Even though the vast majority of churches in America preach the Word of God and focus on discipleship over spectacle, the churches that get the most attention are the ones that give short shrift to doctrine in favor of being “winsome” and “seeker-friendly.” Megachurches hog the spotlight because of their antics and bad doctrine, and these churches often put on events that stagger the imagination.
At the same time, flashy pastors get plenty of attention. For years, it was the televangelists and their many scandals, but today it’s the megachurch personalities who make the headlines for their odd pronouncements and their expensive (and often ridiculous) fashion choices. Some of them get in hot water when evidence of their abuses of power surfaces.
Those two unique features of modern American Christianity came together at a recent event for men. Let me introduce you to the players in this strange saga.
First, there’s the Stronger Men’s Conference. Lord knows we need more opportunities for men to learn how to become better husbands, fathers, and men of God, but this conference goes over the top with its Friday night entertainment. The brainchild of James River Church in Ozark, Mo., and its pastor John Lindell (who has faced accusations of fake miracles), the Stronger Men’s Conference has featured boxing, a tank that crushed cars, bull riding, and motorcycle stunts as part of its entertainment.
Classic cars line the corridors, and famous athletes give their testimonies. In 2019, a man in a Batman costume made an appearance, while in 2021, a man dressed as Bob Ross painted. I’m not casting aspersions on any of these activities, but they give you a picture of how much production value the conference puts into its programming.
Flashback for Our VIPs: A Church Leader Walks Into a Drag Show (and There’s No Punch Line)
The other player in this saga is Mark Driscoll. He was the pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, and he grew his congregation with an aggressive, hypermasculine vision of Christian manhood. He has spoken of vivid dreams of his congregants having sex with other people, called women “p**is homes,” and even suggested that women with unbelieving husbands fellate them to bring them to Christ.
Driscoll’s antics and unrepentant response to church discipline led to his ouster at Mars Hill, and after a period out of the pulpit, he pastors a church in Phoenix where he rules like a pontiff and has no elders or anyone else to offer him accountability. At his new church, Driscoll has relied on gimmicks like “Swimsuit Sunday.” Christianity Today’s podcast “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” tells the searing, heartbreaking tale, even as it manages to go after Trump and conservatism in typical Christianity Today fashion.
The two forces collided at this year’s conference, which took place earlier this month. The Friday night entertainment included Alex Magala, a stripper and pole dancer who didn’t strip or pole dance at the event but performed an acrobatic routine where he swallowed a sword, climbed a pole with the sword in his throat, and climbed back down. Magala was shirtless during much of the routine as well.
Driscoll, a speaker at the conference, wasn’t happy with the entertainment, which garnered cheers and applause from the thousands in attendance.
“In the next session, if I’m allowed to come back….”
Extended Video of Mark Driscoll being kicked off stage, including extended comments leading up to it, and extra comments by Lindell after. Transcript in article https://t.co/0xYjSSENOS pic.twitter.com/NaUokZoyQ6
— Protestia (@Protestia) April 15, 2024
Driscoll invoked what he referred to as a “Jezebel spirit” invading the conference in Magada’s performance. He compared Magada’s pole to an Asherah pole, which pagans in the Old Testament used to worship a Canaan fertility goddess. As he was speaking, Lindell shouted “Wrong time” twice, and after the second time, Driscoll took the hint and left the stage.
Lindell then addressed the crowd: “Wow. Let me just say this. If Mark wanted to say that, he should have said it to me first. He didn’t. Matthew 18. Matthew 18. If your brother offends you, go to him privately. I talked to Mark for a half hour. There was not one word of that. He’s out of line. If you want to say it, he can say it to me. You may not agree with me. You may not agree with him. But we are brothers in Christ and there’s a right way to handle this.”
The chapter Lindell invoked is where Jesus tells His disciples how to properly handle disputes between believers. It’s the basis for church discipline in many denominations.
Recommended: They’re Ranking Churches Now
Protestia called Driscoll out in an op-ed, saying that Driscoll “accidentally walked himself into a good rebuke. He was right to call it out (though he should have gone further by calling all of it out) but did so in the worst way possible. He got the answer correct while misdiagnosing the problem; the what and not the why.” Protestia added, “This is why you don’t invite Driscoll anywhere.”
Michael Moore (not the far-left filmmaker), who posts content on social media as “Honest Youth Pastor,” pointed out the problem with the modern church that this incident revealed. “The church is desperate for strong voices to speak biblical truth,” he said in an Instagram post. “So desperate that we will follow unqualified men as long as they say the right things sometimes.”
Moore also called out James River Church and the Stronger Men’s Conference in a post:
The whole situation is so bizarre, and it’s easy to laugh at it. But it’s also sad in a way. I don’t know what’s worse about the conference — the shirtless stripper/acrobat or the fact that the organizers gave Driscoll a platform.
What the whole story does reveal is that our churches and conferences can sometimes get too concerned with attracting people to a show and wowing attendees at the expense of evangelism and discipleship. When will we learn?