Hours after rebuking what he dubbed the “Jezebel Spirit” at a men’s event over the weekend, Pastor Mark Driscoll was invited back to the platform at the Stronger Men’s Conference in Springfield, Missouri.
In a deviation from his planned sermon, Driscoll called out what he saw as the spiritually problematic kickoff to the two-day convention, which was hosted by James River Church, a megachurch led by Pastor John Lindell. Driscoll took issue with the opening ceremony at the Great Southern Bank Arena, where stuntman Alex Magala performed.
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Magala, who gained notoriety after appearing on “America’s Got Talent,” was dressed in an all-leather outfit. When he began his show, Magala removed his shirt and began performing acrobatic stunts on a metal pole in the middle of the stage before ultimately swallowing a sword.
Without telling Lindell, Driscoll addressed his concerns with the performance — which he asserted invited the “Jezebel Spirit” into the conference — before the James River pastor told him he was “out of line” and removed him from the platform.
Lindell then took to the stage, where, after referencing Matthew 18, he argued Driscoll should have addressed his concerns privately with him prior to airing his grievances on the main platform.
In the New Testament passage, Jesus explained to His disciples how they ought to handle offenses between two believers, telling them that — should one Christian sin against another — he or she should first address the matter privately before taking the issue to others.
Some, though, like Dr. Michael Brown, a Christian author and radio host, argued Matthew 18 does not apply in this scenario, because that passage refers “to matters of personal offense and sin,” whereas the case involving Driscoll and the Stronger Men’s Conference was a “[sin] against God and those attending in general.”
Nevertheless, Brown agreed with those who said Driscoll should have addressed the matter privately before making any public statements about Magala’s performance.
And in a follow-up appearance between Lindell and Driscoll — who shared the stage after Driscoll was removed from the platform earlier in the day — the “Pray Like Jesus” author apologized to Lindell for his handling of the situation.
In a clip shared by Protestia, the two men sat together on stage and talked about their relationship.
“I love this guy; l believe in this guy,” Lindell said of Driscoll. “Let me tell you what I said to my sons as we were sitting over there as Mark was talking: ‘You want to know what John the Baptist was like?’ Mark’s a prophetic voice to our generation. Nothing about what was said changes that.”
He went on to say he and Driscoll spoke privately after the incident and said they “reaffirmed” their friendship. He then called Driscoll “a gift to the Kingdom” and “a gift to James River.”
After thanking Lindell for having “such a great heart for men” and leading what he described as “the greatest men’s event … in the country right now,” Driscoll acknowledged the James River pastor’s “spiritual authority” over the conference, admitting he was wrong in how he addressed his concerns.
“I believe what I should have done, since I had another session, I was thinking about it,” said Driscoll. “It wasn’t in my notes; I didn’t intend to go there. I was up late praying for the men. I just kept seeing it [Magala’s performance].”
He continued, “I should have — between sessions — talked to you, rather than just verbal processing on the stage. And, as the father and the head of this house, you could’ve given me a thumbs up or thumbs down, and I need to honor that as spiritual authority. And I honor your spiritual authority — always have.”
“So I apologize to you for not going that route, which would have led us [away] from the most awkward moment in the history of any men’s event,” he added, joking, “And if I were you, I wouldn’t let me speak again. That’s something you should worry about.”
Lindell, though, did allow Driscoll to move forward with his planned message.
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