No, I didn’t attend NHCC in Orlando. Given the silliness of the flap that’s developed in the blogosphere over the Mark Driscoll video that was shown there, I’m glad I wasn’t. (If I could’ve left, I would have attended the “Q” conference anyway). It appears the more feminist wing of Christianity feels the need to point its finger at Mark every time there’s a supposed slight. Check the video out, here’s a link:
So please, tell me where Driscoll slights women in this video? I asked my wife, who knew nothing about the controversy, to watch this and give me her opinion. She smiled at points and said, “Boy, he’s raw but he’s dead on…more men should watch this!” Wow, so here’s my wife agreeing with the guy. I asked her if she felt this was a knock at women in ANY way and she said, “NO, why?” I told her and she just shook her head and said “People are going to hell every day and we want to make an issue with this?” I agree. Like him or not, Mark Driscoll makes you think. Men do not like an emasculated Jesus. Jesus was not that way. Despite all of the efforts of certain sects of Christianity to make Jesus this feminine type, touchy feely type of savior, this was still the same guy who cleaned out his Father’s house with a cat of nine tails and took a beating none of us could ever take. He was a man’s man and truth be told, most women want that type of a guy. They don’t want some limp-wristed, soft-spoken sissy that can’t keep up. That’s not the Jesus I see in the bible. He was caring when he needed to be but he was also firm and to the point when he had to be. He got angry, shouted at the religious leaders, and let’s not forget, he built things out of wood for a living. He did this back in the days of no power tools. His physique was probably pretty solid.
So why the fuss? I respect Bill Hybels but from what I’m reading, he decided to poke at this video when he came up to speak at the conference after it was shown. His response, and the pressure from the left-side of the table, resulted in a ton of DVD’s being sent home with the Acts 29 guys (Driscoll’s Church Planting Network) who spent a considerable amount of time and money producing, replicating, packing, and hauling this 8-minute piece only to have Hybels and his politicos keep it from being distributed. For that, I’m VERY disappointed. If I were Driscoll, I would sue the group for my expenses if they don’t reimburse him. This was an open conference and he was asked to do this. The NHCC officials had time to review this and could have come to a decision prior to what was done. If Bill Hybels had a beef with Driscoll, then let them talk about it privately in Matthew 18 fashion. Not from a public forum at the NHCC. Some may defend Hybels comments as generic but given their content and the manner in which they were presented, I would have sent him a letter encouraging him to NEVER do that again if he wants to be a part of this event.
As for the controversy itself, other blogs are presenting a video featuring women in it sprinkled with quotes from men to make them look like sexist pigs. I’m amazed that these more gentler souls who want to take the high road would go to the trouble to make a video, claim the moral high ground, and then say what a shame it is for Driscoll to be doing what he’s doing. Men and Women were made different. They physically ARE different. Thank God! I don’t want to be married to a lady that resembles LOLA from the Kinks rock song of the 60’s. Why can’t we celebrate our differences and relish them as God’s creation? As for women serving in the church, I have countless women who are wonderful servants and care-givers, truly pastoral in their duties and I recognize them as such. The bible clearly outlines this ministry but our church doesn’t recognize women as heads over a church. Is that so bad? Why is that so horrible? Many churches still believe this way and it’s not a sexist thing. It’s an interpretation of the bible and I tend to subscribe to it. I fellowship with women pastors. I had breakfast with one this morning and prayed for her leadership and her church even though I don’t agree with her position, that’s her denomination’s preference and I’ve got bigger things to worry about. So do the Driscoll bashers who want to crucify this guy every time he opens his mouth.
Folks, show some Christian grace and love and leave it alone. He did nothing wrong. He said nothing wrong. If anything, he said many things that needed to be said to church leaders about gathering their men. We need more of this in our churches to have the kind of Godly leaders in our homes that the bible speaks of. Good words Mark!
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May 1, 2007 at 7:33 pm
jess
I, a woman, also watched the video and thought Mark had a lot of really good stuff. I think he probably has a life call to reach men, especially those that the church has been unable to reach because of ’sissi-fying’ Jesus. I didn’t feel he took any shots at women. I figure most of the attendees of this conference were men anyway.
That being said, I think that Mark’s general attitude, because of his strong calling to reach men, tends to overemphasize men, which comes across as undervaluing women in the church. (And I hold this opinion not just from this video, but other stuff I’ve heard from him as well). This was, according to every account I’ve read, all that Hybels addressed. I think he was not disagreeing with Mark so much as just valuing women.
It’s also my understanding that Mark’s in Resurgence is what has sparked much of this swirl. He’s the one that’s started all the ‘banned video’ talk, which, even from his own people that were there was not accurate. From what I’ve read from people who actually were there is that there ended up being an altar-call and many church planters were at the altar weeping and praying, and that according to the atmosphere, it wasn’t appropriate to hand out the videos as originally planned. From what I’ve read from those who were there, the videos were made available, just not personally handed out. It seems like there wouldn’t have been attacks if Driscoll wouldn’t have started it… I think his message can be powerful, but his ‘rawness’ also can tend to make him seemingly a loose cannon that can be hurtful if not reigned in on occasion.
As for your comment about showing some Christian grace and love…I agree. Although I really don’t understand how your statement about how Driscoll should sue for his expenses really fits with that. Did he do this video as an act of service for fellow ministers in the Body, or was it all about him?? That’s a big question in all this I think. If he shared what he felt God wanted him to, then it’s really not his to own, so he too, should be willing to let it go. Hybels didn’t take any personal shots, he just added a note of gratitude for women serving alongside men, as their ‘helpmates’ (like myself, who happen to be married to a church planter and do my fair share of hauling the load in this deal). I really don’t see how that was a personal attack or offensive in any way either, if we want to look at this whole thing rationally.
I hope that conversations like your post and my comment aren’t just more fodder to keep something go that should be looked at rationally with love and grace and learned from by all.
May 1, 2007 at 11:51 pm
Nathan Gilmer
I agree with you so much on this one. I have been following th blogosphere on this one and trying to keep up. I saw the video and found nothing wrong with it. He was simply saying how we need to reach out to the men. Traditionally the man is the head of the house. If that man becomes a hard core sold out follower of Jesus, the family will almost always follow. I believe that was his point. While I do not always agree with Driscol, I think what he said here was dead on and I think Hybels was completely out of line. Even if Driscol was wrong, to make a point at the expense of the integrity of someone else is wrong.
May 2, 2007 at 6:28 am
faithuntamed
Jess & Nathan,
Thanks so much for dropping in and adding your thoughts. I appreciate it. Jess, from what I understood from some who attended the event, the plan was to give Driscoll’s video away and that was the agreement the conference had made with Driscoll and Acts 29. They had approached him some time ago and he was unable to attend so an agreement was made (at Driscoll’s expense) for him to produce something that could be shown and then given away as a perk for attending the conference. That was a business transaction in my opinion and while a formal agreement may or may not have been signed, the NHCC should feel obligated to compensate Driscoll for his basic expense since they did not fulfill terms of the agreement. I can see clearly where you might have taken my statement about a lawsuit to be non-Christian. Perhaps “sue” is too strong a word but I tire of the endless attacks by those who espouse one view over those who have another. This was not a doctrinal issue that could/should divide our fellowship.
Again, thanks for dropping in
Be blessed!
May 2, 2007 at 1:05 pm
eric wright
I found this response by Henry Judy from lifepointblog.tv. It is found at Monday Morning Insight:
“Let me set the record straight about this once and for all. I was a volunteer at the conference and worked with Scott from Acts 29 all week on the logistics of handling the video out. We also had 1800 Acts 29 brochures that did not arrive in time to be put in the bags at the beginning of the conference. As the conference was winding down we made a decision to hand the videos and brochures out via tables and volunteers at the 3 main doors and not each door to the sanctuary. We just did not have the people to do this nor was it feasible due to exit strategy. In no way, and I know first hand as I was in on the conversation, was their EVER any discussion by anyone associated with the conference that I know of NOT to hand out the video due to Bill Hybels remarks. What was quoted above IS THE QUOTE he said. You will be able to see for yourself when the main session videos are available on the conference website.
These rumors about the video being pulled from being given out are just NOT true. I know first hand what happened and now the record should be straight.”
Just thought you might like to know. Of course I wasn’t there either…so who knows.
May 2, 2007 at 1:43 pm
faithuntamed
Eric,
Good thoughts. My contacts at the event wondered why they couldn’t have been given out in advance? Many times at events like these, they put them in the seats, under the seats, etc…while you are away for a lunch break, etc..
My main concern is the comment made by Hybels occurred right AFTER Driscoll’s video and the blogosphere is now running around with sexist criticism of him and the video of the women with the quotes in it serves no purpose for the body of Christ except to tear down men. It’s not a good thing from my perspective.
I’d be willing to accept your friends’ comments as valid and say they just didn’t plan logistically. Bad planning on their part. They need to fix that and clarify their mistake so there’s no hard feelings.
Thanks for coming by Eric!
Be blessed
Scott
May 14, 2007 at 6:39 am
carl
I have been around other ministries that perhaps focused on one thing too much (tithing, serving, evangelism, spiritual gifts, spiritual authority) and this does not seem that much different.
The only thing I found offensive was the “banging their girlfriends” reference. I won’t read into that but it just seemed rude.