Forbidden Evangelical Theater: Driscoll, MacDonald, and Dever Talk Multi-Site Churches at The Gospel Coalition

At the link below you will be able to watch a video that they literally do not want you to see.

Click the Image Above to Stream Video on Odysee

The video records a conversation between Mark Driscoll, James MacDonald, and Mark Dever on the topic of multi-site churches. A few years ago The Gospel Coalition scrubbed the video from the internet, even issuing copyright complaints via YouTube against channel holders who had reposted the video after it was removed from TGC’s own channel.

You can conclude for yourself why that is.

The Gospel Coalition’s relationship to Driscoll is perhaps controversial and one that TGC would largely like for everyone to forget, thanks. Driscoll’s articles are no longer on the site, despite his remaining in their database of authors.

There are still reminders here and there, though, of days gone by when the relationship was more friendly.

One of the most interesting fossils is this piece from Jared Wilson where Wilson communicates his appreciation for Driscoll, along with his work with Driscoll on Driscoll’s books when Wilson worked for Docent Research Group.

In the piece Wilson reminds readers today that it was Driscoll who stepped away from The Gospel Coalition, not the Gospel Coalition which stepped away from Driscoll.

The Gospel Coalition is in a tough spot. Driscoll is now unfashionable and they are obligated to everything fashionable as a first priority. But they have been around long enough that this pattern of chasing fashion has given them a history with the unfashionable Driscoll from when he was the height of fashion. Honestly, built their brand at least in part on their association with him.

[Note: If you want to hear a meaningful critique of both Driscoll’s latter-day Mars Hill and the podcast the fashionable folks are fawning over but which repeats & exceeds Driscoll’s errors give this episode of The Cultish Podcast where Tim Zion, former Mars Hill staff member is interviewed, a listen.]

So click above, watch an interesting bit of church history that those who created the video wish would be forgotten, and remember just how capricious (and self-contradictory) the spirit of fashionable Christianity can be.