thought for some time, trying to arrive at a catchy title to this post, describing the meeting between Mark Driscoll and J.I. Packer; something like “Beauty and the Beast,” or “The Prince and the Pauper,” but I couldn’t find anything that was 1) respectful of both parties, 2) not confusing as to who was who, and 3) still catchy—funny—descriptive—provocative. I decided on what you see above, because that is just what they are: godly men, and like-minded. You might disagree, but that’s okay. It’s a free country: you can err and still keep your head.
Quite short and to the point, this tidy post is valuable for the short list of topics provided by Packer at the request of Driscoll on topics “all young Christian leaders need to study in order to be prepared for the next fifty years.” The four-item list could be abbreviated as “mystery—focus—practice—mystery.” You really need to read the whole post, and see the picture. Now here’s my take on those four essentials:
Mystery
Tell me pastor, parent, young person; do you try to untangle the mysteries of the faith (Romans 11:33-36)? Does the work of the Holy Spirit leave you speechless (John 3:8)? Does grace still amaze you (2 Corinthians 8:9)? To be sure, we should plumb the depths as we study and pray, but at the end of the day we should put our hand over our mouth (Job 40:4) and worship.
Focus
Is the focus of your faith man-centered or God-centered? Pastor, what do you preach from the pulpit: self-help and moralism, or Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2)? Believer, how big is your God (Isaiah 6:1; Daniel 4:34-35)?
Practice
Do you practice your faith at home? Does your spouse/parents/children see Christ in you? Are you a Christian? Do you drive like one? Is God honored by your check book, your television viewing, your conversations with the members of your own household? How long does it take a total stranger to tell there is something different about you (John 13:35; Matthew 7:16)?
Mystery
Here we are, back where we started: at mystery, as seen in the Trinity. Is there a god Like our God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Okay, so we’re not charismaniacs (most of us), but do we preach, live, witness like he doesn’t exist, or, at least, doesn’t really matter? Just because we don’t fully understand the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean we get to ignore him (2 Corinthians 13:14)?
Looking at the picture made me wonder: What will the next picture look like forty years from now? Who will be sitting on a couch picking the brain of Mark Driscoll? It’s a scary and thrilling thought, isn’t it?
