Mark Driscoll is the founding pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, one of the fastest-growing churches in America. He is president of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network and is the author of several books, including Vintage Jesus.

In the first three months of 2008, Driscoll preached a sermon series on nine different topics, which were culled from 893 submissions and voted on 343,203 times. This was the first sermon series from Mars Hill that  I watched online and I was struck by many things, notably Driscoll’s preaching ability, the depth of material in the sermons, and the omnipresence of the Cross in everything that he preached. The Q&A’s that followed the last Sunday sermon contain challenging questions that Driscoll answered on the spot and his answers where pastoral, thoughtful, and biblical.

The Religion Saves sermon series became a book, part of the Re:Lit series, and I received a copy of the book to read and review a few weeks ago as part of a Blog Tour (here’s the blog tour schedule). I’m going to break out my review by chapter, listing both my thoughts and an embedded video of the corresponding sermon.

Chapter 1: Birth Control

This chapter has significant value for its pastoral approach to birth control and has a tremendous amount of technical information that is incredibly helpful to the subject. Especially helpful is the breakdown of levels of birth control. In an age where many churches are unwilling to discuss the topic of abortion, for fear of appearing intolerant, Driscoll takes an uncompromising stance on abortion, referring to it as “the sin of murder (p 40)”

Chapter 2: Humor

This was my least favorite chapter. Much has been written about Driscoll’s somewhat course tongue and many prominent Christian leaders have taken him to task. This chapter is a defense of humor in the pulpit. Humor is an area that I personally would be more conservative than Driscoll on, but he does bring some needed levity to the conversation through illustrations in this chapter.

Chapter 3: Predestination

Tremendously helpful chapter about a difficult topic using OT and NT references. The illustration at the end about pulling his daughter out of traffic being similar to “God the Father reaching down to me through Jesus” is powerful.

Chapter 4: Grace

For people who struggle with the thought of God giving them something good that they do not merit, this chapter provides ample support for the concept of grace appearing throught the Bible.

Chapter 5: Sexual Sin

Another chapter that will be of tremendous benefit to pastors and those in recovery ministries. Driscoll’s call for celibacy outside of marriage and monogramy in marriage is counter-cultural, and completely Biblical. He also accurately diagnoses society’s worship of sex and how that “worship” is fed by prostitution and pornography

Chapter 6: Faith and Works

This chapter is jammed packed with Scripture, and for good reason. The contrast of faith and works has been debated since the beginning of time and Driscoll does a great job of showing the necessity of both. Much of the chapter is focused on “God’s regernating work in the new heart of those who are born again as Christians to a thoroughly new life. (p 169)”. Driscoll’s connection of a regenerated heart enabling us to do good works is very helpful.

Chapter 7: Dating

Challenging, challenging chapter, especially Driscoll’s discussion of the different methods of dating. I must admit that this chapter, and the sermon on which it was based, have almost completely convinced me that “courtship” is the pattern of male/female relationships that Julie and I will be using in our family. Also helpful are the “Christian dating” questions that each gender should ask as they seek to enter into a relationship. Before I was married, I was as guilty as anyone of not pursing women with a godly intent. This chapter is an excellent rebuke and an exhortation to glorify God in all that we do.

Chapter 8: Emerging Church

I’ve read a ton on this topic, so this chapter had a lot of repetition. For people who are drawn to the writing of Doug Pagitt, Brian McLaren, and Rob Bell, Driscoll includes quotes from their work and interviews that are cause for concern and do seem to indicate some departure from orthodox Christianity. Using direct quotes keeps this chapter from being one big rant, instead making it seem very balanced and fair.

Chapter 9: Regulative Principle

This very short chapter is actually focused on what is right worship. Driscoll discusses the Normative Principle (church worship includes everything prescribed in the Bible and anything not prohibited by the Bible), the Regulative Principle (church worship includes only things prescribed in the Bible), and Missional Worship Principle (which seems a lot like the Normative Principle). His concern throughout is not necessarily the principle that we use for worship, but the object of our worship, namely God.

Concluding Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book, but having watched all the sermons already, it wasn’t as “new” an experience as someone else would have. I would definitely recommend this book to others. It’s a pretty quick read and provides thoroughly footnoted and researched items. Looking to the future when I will, Lord willing, be planting a church in Ann Arbor, I can definitely see myself coming back to certain chapters in this book for pastoral assistance.

Blurb about the book

After 343,203 online votes on the Mars Hill Church website, nine questions for Pastor Mark Driscoll emerged as the ones most urgently calling for answers.

Inspiredby 1 Corinthians, in which Paul answers a series of questions posed by the people in the Corinthian church, Pastor Mark Driscoll set out to determine the most controversial questions among visitors to the MarsHillChurchwebsite. In the end, 893 questions were asked and 343,203 votes were cast. The top nine questions are now each answered in a chapter of Religion Saves.

After an introductory chapter devoted to the misconception that religion is what saves us, Driscoll tackles nine issues: birth control, humor, predestination, grace, sexual sin, faith and works, dating, the emerging church, and the regulative principle. Becausethe purpose of this book is to address commonly asked questions, all readers will find relevant, engaging material, written in Driscoll’s distinctively edgy, yet theologically sound style.

In his distinctively edgy, yet theologically sound style, Pastor Mark Driscoll addresses the nine most controversial questions posed by visitors to theMarsHillChurchwebsite. This book is part of the Re:Lit series.

Moved to http://intersected.org/ann-arbor-rankings-stats

Thabiti Anyabwile of First Baptist Grand Cayman writes for church membership.

Eric Bryant of Mosaic Church writes that church membership is not enough. Read Thabiti’s comment, it’s thoughtful and thorough.

There is nothing I can substantially disagree with in Thabiti’s article. And I agree with much in Eric’s article. The two things that I would disagree with are 1) Mosaic’s practice of people “belonging before believing” and 2) their identification of volunteer staff.

For 1) it’s impossible for the elders at a church to shepherd a congregation where not everyone fundamentally believes the same thing. If someone has not submitted to Christ’s authority, they are unable to submit to the church’s authority, which makes things like church discipline and shepherding the Lord’s Table almost impossible.

For 2), this is a troubling paragraph

Since our volunteer staff share our convictions and values, they are encouraged to start new efforts in reaching others and raising up leaders. They commit to live in a God-honoring way, serve faithfully, reach out to the disconnected, and give 10 percent of their income towards our efforts as a community. Not every person who follows Jesus in our community chooses to join our volunteer staff. We will love, serve, and care for anyone in our community. The only reason to join our staff is if you want to be one of those loving, serving, and caring for our community.

Allowing Christians to be a part of Mosaic without being volunteer staff, and the resulting commitment, seems to imply that  those non-volunteer staff Christians don’t have to “live in a God-honoring way, serve faithfully, reach out to the disconnected, and give 10 percent of their income”. That’s a very dangerous precedent to set. All Christians should “live in a God-honoring way, serve faithfully, reach out to the disconnected, and give 10 percent of their income”. To not do so would seem to indicate that someone is not a Christian.

Membership is something that I’ve been thinking through as we look towards Ambassador Ann Arbor. Lots of study and prayer will be needed as I think through the details.

Notes from Mark Driscoll’s talk on Jeremiah

1. What has God revealed to you ? (Nehemiah 1:1-11a)
2. What must you walk away from to pursue God’s calling? (Nehemiah 1:11b)
3. How will you communicate your vision to others? (Nehemiah 2:1-3)
4. Who must you ask for what resources? (Nehemiah 2:4-10)
5. Count the cost (Nehemiah 2:11-16)
6. Recruit strategic leaders first (Nehemiah 2:17 – 20)
7. What do we do first? Do it well (Nehemiah 3:1-32)
8. Where are the gates? Letting in those who want the Gospel, keeping out the wolves (Nehemiah 3:1-32)
   • Theological
   • Physical safety
9. How will you respond to critics? (Nehemiah 4:1-23)
   • Proximity of critic is painful
   • Have selective hearing
   • Turn critics into coaches
   • Don’t meet with critics in group
10. How to them show the gospel with mercy? (Nehemiah 5-1-19)
    • Criticism follows success
11. How to handle escalation opposition & threats (Nehemiah 6:1-14)
    • Sword and Trowel
12. What generational legacy are you building for? (Nehemiah 7:4-73)
13. How will you connect ground war (small groups, congregational care) and your air war (preaching and teaching) (Nehemiah 8:1-18)
14. Will you courageously call your people to repentance? (Nehemiah 9:1-38)
15. What are your terms for covenant membership? (Nehemiah 10:38-11:36)
    • Participation in small groups, tithing, attendance, etc
16. How will you track who God is bringing and assimilate them? (Nehemiah 11:1-36)
17. Who are your trustworthy priests who can work in the mission while you work on the mission? (Nehemiah 12:1-26)
18. How will you celebrate your wins? (Nehemiah 12:27-47)
    • Conversions
    • Babies
    • Baptisms
    • Building campaigns
19. How much will you demand of your men? (Nehemiah 13:1-22)
20. What closed-hand, practical life issues will you go to war for? (Nehemiah 13:23-31)

Great thoughts from Tim Chester, co-author of Total Church and a leader in The Crowded House – an international family of church planting networks

1. Recruit a team
   You can’t do it on your own! It doesn’t need to be a big team. Half a dozen people would be enough. What does matter is that you have people who are on board with your vision. We routinely ask people not to join us. (Our rule of thumb has been not to have Christians from other local churches join us just because they fancy a change of church.) We want people to feel a sense of coming to be part of missional team (even if they have a full-time secular job).
2. Develop a vision
   Start to develop a sense of what kind of church you want to be. What principles or values will shape you? Try to express this is in a clear way so that everyone in the team can articulate it for themselves. We don’t have much in the way of programmes, plans, structures and buildings. But we do try to set a clear vision so everyone knows what they should be doing and has the freedom to innovate within the vision.
3. Hang out in your area
   Walk the streets, prayer walk, spend time in local cafes (do your reading and prep there), join community groups, talk to people about your area. This serves a double purpose: (1) it will help you contextualise and (2) it will begin to build bridges with people in your neighbourhood.

Put on by Matthias Media October 14-16, 2009 at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Speakers include D.A. Carson, Phillip Jensen, Mark Dever, David Helm, and Tony Payne. Full website is at http://www.peoplegrowth.org/. Here’s a summary blurb

At Matthias Media’s 2007 Conference, several hundred pastors, church workers and other ministry-minded Christians gathered at Washington’s Capitol Hill Baptist Church to think about ‘Gospel Growth vs. Church Growth’. We explored what the Bible says about gospel growth, and how it basically proceeds through three foundational Ps: Proclamation, Prayer and People.

At our 2009 conference, we’re going to zero in on the third and often neglected ‘P’: people. Because gospel growth happens in people and through people.

It happens in people. You can have growth in numbers, in budgets, in programs, in activities, in staff, in baptisms, in buildings, in reputation, and even growth in the quality of preaching, but unless individual people are growing in knowledge, in faith, in godliness, and in love as disciples of Christ, it’s all a noisy clanging gong. Are your people really growing? How would you know whether they are or not? Who is discipling each person in your congregation?

Gospel growth also happens through people. Jesus commissioned every disciple for disciple-making, and a pastor-teacher’s job is not only to Proclaim and to Pray but also also to equip, train and mobilize People for the task. Gospel growth multiplies as Christians get involved in the three P’s: in prayerfully speaking God’s word to other people, in whatever way they can, large or small, at home or at work, in small groups or one-to-one. Is this happening where you are? Or is the ministry basically done by the staff? How many people in your congregation, for example, would be willing and able to do the foundational personal discipling work of following up a new believer and establishing them in the basics of the faith?

The 2009 Matthias Media Conference will explore the paradigm shifts that need to occur in our thinking if we are going to build ministry around people not programs.

Who is this conference for?

We welcome anyone – men and women – to come to our conference. We strongly encourage pastors to bring along any person in leadership. This will be an excellent conference for pastors and other ministry leaders to attend together because of the subject matter. Further, we also encourage college and seminary students to attend (there is a discounted registration price).

From Colin Hansen at ChristianityToday.com

Big Truths for Young Hearts: Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God by Bruce Ware

Your beach companions will think you’re prepping for Sunday school or family devotions. You’ll actually be learning plenty yourself from an unusually gifted theologian equally adept at teaching seminary students and young children.

Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church by Michael Horton

Maybe you should wait to read this book on a rainy day when you can’t go to the beach. Horton, a discerning and clear-thinking theologian, diagnoses what ills American believers, including consumerism, individualism, and nationalism.

Fearless Pilgrim: The Life and Times of John Bunyan by Faith Cook

Biographies make for a quick, engaging read. Cook explores the times that gave us Bunyan, the pastor and prisoner whose best-selling The Pilgrim’s Progress brought theology to the masses.

The New Shape of World Christianity: How American Experience Reflects Global Faith by Mark A. Noll

Venerable historian Noll expands on the contributions of missiologist Andrew Walls to show how American Christianity has shaped the rapidly expanding global church.

Politics for the Greatest Good: The Case for Prudence in the Public Square by Clarke Forsythe

The senior counsel for Americans United for Life advocates the neglected virtue of prudence for fighting abortion. His timing is impeccable for Christians dealing with the ramifications of George Tiller’s murder.

When Athens Met Jerusalem: An Introduction to Classical and Christian Thought by John Mark Reynolds

Theology has always confronted and conformed to the intellectual trends of its cultural context. Like some early Christian apologists, Reynolds draws connections between Hebrew theology and the Greek philosophy so popular in ancient Rome. He even dares to recommend cooperation between faith and reason in order to save Western civilization.

Justification: God’s Plan & Paul’s Vision by N. T. Wright

Read for yourself what all the fuss is about. Bring along the handy chart from the June issue of Christianity Today to compare Wright with his chief critic, John Piper. Justification is too important to be left to professional theologians, so bring your Bible, too, and trace the sometimes-complex arguments.

Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck

The authors of the award-winning Why We’re Not Emergent return to tackle another set of theological innovators. Whether committed, disgruntled, waffling, or disconnected from the local church, this book will help you love the bride of Christ.

Predestination: The American Career of a Contentious Doctrine by Peter Thuesen

Want to celebrate the summer of John Calvin’s 500th birthday? Then read about the history of the doctrine most closely associated with him. You’ll see just how far theology can stretch over space and time.

Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches by Russell Moore

Readers rave at Moore’s ability to link important theological concepts with contemporary concerns. But you better handle this book delicately. You might return home from the beach with a new calling that will change your family’s life.

From FeedingonChrist.com comes this article which provides links to articles by both Ligon Duncan, of First Presbyterian of Jackson, MS, and Tim Keller, of Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan, NY.

Here is the audio from the discussion that Ligon Duncan and Tim Keller had at the 2009 PCA GA concerning the role of women and the deaconate. One of the most significant points in the discussion, in my opinion, was Ligon’s brief exposition of Acts 6. While there is some debate as to whether deacons are in view there or not, Duncan made the observation that men were ministering to women (i.e. the widows mentioned there). This is significant because many egalitarians insist that women need to be the ones ministering to women. Duncan followed up his observation with a strong pastoral note, calling men to care deeply for the needs of the women in the church. It is certainly true that Acts 6 is not prescriptive, but it is certainly descriptive. One cannot argue that there were women chosen from among the seven, but you can most certainly assert that men were. This only serves to strengthen ones understanding of the prescriptive passages.There were many other helpful observations from both Duncan and Keller in the discussion.  I’d love to know what  you think after you listen to it.

You should also look at the aritcles that these men submitted to By Faith Magazine on the subject.Tim Keller’s article “The Case for Comissioning (Not Ordaining) Deaconesses” can be found here. Ligon Duncan’s article “The Case for Our Current Policy on Women Deacons” can be found here.

From Keith Mathison via Justin Taylor

OLD TESTAMENT:

• Genesis
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Deuteronomy
• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 & 2 Samuel
• 1 & 2 Kings
• 1 & 2 Chronicles
• Ezra & Nehemiah
• Esther
• Job
• Psalms
• Proverbs
• Ecclesiastes
• Song of Songs
• Isaiah
• Jeremiah
• Lamentations
• Ezekiel
• Daniel
• Hosea
• Joel
• Amos
• Obadiah
• Jonah
• Micah
• Nahum
• Habakkuk
• Zephaniah
• Haggai
• Zechariah
• Malachi

NEW TESTAMENT:

• The Gospel of Matthew
• The Gospel of Mark
• The Gospel of Luke
• The Gospel of John
• Acts
• Romans
• 1 Corinthians
• 2 Corinthians
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians & Philemon
• 1 & 2 Thessalonians
• The Pastoral Epistles
• Hebrews
• James
• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter & Jude
• The Epistles of John
• Revelation

These are amazingly helpful thoughts from C.J. Mahaney on teaching Proverbs

As the book of Song of Solomon is a unique gift for married couples, the book of Proverbs is a unique gift for parents and children. For preachers looking to use the summer months to preach this unique book, here are a few tools that may be useful.

Preaching Proverbs in Calvary’s Shadow

It can be difficult to balance the call to obedience with the cross-centered life. Yet that is what William Arnot accomplishes in the final chapter of his old commentary on Proverbs, Laws from Heaven for Life on Earth (published in 1873). The final chapter, “Faith and Obedience—Work and Rest,” models this balance well and I commend it to you.

You can read or download the entire commentary for free online. But you can download the isolated chapter I mention as a PDF here (0.9MB).

Thematic Structures

Of importance to the preacher of Proverbs is getting a handle on a few recurring themes and character developments featured in the book (i.e. wisdom, folly, discernment, understanding, knowledge). Derek Kidner’s excellent commentary will certainly help here.

I also recommend a newer commentary on Proverbs by John A. Kitchen (Mentor, 2006). In the appendix of his commentary, Kitchen has written a very useful systemization and summary of the path of the righteous and the path of the fool (pp. 727–736). Kitchen uses three graphics to distinguish the two paths and the several steps along the way.

The explanations behind these charts are developed in the commentary appendix. And the editors of Christian Focus have granted us permission to post the entire appendix here as adownloadable PDF (2.4MB).

Summer Series Outline

Due to its structure, the book of Proverbs is difficult to preach expositionally from beginning to end. The book lends itself to topical exposition, a feature that makes it a suitable text for preaching during the summer months.

Sovereign Grace Church in Fairfax, Virginia, is using the summer to preach a ten-week series on Proverbs. The pastors have divided the first nine chapters by topic (I was honored to participate in the series by preaching the second message).

FEAR GOD (1:1-7)
LISTEN (1:20-33)
SEEK (2:4)
TRUST (3:5)
GUARD (4:23)
DRINK (5:15)
GO (6:6-8)
KEEP (7:1-2)
HEAR (8:1, 32)
CHOOSE (9:6)

The church printed full-color bookmarks to outline the series and, as you will see, to capture the series as an opportunity to encourage and equip the church to interpret the book of Proverbs for themselves. Here is the graphic they used for the series: