FYI: I am very sick due to a virus I’ve been battling the last couple weeks that took a turn for the worse a couple days ago. I’m told there’s nothing I can do but take over the counter meds and wait it out. I will probably have very limited posting here until I start feeling better.
Peterson’s daughter’s comments shows the bankruptcy of the state of Christianity in America. She as many others are looking for a place to be entertained as opposed to going to a place with fellow believers to worship the living God. The focus of corporate worship is God, not the individual.
I suspect that Ms Peterson, like many intellectuals of our modern age, has subconsciously assumed the false dichotomy between reason and faith. It is not the ideas that are argued, it is the ideas that are assumed. So when they decide to give 'religion' a try in order to attempt to satisfy the deep longings of their soul, they sometimes take a leap of faith into the emotional and unreasonable quarters of religion. Perhaps Mark Driscoll isn't the most emotional and unreasonable choice of the lot, but I suspect that the false reason-faith dichotomy script is running somewhere in MP's heart and mind.
Whenever I have a virus that won't seem to go away and drags on for weeks without improvement, the reputable doctors say that antibiotics won't do anything. But the urgent care nurse practitioners will prescribe them anyway, to the docs' annoyance. And 100% of the time, I feel completely better within about 2 days. Is it just me?
As for Driscoll, I read that he has no elders at his current church. And I can't help but recall that it was the elders who ultimately, after great hesitation, removed him from Mars Hill. I'm still not quite sure what "rehabilitating" a fired-for-cause pastor looks like, if it can even be done, but this ain't it. Still, I agree with Aaron that I'll watch the junction of these two worlds with curiosity.
I have seen the no elders claim about Driscoll's church in Phoenix, but it is coming from people I would not trust to be objective like Julie Roys and there is no way they have direct knowledge of the church's structure. That said, it doesn't mean they are wrong about what Driscoll is doing now either. Like Jim Bakker moving to the Ozarks and selling preppers meal buckets of freeze dried food at a premium price, I doubt Driscoll has fundamentally changed what he is doing, just some of his tactics.
In any case, it is surely wise to highlight the fact your church is elder-led, and doubly wise if you are at all vulnerable to the charge of being dominated by a single pastor's personality. You can still do this even if, for whatever reason, you choose not to name your elders on your website.
Keeping the existence of your elder board a secret is itself a statement about how important you think the role of elders is.
For what it's worth, my church lists its elders (with photos) on the website and has a section discussing the qualifications and roles of the elders at length. I can see no real downside to doing this.
Peterson’s daughter’s comments shows the bankruptcy of the state of Christianity in America. She as many others are looking for a place to be entertained as opposed to going to a place with fellow believers to worship the living God. The focus of corporate worship is God, not the individual.
I suspect that Ms Peterson, like many intellectuals of our modern age, has subconsciously assumed the false dichotomy between reason and faith. It is not the ideas that are argued, it is the ideas that are assumed. So when they decide to give 'religion' a try in order to attempt to satisfy the deep longings of their soul, they sometimes take a leap of faith into the emotional and unreasonable quarters of religion. Perhaps Mark Driscoll isn't the most emotional and unreasonable choice of the lot, but I suspect that the false reason-faith dichotomy script is running somewhere in MP's heart and mind.
Whenever I have a virus that won't seem to go away and drags on for weeks without improvement, the reputable doctors say that antibiotics won't do anything. But the urgent care nurse practitioners will prescribe them anyway, to the docs' annoyance. And 100% of the time, I feel completely better within about 2 days. Is it just me?
As for Driscoll, I read that he has no elders at his current church. And I can't help but recall that it was the elders who ultimately, after great hesitation, removed him from Mars Hill. I'm still not quite sure what "rehabilitating" a fired-for-cause pastor looks like, if it can even be done, but this ain't it. Still, I agree with Aaron that I'll watch the junction of these two worlds with curiosity.
I have seen the no elders claim about Driscoll's church in Phoenix, but it is coming from people I would not trust to be objective like Julie Roys and there is no way they have direct knowledge of the church's structure. That said, it doesn't mean they are wrong about what Driscoll is doing now either. Like Jim Bakker moving to the Ozarks and selling preppers meal buckets of freeze dried food at a premium price, I doubt Driscoll has fundamentally changed what he is doing, just some of his tactics.
Wouldn't the presence or absence of elders be visible on the church web site?
Our church does not list elders names on the website. Seems like some do and some don't from my experience.
In any case, it is surely wise to highlight the fact your church is elder-led, and doubly wise if you are at all vulnerable to the charge of being dominated by a single pastor's personality. You can still do this even if, for whatever reason, you choose not to name your elders on your website.
Keeping the existence of your elder board a secret is itself a statement about how important you think the role of elders is.
For what it's worth, my church lists its elders (with photos) on the website and has a section discussing the qualifications and roles of the elders at length. I can see no real downside to doing this.