‘Below you can read a very interesting media statement about Mark Driscoll that Brian Houston released last week (we can confirm it was released as early as last Friday (05/06/2015).

You can read the statement below. In this review, we will carefully analyse what Houston said.

REVIEW OF HOUSTON’S FIRST STATEMENT RE: MARK DRISCOLL

Let me be clear about one thing. 

NOTE: He said it – he will be clear on ONE THING (which isn’t true anyway). After this “one thing”, he will not be appealing to honesty but will be presenting a very fallacious presentation on Mark Driscoll speaking at Hillsong.

Mark Driscoll and I stand poles apart on women, their place in society, and their role in the Church.

Really? Hillsong is notorious for their disingenuous treatment of women through the teachings of Mr Houston’s wife, Bobbie Houston. While Mr Houston may not use crass language, his wife does a good job encouraging women to be sex objects through insensitive language and soft control methods.

Her “teaching” even  offended non-Christians. Bobbie stated,

“If I carry weight I feel like a retard … How are you going to do anything to surprise your man when you need a hydraulic crane just to turn over in bed?” Have plastic surgery, if it makes you feel better and it is for the right reasons, and “girls, pelvic floor exercises – can you believe I am saying this? – you know, I have heard that orgasm is not as strong if you are really sloppy in that area… When you are doing what is correct in God there is a protection over your life. Like – hello! – it is just there. So it is a very powerful thing. Amen. Yeah, fully.””. [Source]

Hillsong Church has a long history of involving women in every area of church life both on and off the platform, and my own wife Bobbie is my co-Senior Pastor.

NOTE: Brian is aware how Driscoll treats women in ministry.

In saying this, Brian Houston has thrown out the bible over what God says DIRECTLY about women in ministry and official church offices. The fact Brian Houston is loud and proud over his apostasy demonstrates he is an unqualified pastor (like Driscoll) yet again. It works against the very core of Jesus’ Church, Jesus’ message and the Spirit of God (Ephesians 5).

I think our leadership styles and relationship with staff and key people have also been vastly different. 

NOTE: So Brian is aware of Driscoll’s leadership style, enough to distance himself from it, vastly.

So why am I using our platform to interview Mark?

Because he is a celebrity pastor (well known) and will attract interest?

NOTE! Brian understands he is giving Mark a very significant platform and also knows there is enough contention with Mark already to downgrade his visit from preaching.

We come from different backgrounds, theological positions, and church expressions.

If Brian is noting these differences, did Brian do some research into one of the most well known, controversial mega church pastors, especially over the last 18+ months, to check his suitability? Does he know that Mark Driscoll is most infamous for his “cussing” and his sex-related sermons.

I genuinely want to know! Did he really say those things?

For someone who is glued to the internet, how can Brian Houston miss all the videos, reputable media outlets and internet discernment sites?

NOTE: By saying this, he is downplaying EVERY other reliable source and elevating his authority to judge. That’s all right world! Brian’s sorting it out here!

NOTE 2: Brian Houston is intentional with this fallacious presentation. He is not appealing to truth and clarity now but appealing to sinful curiosity (curio-fallacy). A Christian Conference should be set up to glorify Christ and not have its standard lowered to that of a celebrity gossip rag. Thus Houston was advertising Driscoll with these silly tabloid-like questions to arouse curious minds.

Does he believe those things?

Why would he say them if he didn’t Brian?

Does he have any regrets?

Sure does – he’s just lost the top job at Mars Hill in such a public manner due to his abusive, inappropriate and unethical behavior.

Has he been misrepresented?

Much evidence has been cited. Acst29 said Mark confirmed the accusations, and his own church elders also had Mark under discipline. It was not a one off event of some inappropriate statements.

What has he learned and what can we all learn?

So Mark will be teaching or offering advice?

And where to from here?

Here we are seeing that not only is Houston appealing to sinful curiosity, he is placarding how he and his movement are daring and “dangerous” – a theme he has been encouraging his movement to get behind through this year’s vision and his sermons (See ‘A Dangerous Declaration‘). He is still evoking his church’s ideology from last year to “pioneer into the unknown” (See ‘A Pioneer Spirit‘).

So “where to from here”? Houston is deliberately trying to drum up the image of mystery and summon the idea that what he is doing is “cutting edge”.

But why was Brian asking Driscoll to speak/teach in the first place? Why not simply have a personal discussion with Mark over the phone if he genuinely wanted the know?

What we are seeing is Brian deflecting responsibility, undermining the issue and offering a distraction.

I have met Mark just twice. Before his very public resignation from Mars Hill Church…

ie. During those tumultuous months of contention with Mark’s behaviour (eg. anonymous people – 12/9/2013 article revealing Janet Mettford exposing Driscoll’s plagiarism).

… A mutual friend introduced us over a cup of coffee in Seattle. We talked about life, ministry, and his previous exposure to Australia.

So amongst all these scandals going on, Brian Houston had a coffee with Mark and talked “about life, ministry, and his previous exposure to Australia”. Did you get that?

Ministry. 

But for some reason, Brian got the impression and idea that Mark Driscoll was ideal to speak at Hillsong Conference.

So our question is this:

At that meeting (before his resignation), did Mark Driscoll mislead Brian Houston over his current situation in Mars Hill?

The second time, I was standing in line at Starbucks in California bleary eyed and jet lagged when another customer in the line said hi. It was Mark Driscoll and his daughter.

If you re-read this a few times, it is evident that Brian Houston was very careful how he worded this sentence. Houston is suggesting that he was too tired to talk with Driscoll in Starbucks over a coffee. Really? (We’re talking about Brian Houston the opportunist here.)

A lot has been said. There’s lessons to be learned.

This is Brian Houston using distraction and playing the classic downplay fallacy.

I’m looking forward to asking the questions and hearing from Mark directly.

This implies the less “direct” information is dubious and therefore is undermining the evidence available and the people making the case against Driscoll.

Will we agree afterwards or agree to disagree?

And here we see Brian Houston’s true nature emerging from under his sheep-skin clothes. Is the truth and biblical instruction important to Brian Houston or not?

Mark Driscoll’s poor behaviour as a pastor is not a simple difference of opinion. This is an issue of what God has clearly stated what needs to be done with those who disqualify themselves from ministry.

Time will tell.

Houston fallaciously appeals to time as the answer to this apparently puzzling issue.

I doubt we will agree on everything,

And who will be the one that gets trashed in this ‘upcoming’ conversation? God and His Word. This is not about Brian or Mark agreeing or disagreeing. This is about both of them submitting to God’s Word, which neither are doing in the first place.

but everyone deserves an opportunity to be heard.

Now Brian is generalising again in a form of downplay fallacy. Qualified ministers deserve to be heard since that is their duty. Not everyone deserves to have their story, opinion or teachings aired. We are not called to mess with God’s teachings.

Furthermore, Mark has already had opportunities to tell his story publicly, that is, be heard. It is Mark’s victims who don’t get their “deserved opportunity to be heard”. (They are not celebrity pastors.)

Mark will not be speaking at the conference. It’s an open interview with Mark and his wife Grace. Let’s see what he has to say.

So “everyone deserves an opportunity to be heard” on Hillsong’s Conference “platform” except now “Mark will not be speaking at the conference“? Did you realise what you just said Brian Houston?

Blessings,

Brian

Since when has church discipline and a pastor’s credentials been the subject of an Oprah-like discussion? And, what if, for a variety of reasons, unintentionally or not, Mark unfairly represents what happened? Those elders and others who called Mark to account will effectively be painted badly. So why risk turning Hillsong Conference into a Kangaroo Court? (With Brian at the helm and victims without a voice.)

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Personal statement from Pastor Brian Houston – Re: Mark Driscoll’s View Not Like Hillsong

June 2015

Let me be clear about one thing. Mark Driscoll and I stand poles apart on women, their place in society, and their role in the Church.

Hillsong Church has a long history of involving women in every area of church life both on and off the platform, and my own wife Bobbie is my co-Senior Pastor.

I think our leadership styles and relationship with staff and key people have also been vastly different.

So why am I using our platform to interview Mark? We come from different backgrounds, theological positions, and church expressions.  I genuinely want to know! Did he really say those things? Does he believe those things?  Does he have any regrets? Has he been misrepresented? What has he learned and what can we all learn? And where to from here?

I have met Mark just twice. Before his very public resignation from Mars Hill Church, a mutual friend introduced us over a cup of coffee in Seattle. We talked about life, ministry, and his previous exposure to Australia. The second time, I was standing in line at Starbucks in California bleary eyed and jet lagged when another customer in the line said hi. It was Mark Driscoll and his daughter.

A lot has been said. There’s lessons to be learned. I’m looking forward to asking the questions and hearing from Mark directly. Will we agree afterwards or agree to disagree? Time will tell. I doubt we will agree on everything, but everyone deserves an opportunity to be heard.

Mark will not be speaking at the conference. It’s an open interview with Mark and his wife Grace. Let’s see what he has to say.

Blessings,
Brian

Source: By Brian Houston, Statement from Pastor Brian Houston, Hillsong Church, Hillsong, http://hillsong.com/media/personal-statement-from-pastor-brian-houston-re-mark-driscoll/  (Accessed 8/6/2015.)