Well, well, well. Here we go. Phil Johnson is Fed Up. And he’s letting us know.

So… What’s he all fed up about? He’s fed up about the Emerging Church. He’s fed up with the way people react to his various criticisms of the Emerging Church. He’s fed up with Rob Bell. He’s fed up with Mark Driscoll’s language.

The timing here is fortuitous for me as well, since I just recently finished up Mark Driscoll’s book, Confessions of a Reformission Rev (review here). So I’ve been running over a lot of these same questions myself recently, and I continue to do so.

In my review, I tried to strike the right tone. I wanted to balance grace and truth, after the model of our Lord and Savior. Of course, I know that my grace will never be His perfect grace, my truth will never be His perfect truth, and my balance will never be His perfect balance, for that matter. But I do try. And here’s the pattern I see, well, emerging (no pun intended).

When I try to balance grace and truth, I err on the side of grace. Up to a point.

By this I mean that I find myself holding back on the truth.

In my Driscoll review, for example, there were many more things that needed to be said. There were, for example, plenty of things to say about his sense of humor. While I sometimes have a junior-high mentality sometimes myself, I don’t wear that as though I’m proud of it. There were other things to be said about how some of his beliefs play themselves out, or, rather, fail to play themselves out. And so on.

But, in the interest of grace and truth, I tried to balance my review. I don’t want to be overly critical, because he is doing some good things out there. But I don’t want to be giving a rousing endorsement of all of his methods either.

And therein lies the struggle.

How do we balance the good with the bad? How do we balance the grace with the truth? And how do we do it in such a way that the message will be heard? I think this is truly what has Phil fed up. I think that he has tried to point out error in the “Emerging Church” out of pure love for Christ and His Church, and trying to “restore… in a spirit of gentleness” but still trying to “rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.”

But that’s not how it’s taken.

In this day and age, and in the inclusivist error that has overtaken so much of the “church,” any rebuke, any attempt at restoration, any correction is taken as an unfair criticism, no matter how well grounded in scriptural truth. This would be understandable if we were talking about non-believers here, but we’re talking about “the church.”

Or, as one of Phil’s commenters puts it, “The very idea that you strive to defend Godly conduct TO BELIEVERS, is rather exhausting.”

So we get fed up.

As the commenter said, it is exhausting to defend Godly conduct. But I’ll go one step further than that – in this day and age, it is also exhausting to have to defend even the simplest of scriptural truths.

Them: “X.”
You: “But the Bible says Y.”
Them: “I don’t think it says that.”
You: “Here: chapter, verse, right here, it says, ‘This is a trustworthy statement: Y.’”
Them: “Yeah, but it doesn’t mean ‘Y.’”
You: “Of course it does. It says, ‘Y.’ Y means Y.”
Them: “Well, it may have meant Y then, but it doesn’t mean Y today.”
And so on. And so on.

And that’s just for basic propositional statements. Forget simple doctrinal matters like, oh, say, the Gospel. Or the atonement. Or the call to a devout and holy life. Or…

I’m not even going to touch the complex issues. (Well, for now.)

So, as I said, we get fed up. We get fed up, and like Phil, we just break down and say, enough already. Enough with being nice. This is just plain wrong. I’m tired of trying to be “graceful” about it, as if a mere statement of fact or truth could be “ungraceful.”

Don’t get me wrong. I think Phil was graceful. I think that he violated no standard of decency, propriety, or courtesy. I think that he was tremendously patient, even when saying he’s fed up. I pray that I can be that graceful when I’m fed up. I know I often am not. (I am trying.)

But the fact remains…

Phil is right. It’s time to be fed up. It’s time to stop erring on the side of grace. That doesn’t mean err on the side of truth, either. It means we need to push harder for the balance. We can’t be fearful of men and think “what will they say? Will they think I’m too harsh?” We must speak the truth in love. Not neglecting the love, but speaking the truth in love is ultimately about getting the truth in there.

So… What next?

It will be interesting to see where this all leads (if anywhere). I will be very curious to see what action results, or if it will stay merely discussion. And I don’t mean for Phil so much as myself and others.

Because it is hard to speak the truth in love. It is easier to say, “well, it will work out” or “well, I don’t want to offend.” I don’t want to offend. But I fear that I am offending Christ by not being more truthful. And let’s face it – I don’t want to make Him fed up with me…

I am reading through John Owen’s Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers, and I ran across what I thought was an odd usage of the word superstition. I looked it up in the 1828 edition of Webster’s dictionary, and I was very fascinated by the primary definition listed there:

SUPERSTI’TION, n. [L. superstitio, supersto; super and sto, to stand.]

1. Excessive exactness or rigor in religious opinions or practice; extreme and unnecessary scruples in the observance of religious rites not commanded, or of points of minor importance; excess or extravagance in religion; the doing of things not required by God, or abstaining from things not forbidden; or the belief of what is absurd, or belief without evidence.

In other words, what we would today term legalism.

John MacArthur answers Common Questions about Lordship, including this one about witnessing to and evangelizing “professed” Christians:

QUESTION: How should we act toward those who profess to be Christians but seem indifferent to spiritual things?

This is a common question posed by those who realize how truly narrow the way is (Matt. 7:13–14). It can be frightening to think that many people in the church (including many whom we love) may not be true Christians. I often wonder if those who espouse easy-believism have simply adapted their theology in order to try to get a sinning loved one into the kingdom.

There are two extremes to be avoided in assessing the spiritual status of others. On the one hand, we must realize that we are not ultimately the judge of anyone’s salvation, because we cannot see anyone’s heart. Only God can do that (1 Sam. 16:7). And people express their love for God and faith in Christ in different ways.

But on the other hand, we must hold firmly to the truth of God’s Word concerning salvation and not offer false assurance to people who may not be truly saved.

If you have a friend or loved one whose lifestyle seriously discredits his or her profession of faith, I suggest you speak frankly to that person about your concerns. Certainly we have the Lord’s own warrant for that in Matthew 18:15–20. If you carefully and lovingly follow the steps Jesus outlined in that passage you will soon know whether to treat the person as a brother or sister in Christ, or as “a Gentile and a tax-gatherer” (v. 17). Either way, your attitude toward the person is not to be judgmental, but loving and compassionate.

Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church
by Mark Driscoll.
Zondervan, 2006. 208 pages.
ISBN 0310270162.

When I sit down to read a Christian book, I generally end up either finding myself mostly agreeing with it, or mostly disagreeing with it. And generally, I know before I even start which direction I will end up in. The old saying “you can’t judge a book by its cover” may be true, but you can usually judge it by its title, author, description, blurb, and sometimes even the publisher.

With Mark Driscoll’s Confessions of a Reformission Rev, however, I had no idea where I would end up. And now that I have finished the book, I’m still not sure.

Mr. Driscoll, if you are not familiar with him, is the pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, which is apparently one of the most unchurched cities in America. He is young, brash, and seeks to engage “the culture,” particularly that of Seattle, birthplace of Microsoft Windows and Nirvana. Despite that, he also happens to be Reformed in his theology, and is far more comfortable in fellowship with men like John Piper than other “emerging” types like Brian McLaren, with whom he has (in?)famously locked horns on occasion.

It is that interesting combination – his attempt to engage the culture, combined with his desire to be faithful and true to the truth of God’s word – that leaves you feeling rather schizophrenic about his book. You also get the feeling the Driscoll himself would agree. The book is subtitled “Hard Lessons From an Emerging Missional Church,” and the hard lessons are obviously not yet finished. Or, as Driscoll writes at the conclusion of the main portion of the book,

I wish I knew the future and how Jesus will prune me next so that I could wince to lessen its sting before the blow lands. But Jesus has called me to trust him by faith and to endure more pruning so that more fruit can be harvested for his kingdom. And for this reason, it is my deepest wish that Jesus keep pruning me, because I love him, want to be with him, want to be like him, and enjoy being on mission with him more than anything.

I regularly read a number of Reformed Christian blogs, and some of the so-called “watchblogs,” and it seems that most people out there either love Mark Driscoll or hate him. It is fashionable to either ruthlessly attack him, or put him on a pedestal. Or put him on a pedestal and then attack him. I will do neither. I will, instead, present some of the things I have found of interest in this book, some good, some bad, before offering some concluding thoughts.

Pros and Cons

Driscoll has a very good understanding of the problems with the contemporary church.
In the introductory section of his book, he does an outstanding job of outlining the differences (and major issues) with “The Parachurch,” “Liberalism,” and “Fundamentalism.” He understands what is lacking in each “model,” as well as the basic issues with the “Emergent” movement. He also pinpoints the number one problem with the false gospel preached by so much of the contemporary church:

The contemporary church generally proclaims a gospel of fulfillment. This gospel is influence by the non-Christian psychologist Abraham Maslow and his hierarchy of needs…
The contemporary church’s gospel of fulfillment essentially accepts Maslow’s faulty hierarchy and teaches that God exists to enable each of us to actualize our full potential. So in this therapeutic gospel, you use Jesus to achieve your ends, which can vary from health to wealth to emotional contentment, or whatever personal vision you have for your own glory…
The therapeutic gospel is a false gospel and an enemy of mission for many reasons… [I]t takes pride, which Augustine called the mother of all sins, and repackages it as self-esteem, the maidservant of all virtue.

That said, he does not provide a solution for all of those problems.
He might argue that he does, or even argue (rightfully) that he is working on it. But he starts from, frankly, a simplistic view of the solution – “Reformission combines the best aspects of each of these types of Christianity…” While he has made wonderful and demonstrable headway in Seattle, there are problems with his own approach that he does not seem to identify.

He is very committed to following what he feels is the direction of the Scripture and God’s promptings.
He talks constantly throughout the book about reading through the Bible to try to find an answer to various questions, including church polity, church mission, structure, and even to find a biblical view of the term “generation.” Early on, he says he taught through the book of Romans in order to work out the theology of the church. The result was a purely biblical theology which probably led to more problems than solutions when trying to reach “the culture,” but still, he did not compromise.

That said, there are some concerns with His approach at times.
Mark Driscoll is, of course, well known for his language. He himself admits that he does not regularly filter what he thinks from what he says. This shows in his book, as well. His very crude humor at times, his fairly intense scoffing at those he disagrees with – these things all demonstrate his wit (for the better) and his lack of tact (for the worst). Don’t get me wrong – he is a very clever and very witty man. And that wit, I believe, can be used to further the kingdom of God – Spurgeon had wit, Luther and Calvin had wit, even Paul and Christ Himself had wit. But it must be tempered with some sort of propriety.

Concluding Thoughts

Mark Driscoll has built a wonderful ministry in Seattle that God has indeed blessed, about that there can be no doubt. Some of his methods leave something to be desired, particularly in the areas of communication, and many will be offended by some of his language and choice of topics. It is my sincere prayer that he will continue to grow in his knowledge, and in his propriety (apparently he is indeed getting better), so that he may continue to effectively serve Christ and build His Kingdom. I believe that hedesires to be faithful to his Lord and Savior, and that he is working out his salvation and what Christ demands of him, as we all are trying to do.

Yes, it is fashionable to be critical of Mark Driscoll, and don’t get me wrong – there are issues, as seen above. There are other issues – I could easily take offense at his view of cessationism, for example. But I genuinely think that he is trying to get it right. My prayer would be that he would, and sooner than later, given the responsibility that he has taken upon himself to shepherd the flock of God. As James warns, let not many desire to be teachers, for this very reason.

I wrote earlier that the subtitle of the book “Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church,” and that it is obvious that those lessons are not yet fully complete. But we can learn from the hard lessons that Mr. Driscoll has learned thus far by sitting alongside him, and we can pray for the lessons yet to be learned, by reading his book with discernment and prayer.

May God continue to bless the mission of Mars Hill Church, and may God bless her pastor, growing him into the man that He would have him be. God’s will be done.

In the jargon of Christianity people speak of “born again” Christians. Technically, speaking, this phrase is redundant. If a person is not born again, if he is not regenerate, then he is not a Christian. He may be a member of a Christian church. He may profess to be a Christian. But unless a person is regenerate, he is not in Christ, and Christ is not in him.- R. C. Sproul, The Mystery of the Holy Spirit

I haven’t been terribly diligent about posting lately, so I need to get back into being more self-disciplined. Not only about blogging, but I’ve been falling off on my prayer time and quiet time lately, so your prayers for help would be appreciated. In the meantime…

Happy Birthday!

Not that she reads the blog yet, but today is McKaylyn’s 7th birthday. Happy Birthday, Princess Bubblegum!

Desiring God Conference

Tim Challies once again did the live blogging thing for Desiring God 2006. I haven’t had the time yet to review his coverage (wish I could have gone!), but hope to by the end of the week. I did, however, find some intriguing material about the conference on Adrian Warnock’s blog. I recommend reading them in the order given, they’ll make more sense.

More from Session 4 with Mark Driscoll
When Josh Harris Wasn’t Glad He Was Mark Driscoll

(And incidentaly, I am still reading Driscoll’s Confessions of a Reformission Rev – about halfway through – and the jury is still out for me.)

Testimony Part 2

Phil Johnson continues the story of his testimony on Team Pyro.

And Speaking of Good Series Continued…

Pulpit Magazine continues the discussion on Lordship Salvation, as Nathan Busenitz asks, Can You Be a Christian and not Love Jesus?

Last But Not Least…

Don’t miss my own latest post with new baby news. Sorry, couldn’t resist mentioning it again…

This week’s update is pretty short…

IT’S A BOY!!!