Is the Body of Christ Being Too Hard on Mark Driscoll?

Mark Driscoll made an appearance at the Hillsong Conference, but not the way it had initially been planned. 

Appearing in a pre-recorded interview with Hillsong’s Brian Houston, the ousted pastor told his peer some of the hardships he’s experienced since the fall of Mars Hill.

“I made a lot of mistakes … and one of them was going too fast,” Driscoll told Houston. “There’s the Lord’s calling, but also the Lord’s timing. I should have waited longer. I should have been under godly, spiritual authority, under a senior pastor. My character was not caught up with my gifting. I did start too young. I wouldn’t look at any 25-year-old now and say, yes, do what I did.”

Driscoll was initially scheduled to be a speaker at the conference, but his appearance was cancelled after a change.org petition circulated demanding the Hillsong staff disinvite him.

“By inviting Mark Driscoll to speak on the Hillsong platform, Hillsong (is) both endorsing and legitimizing Mark’s messages about women and ignoring the concerns being repeated by many across the U.S. and U.K. about his abusive behavior, which has been corroborated by ex-members and ex-leaders of Mars Hill Church,” the petition read.

“There is no way for me to say that I have always acted with grace or with appropriateness,” Driscoll responded in his interview. “There has been anger. I don’t believe that every day I was a combative, maybe a loud-mouthed person, but certainly, sadly, that was part of my ministry, and I think that can be confusing for people.”

Driscoll stepped down from leadership at Mars Hill church last year following reports that he had become overbearing, domineering and confrontational. The church later dissolved and fetched millions when sold on an open market. 

After his tenure as pastor, Driscoll returned to the spotlight with his ministry website.