle of Ephesians 5:3-4. It is shameful (v. 12) and therefore a reproach. It's characteristic of the old man and one of the fleshly behaviors we are expressly commanded to put aside (Colossians 3:8). Scripture even seems to indicate that unwholesome language signals an impure mind (Matthew 12:34). And yet this seems to be a deliberate, calculated, and persistent practice of Driscoll's. It is practically the chief trademark of his style.

That's troubling, and even more troubling when I see young Christians and older believers who ought to know better mimicking the practice. If this is the direction even the very best Emerging-style ministry is headed, it's not a trend any Christian ought to find encouraging, much less one we should follow."

Tom King said...
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