In reading what I said, it sounds really critical and negative. I wasn’t trying to slam Mark Driscoll. I was just wanting more information, and possibly a source to clarify the quote.

I often think I know what people mean from quotes, but I regularly hear other people speak in my own vocabulary. I wanted to apologize for not being more “low key” with the tone.

Writing in a “text only” environment allows one to read whatever ‘tone’ they want into things that they read, but also into things that they write.

The second comment, where I said “What’s Mark doing to lead THIS charge? He’s constantly marked by doing foolish things; even Piper has recently admitted that in public.” was out of line and very poorly worded.

What I meant by that is that the people I know, who don’t know much about Mark Driscoll, only know him as the “swearing pastor”. That nickname has preceded him everywhere, and it’s a difficult stigma to escape; most people I know of who have never really listened to him simply say that they don’t like him, but their only reason is that he uses foul language (which isn’t necessarily true as of the past several years).

I’m wondering what steps Mark is taking, in the broad public realm, to change his image as the “swearing pastor”? I’m all the more curious because I recently heard Piper speak on how Mark still is “in progress” and “doesn’t use wisdom with his mouth” that much.

From my limited exposure, it seems that Mark isn’t being spoken of highly, at least in the realm of keeping a pure mouth, by the people who are discipling him directly. In no way would I suggest “throwing him under the bus” like some are doing, but I’m honestly curious as to what he says that he’s doing about his “swearing pastor” image.

“We want to influence churches to hope for more, plan for more, and demand more, because Jesus is alive and that fact changes everything.”

More what? More Influence? More Righteousness? More Victory?

“And we want to influence men to be godly men and not simply another face in the fools’ parade.”

What’s Mark doing to lead THIS charge? He’s constantly marked by doing foolish things; even Piper has recently admitted that in public.

Is he talking about academic foolishness? Personal? Theological?