An Open Letter to Mark Driscoll

Dear Pastor Driscoll,

I’m sorry.

I don’t know what’s going on in your church or home, let alone your head right now. I don’t know the pain that you’re experiencing or all the details of the path that brought us to this point. I don’t even know what all the “scandal” talk is all about.

To me, that doesn’t matter.

Not because it’s not important or impactful to you, your family, and your church. But rather because it’s between you and the relevant parties. And I’m not one of them.

No, I’m sorry that there are so many believers who seem intent on eating you alive.

I think some of us think our intentions are good. Maybe they are. I’ve read several articles and posts about how people are concerned for you, your family, and your ministry. Maybe some of them even satisfied the Biblical requirement of having come to you first in private and then with one or two brothers.

Sadly, I fear there are also some whose intentions are anything but. Rather than offer you grace, we’ve offered analysis on how and why things went so wrong. Rather than supporting you and your family, we’ve offered sneering I told you so’s. Rather than bring you the healing balm of Gilead, we’ve gloated that finally, you’ve had your fall.

We’ve traded grace and compassion for jealousy and arrogance, and for that, I’m sorry.

Pastor Driscoll, I don’t know what the future holds for you, your family, or your church. But what I do know is that we all need the regular encouragement and accountability that comes through vibrant relationships . And sometimes, as pastors and leaders, it’s easy to become isolated so that we don’t receive either or both of these critical things.

If you find yourself in that sort of a situation, I would humbly offer myself as a friend. Email me. Call me. Stop in and chat with me. Here is my contact info.

The same goes for anyone else who finds themselves in your situation.

In His service,

Jeremy