Mark A. Driscoll (born October 11, 1970) is an American evangelical Christian pastor and author who serves as Senior & Founding Pastor of The Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The truths of Christianity are constant, unchanging, and meant for all people, times, and places. But the methods by which truth is articulated and practiced must be culturally appropriated, and therefore constantly translated. If doctrine is constant and practice is constantly changing, the result is living orthodoxy.
Faith is not just what we believe internally. It's how we behave externally.
I have noticed that people tend to stop maturing when they start self-medicating. Everyone has very tough seasons of life, but by persevering through them we have an opportunity to mature and grow as people. Those who self-medicate. . . often thwart maturity as they escape the tough seasons of life rather than face them.
Marriage includes a spouse, and often children. But the goal, center, and purpose of marriage is not self, spouse, or children. The ultimate goal of marriage and family is the glory of God. Only when marriage and family exist for God's glory - and not to serve as replacement idols - are we able to truly love and be loved. Remember, neither your child nor your husband (or wife) should be who you worship, but instead who you worship with.
A lot of people are using the Church, but not a lot of people are loving the Church.
Even a cursory reading of the book of Ecclesiastes shows that culture is a stationary bike that each generation climbs on in hopes of getting somewhere only to die and fall off so that the new young stud can take his turn peddling and, like a fool, make pronouncements about his progress. We would be wise to see postmodernity as simply the new guy on the old bike and not mistake cultural change for kingdom progress.
Idols tend to be good things that you have turned into god things, which therefore become bad things
I’m frankly sick of all the books and movies trying to predict when Jesus will return and we’ll get to start our eternal vacation at his all-inclusive resort called heaven. I’m also sick of the nerd parade of books and conferences that approach the Bible like scholars whose mission is to get their Masters rather than soldiers who are on mission with their Master. We've got work to do. There are lost people to reach, churches to plant, and nations to evangelize. Hell is hot, forever is a long time, and it’s our turn to stop making a dent and start making a difference.
While it only takes one spouse to be friendly, it takes both spouses to be friends. When both spouses are unfriendly, the marriage is marked by conflict and coldness. When one spouse is friendly and the other is unfriendly, the marriage is marked by selfishness and sadness. But when both spouses each make a deep, heartfelt covenant with God to continually seek to become a better friend, increasing love and laughter mark the marriage.
You have to laugh at yourself. Otherwise you'll waste all that great material.
Fear in the mind causes stress in the body.
Those who only seek friends without seeking to be a good friend are selfishly needy and demanding. And those who only want to be a good friend but do not wisely seek good friends are bound to be taken advantage of, abused, neglected, and suffer from their foolish friend choices.
Everything in the service needs to preach - architecture, lighting, songs, prayers, fellowship, the smell - it all preaches. All five senses must be engaged to experience God.
Jesus, could you please rapture the charismaniac lady who brings her tambourine to church?
Tragically, we live in a day when offense to God doesn't matter nearly as much as offense to others.
Fear is vision without hope.
Work like an Arminian, sleep like a Calvinist.
Did think you were here to kill time listening to Christian music until you go to heaven? We've got work to do.
The cross is the great jewel of the Christian faith and like every great jewel it has many precious facets that are each worthy of examining for their brilliance and beauty.
I want to live with autonomy. That's the essence of sin.