Mark Driscoll: Jesus is Not a Nice Old Man

| August 24, 2010

image Not pulling any punches, Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle is known for being just a *tad* controversial.  I’ve seen the following quote before, and saw it again yesterday up at Steve’s blog so I wasn’t sure of the context.

Driscoll “unplugged”…

Jesus is not a nice old man in a button-up cardigan sweater and loafers singing happy songs while loading everyone onto a trolley headed to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe to meet King Friday like some Mr. Rogers clone. That god is the neutered and limp-wristed popular Sky Fairy of pop culture that wants to bless everyone, does not care what you call him/her/it/they, never gets angry, and would never talk about sin or send anyone to hell. This mythical Sky Fairy is increasingly mistaken for Jesus, however, by many young pastors and Christians I have met who don’t want the gospel to be the offensive and foolish stumbling block that it is. So they remake Jesus in to a feathered-hair fairy in lavender tights and take the sword of Revelation out of his hand, replacing it with a daisy.

I can’t say I would frame it quite the same way, but there is a lot of truth in what he’s saying here.

Thoughts?

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Category: Christology, Quote of the Day

About the Author ()

Shane Vander Hart is the founder and editor-in-chief of Caffeinated Thoughts. Shane has been involved in youth ministry since 1992 in church, para-church, and Christian school settings, and currently works with juvenile offenders in the Des Moines Metro area. He has also been an interim pastor for a local Evangelical Free Church and provides pulpit supply for area churches. Shane also serves as the Communications Director for American Principles Project with their Preserve Innocence Initiative.  Shane has been married to his wife Cheryl since 1993 and they have three kids.  Shane and his family reside near Des Moines, IA.  You can connect with Shane on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.
  • http://barrywallace.wordpress.com Barry Wallace

    Certainly sounds like Driscoll. I would probably tone down the fairy talk (that’s just me), but it’s all nonetheless true.

  • http://barrywallace.wordpress.com Barry Wallace

    Certainly sounds like Driscoll. I would probably tone down the fairy talk (that’s just me), but it’s all nonetheless true.

  • Darin

    I’ve been to a Mark Driscoll conference before. You’re right about context. I would love to hear the before and after of this quote.

    On a side note, it is funny to me that manly Mark Driscoll who is known for his oversized watches, motorcycle boots and skull print t-shirts is wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt in the photo. Was he wearing that shirt as he was talking about the “feathered-hair fairy in lavendar tights” Jesus?

    • Shane Vander Hart

      I just pulled the picture off of the web, so I’m not sure what he was wearing. That would be ironic if that is what he was wearing.

  • Darin

    I’ve been to a Mark Driscoll conference before. You’re right about context. I would love to hear the before and after of this quote.

    On a side note, it is funny to me that manly Mark Driscoll who is known for his oversized watches, motorcycle boots and skull print t-shirts is wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt in the photo. Was he wearing that shirt as he was talking about the “feathered-hair fairy in lavendar tights” Jesus?

    • Shane Vander Hart

      I just pulled the picture off of the web, so I’m not sure what he was wearing. That would be ironic if that is what he was wearing.

  • http://www.jkjonesthinks.blogspot.com J. K. Jones

    Driscoll is spot on, even if he is harsh.

    His approach appeals to the manly side of me. No feminization there.

    • Shane Vander Hart

      I agree, I think he does nail it here.

  • http://www.jkjonesthinks.blogspot.com J. K. Jones

    Driscoll is spot on, even if he is harsh.

    His approach appeals to the manly side of me. No feminization there.

    • Shane Vander Hart

      I agree, I think he does nail it here.

  • Alan

    Mark is controversial no more than the Bible allows for controversy. He preaches to his congregation in context to the culture of Seattle and does conferences/speaking engagements around the world and typically people take time to understand he is going no further than the Bible in his teaching and repents if he strays in context or theology.

    • Shane Vander Hart

      That wasn’t meant as a criticism.

  • Alan

    Mark is controversial no more than the Bible allows for controversy. He preaches to his congregation in context to the culture of Seattle and does conferences/speaking engagements around the world and typically people take time to understand he is going no further than the Bible in his teaching and repents if he strays in context or theology.

    • Shane Vander Hart

      That wasn’t meant as a criticism.

  • http://westportexperiment.wordpress.com Michael Ives

    Well, that’s classic Driscoll. I would say he is in good company with Martin Luther for vulgar, over-the-top language. It may have us shaking our heads sometimes, but it sure makes the point – with flair!

  • http://westportexperiment.wordpress.com Michael Ives

    Well, that’s classic Driscoll. I would say he is in good company with Martin Luther for vulgar, over-the-top language. It may have us shaking our heads sometimes, but it sure makes the point – with flair!

  • Josh

    That’s ventage Driscoll right there. I don’t think I would have worded things quite that way, but at the same time, I can’t say I disagree with a single line of that statement. Very true.

  • Josh

    That’s ventage Driscoll right there. I don’t think I would have worded things quite that way, but at the same time, I can’t say I disagree with a single line of that statement. Very true.

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