From my most recent article at WorldMag.com:
I respect John MacArthur and Mark Driscoll. Both defend the faith and powerfully preach the Word. They care deeply about Scripture and upholding truth. Both Driscoll and MacArthur proclaim the name of Jesus and love His church. Sadly, though, it seems both are so bent on their own version of church or the agenda of their respective messages that they undermine the respect young people like me have (or ought to, or want to have).
Last week, MacArthur hosted a conference called Strange Fire, the theme of which was similar to his prominent book, Charismatic Chaos.
Without getting into too many theological nuances, its emphasis was to caution against the charismatic movement and those spiritual gifts defined as miraculous. . .
Mark Driscoll is the other side of the same coin. He has long been an object of MacArthur’s criticism for his sermons and writings about sex, his blunt sarcasm, and aggressive manner as well as his engagement in, or defense of, elements of culture many deem sinful—R rated movies, ultimate fighting, alcohol, etc.
. . .
Most recently, Driscoll showed up, uninvited, to the Strange Fire conference intending to give away his new book.
He detailed his actions on Twitter to his 428,000 followers. Driscoll claims to have had his books confiscated by the church’s security team, although there is evidence to the contrary, and a Twitter storm ensued. You can read a more full account here.
I can’t determine the heart of either of these men, but the results of their actions are discouraging. When younger Christians look to these prominent leaders, what do we see?
. . .
