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A review by thesimplepastor
Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church by Mark Driscoll
3.0
Confessions of a Reformission Rev is an interesting book, didn't take me too long to read (less than a week) of yet another mega-church in an American city, this time Seattle. Ok Seattle is the most unchurched in America with only 8% evangelical but I dream of 8% of any kind of Christian. For the UK to get up to 8% in any place would be an achievement. In my area if we get up to 8% most people would think revival has broken out. In my area if the church growth is spread out evenly among all the churches my church would have to double in size three times.
So I started off thinking 8% is pretty good what's he complaining about? So having got my complaint out of the way if you want thedown to earth warts and all story of how a church grew from nothing to 4000+ in America then read this, otherwise don't bother. Driscoll shoots from the hip. A lot. If you're looking for thoughtful considered balanced language, if you're looking for dialogue and conversation this isn't the book for you. This young (ish) pastor with a young (ish) church into all the technology and music, is a straight down the line unapologetic Calvinist, Biblical literalist. If you don't like it, don't read it or lump it.
However Driscoll is well read, he is down to earth, he has given thought (lots of it) to how to lead and build his church, there are good insights and the man has earned his stripes. He's taken the hits and punches of building the church and kept plugging away. There is much to learn and the honesty and humour keep you turning the pages.
At the end of the day though, that's the US and the UK is a different place and only some of the lessons I believe will cross the sea. Still I enjoyed it, glad I read it and would read more of his stuff. I learnt, was given food for thought and it probably helped me as a leader who is at the beginning of the journey.
So I started off thinking 8% is pretty good what's he complaining about? So having got my complaint out of the way if you want thedown to earth warts and all story of how a church grew from nothing to 4000+ in America then read this, otherwise don't bother. Driscoll shoots from the hip. A lot. If you're looking for thoughtful considered balanced language, if you're looking for dialogue and conversation this isn't the book for you. This young (ish) pastor with a young (ish) church into all the technology and music, is a straight down the line unapologetic Calvinist, Biblical literalist. If you don't like it, don't read it or lump it.
However Driscoll is well read, he is down to earth, he has given thought (lots of it) to how to lead and build his church, there are good insights and the man has earned his stripes. He's taken the hits and punches of building the church and kept plugging away. There is much to learn and the honesty and humour keep you turning the pages.
At the end of the day though, that's the US and the UK is a different place and only some of the lessons I believe will cross the sea. Still I enjoyed it, glad I read it and would read more of his stuff. I learnt, was given food for thought and it probably helped me as a leader who is at the beginning of the journey.