Mark Driscoll at Together on a Mission

Well, he came and he’s gone – but we certainly know he was here!

Mark Driscoll packs a punch.

What did I especially appreciate about him?

His straightforwardness. Nothing hidden and no hiding, so, like the Apostle Paul, his forthrightness commended himself to our consciences. Because of his transparency it’s not difficult to feel that you know him personally, though you may have been lost in the vast crowd and never had the privilege of any one-to-one time.

He loves the truth and he loves Jesus and wants to make him known to 21st century people.

Pettiness and small-mindedness don’t stand a chance when he cuts loose with his burning desire to see Christ glorified in our generation. His radical priorities and decision-making are deeply rooted in a passion to confront our contemporaries with gospel truth.

Being convinced of the authority of Scripture and the sovereignty of God, his driven urgency does not yield to a pragmatism that cuts corners. Big Biblical principles shape his thinking and his practice.

Few can be ahead of him in his radical application of modern means of communication. Literally millions of downloads of his preaching are being made all around the world and his commitment to multi-campus church speaks of a brilliant entrepreneurial style.

His humour, often expressed in hilarious one-liners, makes him so fascinating to listen to. One example: ‘A guy who won’t take responsibility is not really a man, he’s just a boy who shaves.’

Biting relevance also characterises him, whether he is challenging young people about moral purity or confronting a movement about its need to face the future not with nostalgia but with courage and decisiveness. He really gets under your skin! He could have simply given us a few good sermons, but he certainly didn’t settle for that!

What’s more, he is a really nice guy and I like him a lot and feel profoundly indebted to him.

Once again God has blessed Newfrontiers by sending another of His choice servants our way. I constantly thank God for the friendships we have enjoyed over the years with such stars as CJ Mahaney, Kriengsak, John Wimber, Rambabu, John Piper, Wayne Grudem, Rob Rufus and others, all men of distinctive and diverse styles but whose devotion to Christ is primary and whose friendships I have treasured.

We look forward very much to more fellowship with Mark in the days ahead and are delighted that plans are in place for Newfrontiers leaders to have fellowship with Tim Keller, another choice servant of God, in February 2009, details of which will become available in due course.

Downloads of Mark Driscoll’s, and indeed other people’s speaking from Together on a Mission, are available on the Newfrontiers website here.