We try to be as open to God’s leading as anyone. However, Mark Driscoll’s latest explanation of the Gift of Discernment is anything but scriptural. Not only has this astounded me, but Driscoll astounds me in his counseling methods of telling the one he is counseling that he is going to “ask the demons questions.”(2:22 mark)
I am not certain where Driscoll received his degree for counseling. However, he will probably say that God has called him as a counselor because he is the pastor. That may be a legitimate response, but I can tell you for a certainty there are many pastors that do not have any clue when it comes to counseling. I told my church when they were interviewing me that I was not a counselor. Thus, I do not try to give counseling advice. I will give spiritual advice, but to tell someone they were sexually abused just because I hear a voice in my mind say that or see something in my mind, means one thing–I need counseling.
It could be that Driscoll, living in the Seattle area, may desire to cut back on his coffee intake. Since it isn’t just the voices but also the hallucinations Driscoll may remember Andrea Yates of Houston was a devout Christian who had visions and heard voices. If you remember there was a movie entitled “Field of Dreams” that was a box office success. The movie was about a farmer who heard a voice tell him, “build it and they will come.” The farmer built a baseball stadium and all of these dead ballplayers came out of the corn field and entertained the crowds.
Wow!! That is all I can say if Driscoll is seriously telling us that he is seeing visions of rape, child abuse, and other such things. Someone needs to seriously get this man some help. Certainly there are spiritual means for voices and visions. However, in today’s society we do not need “visions” as we have the Scripture. When the Scripture is replaced with “visions” we have just denied the sufficiency of Scripture.
It seems that Mark Driscoll has strong ties at SEBTS with her president and it seems that we were told that we can learn much from people, which we do not agree. I wonder what I can learn from hearing this video? Would it be helpful if the next time I am approached about counseling, instead of expressing that I am not gifted in that way, I should respond by closing my eyes and expressing the first thing that comes to my mind?
Before I am bashed because Driscoll is a Calvinist, let me make one thing clear. His Calvinism has nothing to do with this post. I was pleased to see that Driscoll moved from his position concerning multi-site church movement. As I perused that article I remember thinking that progress seemed to be made concerning this position. Don’t get me wrong I was not ready for Driscoll to be the spokesman for my position, but I did feel he made some grand points. Driscoll’s Calvinism has nothing to do with this post. Why? I found the above video on Phillip Johnson’s site. So, for those of you who want to play the Calvinist-bashing card, it will not play well here. You can play it but it will be trumped.
I close this article by making an appeal. To those who know Mark Driscoll personally, please take him under your wings and get him help. If you try to defend his position on counseling then you have nothing in which to criticize the “Word of Faith” movement. If Driscoll continues in this vein we no doubt now have a Calvinist Benny Hinn on our hands.
