Don’t be so gullible, McFly!
A couple of weeks ago, I commented that “Pentecostal/charismatic theology in all its shades is dangerous, and inherently non-Protestant.” Since I and many others have demonstrated that universally inclusive words like “all” (or exclusive words like “none”) are seldom meant absolutely universally, but rather, should be interpreted within their contexts, I want to specify that, in this case, I mean it universally. While I appreciate the sincere attempts of many so-called Reformed charismatics to be more biblical than their crazy uncles, and readily accept them as genuine spiritual siblings, the charismatic elements of their theology remain troublesome and inevitably nullify any attempts to separate themselves from outright charlatans like Benny Hinn and Todd Bentley.
Take, for example, Mark Driscoll (insert a Henny Youngman “. . . please” here). You have probably already have seen the video below, as posted by Phil Johnson. If not, you should go to the Pyromaniacs blog and read Phil’s analysis.
Warning: the verbal images Driscoll paints are, true to character, rated R.
I’ve addressed Driscoll’s offenses obliquely in The Parable of the Bookstores, but if I’m not forgetful, I think this is the first time I’ve mentioned him by name on this blog. Driscoll has been a troublesome character from the beginning. With his penchant for perverse talk, even pornifying Song of Songs under the pretense of preaching, his appeal has always been a mystery to me.
The video clip above is not new (February, 2008), nor is it the first time Driscoll has claimed to have received direct revelation from God. The legitimacy of his position as pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle is dependent on his claim that God spoke to him audibly. “God told me to move back home, start up a family and plant a church in Seattle,” he claims.
When I hear such claims, I think two things: the individual is either deceived, or lying. In the cases of Hinn, Bentley, and the like, I most often suspect simple fraud. In many other cases, I suspect it’s just wild imaginations, spiritualized by charismania. That is what I’ve thought of Driscoll, until now. Now I think he’s flat out making things up. If he had stopped with stories of his visions, I could have chalked it up to his well-documented dirty mind combined with a wild imagination. But when he added the “proof” of the confessions of his imaginary offenders, that was too much. No one, confronted with such accusations, accusations of things that could never be proven, simply says, “Yeah, I did that.” They lie. They deny it. Not one of Driscoll’s stories involved a denial. When I hear a story about a child molester who doesn’t lie about it, I know the story-teller is lying.
How long before leaky-canoners like Piper wake up to the fact that their open attitudes toward extra-biblical revelation inevitably enable this kind of blasphemous nonsense? Mark Driscoll has become another of their unpaid bills, and the interest is piling up.
Update: The video above is from 2008. As of September 11, 2011, he’s still at it.
And more, with commentary from the Sola Sisters.
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4 Comments:
#1 || 11·08·18··09:34 || Rey Reynoso
Why did the Holy Spirit feel the need, in his eternal wisdom, to bestow on this guy a pornagraphic vision of what transpired in that room instead of just telling him the rough facts? Freaking ridiculous.
#2 || 11·08·18··09:40 || Daniel
When I hear a believer say, "God told me to...<fill in the blank>" I presume that what they really mean is that they became convicted of something. Whether their conviction is the working of the Holy Spirit, or the working of their own misinformed imagination is almost always discernable by comparing their conviction with the clearly stated word of God.
As a rule, I instruct believers not to use language that paints the picture of clear and direct revelation, when what they really mean is that they are interpreting their own intuition.
#3 || 11·08·18··11:52 || Elaine
Don’t be so gullible, McFly!
That, I am assuming, is directed to those of us of true reformed colours, who are being deceived by the oxymoron "reformed charismatic". The exortation is surely not directed to those leaky-canoners like Piper who clearly are just sticking to their own.
Thanks for your post!
#4 || 11·08·18··13:39 || donsands
Good word David. I'm grateful for Phil speaking up on this. And you as well. The Body of Christ will have those who condemn Mark, those who think he's a true prophet, and all of us in between. I pray for him to come to his senses. But it's going to be difficult when you are the big gun in your local church. And as you say, pastors like John Piper and others greet him with too much softness.
Real quick story, that fits with your thoughts: Wendi Kaiser, the wife of Glen Kaiser of Jesus People USA, was molested by her uncle and step father as a young girl. She finally confronted them, and told them she forgives them, because Christ tells her to forgive. They said to her, "We don't have any idea what you are talking about."
I read that in Cornerstone Mag. a few years back.
Have a great evening David!
Psalm 5: "Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away."