missio

By now, most people who read this blog have heard of the latest Driscoll scandal: the ‘uber-masculine’ church planting video. And most people have heard of the response issued immediately by Bill Hybels (who I’ve regained some respect for ). But my question is this: what are you hearing from the Spirit in response to this? What are you taking away from the dispute? Or…are you simply making this the Anna Nicole Smith-capade of the church world? Are we sensationalizing the entire dilemma, and not taking anything away from it? Are we the same as the world, but with different subject matter? Here’s some lessons that I’ve learned over the past few days:

• There will always be minor disputes in the church over ecclesiology and theology. These are secondary. What’s primary is displaying Christ for the world to see. The minor disputes are anti-mission and anti-Gospel, so they should be set aside. I am guilty of this, and for this I repent.
• People are different in some ways but united in this: we are all sinners. We place ourselves above others because we think we know the way church should be ‘done’ and the way that the Gospel should be taught. We elevate ourselves above others because we have the truth, but when all is said and done, we are missing the Truth. I am guilty of this, and for this I repent.
• Blogs are evil. At a recent gathering of bloggers, I made a comment that if what we are blogging is not redemptive, then we are blogging contrary to the Gospel. God has tested all bloggers during the video scandal, and some have been redemptive, some have not. I have fallen into the very sin that I have warned others about. I am guilty of this, and for this I repent.
• Gossip is one of the largest problems in the church, and blogs can be used to increase its proliferance. We all gossip, it seems, and usually about the church itself. What’s wrong with this church, what this pastor did yesterday, how this leader reacted during this drama, etc. I am guilty of this, and for this I repent.
• But most of all we have neglected the true Church Planter in all of this. There is only one way to plant a church. It doesn’t require men or women in leadership. It doesn’t require cool bands and nice marketing. It doesn’t require management software or community events. It requires lifting the Church Planter up so that He may draw all men to Himself. When we focus on the secondary things, we neglect the Primary Person. I am guilty of this, and for this I repent.

Any comments? Any additional lessons you’ve learned? Any things that require repentance on your behalf? Finally, let’s keep one another accountable in this. Send an email, though. Don’t comment that they should repent, otherwise it’s fueling the fire.