Trawling around, I have discovered that Seattle will be the new Rome; Mark Driscoll the next pope; simulcast preaching via satellite tomorrow's infallible teaching method. Yes, Mars Hill is going global, coming soon to neighbourhood near you.
Sydney thinks it is not the greatest of ideas that Mars Hill will church plant in Australia by the end of this year.
I agree.
It's a bad idea: God's plan is for the unity of human society. Yet Another Church does nothing for that plan.
It's a sad idea: the website says via its PDF (large 5 Mb download) that it's about establishing a legacy.
"Many Mars Hill leaders have committed to serve this church for life, and our God-sized mission is just beginning. But one Hundred years from now, when all of us are gone, what will become of Mars Hill Church? The elders are laboring to build a lasting legacy in four primary areas:"
I wonder how it feels to be a Christian leader sensing the need to establish a legacy. It must be sweet to be so "envisioned" that one has a "God-sized" mission. Though, what on earth (or Mars) does that mean? We are all by virtue of our discipleship involved in the missio dei - if that is not a God-sized mission then what is?
Sneaky thought: NZ is pretty small, perhaps they won't see us on the map.
PS Yes, I have read the line "whether we are your local church or an available supplement that serves other churches". Sounds nice and friendly. But read on: "Our hope is that thousands of people would partner with us in this effort, making Mars Hill Global a truly unified, worldwide movement of the Holy Spirit."
Er, would that be unity around the truth that the Song of Songs promotes Mark Driscoll's special teaching about the secret to a really, really happy marriage which is not something to mention in front of the children or your mother-in-law?
And why is Mars Hill Global hope centred on itself becoming a truly unified, worldwide movement of the Holy Spirit? I had read in Scripture of this thing called the church of God ...
Perhaps it has been superseded.
I am always the last to hear the really important stuff!
10 comments:
I have my concerns too about Driscoll dominance.
Might I wonder if you are making that statement with classic English understatement? :)
Starbucks came from Seattle too. Starbuçk's church coming soon?
Many Christians would welcome Starbuck's church coming as I have noticed some sniffy nosed attitudes by Christians to instant coffee served up in church :)
Microsoft is from Seattle, too. They're teaming up with Mars Hill to rebrand Heaven as 'the Bill Gates'. Just don't believe the demo.
Boeing are also from Seattle, but are not likely to take you to heaven in their current financial state ('Boeing, Boeing ... Gone!')
... and here's the link: 'Bill Gates: Heaven or Hell?'
http://www.interstel.net/~jdpaul/bill.gates.heaven.hell.html
What's all this about missio dei? Why so often does the church resort to that bit of latin, as if its more real or more significant than plain English. Can't we get a grip?
Is it because it is meant to intimidate anyone who has questions about the theological construct. What is its pedigree?
Well, missio dei is two words instead of four (the mission of God), so it saves a bit of time and space :)
anon at 8.50: 'missio dei' is a terminus technicus, an ad hoc construction which, inter alia, serves pro tem, i.e. 'pro tempore', pro bono publico, e.g., to eschew the obfuscation of sesquipedalian convolutions and to communicate multa in parva. Hope this helps. :)
Those Romans sure knew a thing or two. Roads, buildings, even a language that lasts for nigh on ever.
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