On Thursday, Peter and I made the 3 hour trip down to Brighton to take in a day at the Together on a Mission (TOAM) New Frontiers Leadership Conference. Peter has been before, several years ago, but this was my first visit to Brighton and to this particular conference.
The draw to attend this year, came from the visiting speaker, one Mark Driscoll.
Mark Driscoll hails from Seattle, on the US west coast. In 1996, he founded Mars Hill Church in Seattle. It has grown to over 6,000 people. He co-founded and is President of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network, which has planted over 100 churches in the USA and internationally. Most recently he founded and leads the Resurgence Missional Theology Co-operative. The Church Report has recognised Mark as the 22nd most influential pastor in America. His sermons are downloaded more than a million times a year. Mark is married to Grace and they enjoy raising their three sons and two daughters.
He’s also the author of of Radical Reformission, Confessions of a Reformission Rev, and Vintage Jesus.
I’ve read his books, listened to his sermons, read his blog posts and read blog posts about him. He is a man who everyone seems to have an opinion about – good, bad or ugly. When we heard he was on his way to Brighton we decided we’d go and seize the opportunity to hear him first hand.
We got there at around 11am for the first main session of the day. “Worship” (which I’d say was more singing and having fun together than worshipping Christ) was led by Evan Rogers, a worship leader from South Africa. Then, PJ Smythe, who leads a church in Johannesburg, South Africa spoke.
PJ was a very engaging communicator, and had some great one liners which were definitely food for thought. Especially poignant was his illustration of what leaders are called to do. Using a cricketing illustration (with bat in hand!) he talked about the need for leaders to defend the wicket (which I took to mean doctrine, the church), make progress (take the single runs available and maintain momentum and direction the church is headed in) and pioneer (smash the ball for 4 or 6).
After a quick lunch break we were all back into the main hall for the afternoon session. Worship was lead by Simon Brading and was excellent. We sang some fantastic new songs (which we will learn and sing if I can remember them). Then, Mark Driscoll came up to preach.
The message was about movements and the history of church movements – how they get started, why, how they grow and develop, and how to guard the movement against becoming a museum (i.e. a family of churches that has stagnated and spends its time reflecting on the good old years).
Mark’s comments were, obviously (and rightly – it was their conference!) specifically directed towards New Frontiers, so while there was much to reflect on, it wasn’t directly applicable, so there isn’t a lot to report.
However, I will make some comments about Mark Driscoll.
Having been familiar with Mark’s style for a while, seeing him confirmed again that he is an exceptional communicator. His words were measured, insightful and wise. even in a context that was new to him, he didn’t feel the need to flatter or to water down what he wanted to say. He was gracious, sensitive and winsome, whilst offering his observations, challenges and warnings. He spoke with gratitude about his time with Terry Virgo and the NFI pastors and friends he had made/met.
At the end, Terry thanked Mark and declared him to be one of God’s most remarkable servants around at the moment.
It was clear to me that Mark Driscoll loves Jesus, loves the gospel, loves the church and loves the lost. I’m challenged by his preaching – content and delivery, and by his desires to reach the world with the good news of the gospel. It was certainly a journey to Brighton well worth making.
More details about the conference can be found here at Adrian Warnock’s blog or here at Dave Bish’s blog.
