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Mark Driscoll on… Rick Warren

May 31st, 2008
by Michael Krahn.

driscoll.jpgA quote from Driscoll’s blog:

“And, I learned a lot watching Rick Warren behind the scenes and over meals. Not being part of the Purpose Driven Network, I was humbled by how eager he was to bring in leaders from many networks and denominations to share ideas and help influence in his Purpose Driven Network pastors for the cause of Jesus Christ. After spending some time with Rick I am convinced for four things. One, a lot of Christians are jealous of his success and they account for a good percentage of his critics. Two, he really loves the Jesus of the Bible. Three, he really loves pastors. Four, he really loves the church of Jesus in all of it’s expressions, even those who are not doing the Purpose Driven methods he extols.

To be honest, Rick has a brilliant mind that shines even when he sits down and simply lectures from a chair for an hour as he did at the conference. But, what really struck me is how much he loves pastors and churches and how much he wants to serve pastors and their churches by giving away resources and encouragement lavishly. And, it is his affection for Jesus, pastors, and churches that has in my observation endeared him to so many Christian leaders. For those who criticize his methods, it would behoove them to also share in his effort to do something to help pastors other than criticize those who are trying to help. I do not agree with him on everything. But, I also find him to be a servant leader who is willing to learn which is rare among those who are very successful and in that I rejoice.”




Posted in: Books and Authors, Church, Emergent Church, Emerging / Emergent Church, Emerging Church, Jesus, Mark Driscoll, Rick Warren, Theology.

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  • Aaron

    wonder if he’ll recall his judgment on Bell too?

  • http://www.michaelkrahn.com Michael Krahn

    a) What is Driscoll “recalling” here?

    b) Probably not. Below are quotes from his book “Vintage Jesus”:

    [93]

    The Old Testament both quietly implies and loudly prophesies the virgin birth of Jesus. The writers of the New Testament go to painstaking detail to emphasize that in every way Jesus’ mother, Mary, was a virgin woman who conceived Jesus solely through a miracle of God the Holy Spirit.

    [96]

    Jesus was without sin and did not have a sin nature, not because Mary was without sin, but because he was protected by a miracle of the Holy Spirit in a way that was similar to the miracles of God, making Adam from dust and granting Sarah the ability to conceive Isaac.

    [97]

    Dr Al Mohler has said… Christians must face the fact that a denial of the virgin birth is a denial of Jesus as the Christ. The Savior who died for our sins was none other than the baby who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and born of a virgin.

    One popular young pastor named Rob Bell speculates that if “Jesus had a real earthly biological father named Larry, and archaeologists find Larry’s tomb and do DNA samples and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the virgin birth was really just a bit of mythologizing the Gospel writers threw in to appeal to the followers of the Mithra and Dionysian religious cults that were hugely popular at the time,” then we would essentially not lost any significant part of our faith because it is more about how we live.

    [99]

    If we lose the virgin birth, we do lose the very core of what it means to be Christian because we diminish the trustworthiness of Scripture, Jesus and the witness of his own mother.

    [100]

    Mary is not to be our object of faith, but rather our example of faith in Jesus.

    Mary is a wonderful example for all Christians, particularly women, and especially young women. She obviously loved God, and, while not sinless like her son, she did live in holiness as marked by her virginity until marriage. She is an inspiring example that our sexually promiscuous culture desperately needs to have modelled through women like her. We all need to follow her example of humble faith that fully trusted God’s will for her life.

  • Phil Cotnoir

    This kind of open cooperation breathes life into already strained relationships between those of different theological or ministry-philosophy persuasions… and it is good. Very good.

  • http://www.michaelkrahn.com/blog Michael Krahn

    @Phil Cotnoir: Agreed.