UPDATE: We’ve received some questions about an article (also related to the Calvin anniversary) published in a German newspaper. Pastor Mark has this to say:

The interviewer was nice enough and seemed altogether bewildered by all the young people studying Reformed theology and seeking to live by biblical principles.

For those reading the article–especially those reading it via Internet translation–please bear in mind that someone has taken my English interview, translated it into German, and then an automated program has translated it back into English. Subsequently, a few errors are in the English translation. Most notably, in some versions I am quoted as saying a word I emphatically deny having said. The sermon quoted is online so thankfully this error is easy to confirm. I also had a witness present with me for the media interview to confirm this was not a word I used in any context. My guess is that this is the sort of thing that happens when something is translated multiple times, including by automated technology.

Also curious was the phrase, “They hold hands, but they have never had sex.” Since our church has thousands of people, including many married couples, this obviously did not translate well either. There are many other examples of errors that happen from the multiple translations, so please read the article in light of what it is rather than as if it were inerrant like Scripture.

For more on “New Calvinism,” check out the Reformed Resurgence series at theresurgence.com.

The Resurgence

Resources to equip leaders to live for Jesus, teach the Bible faithfully, and reach their cities with the gospel. Visit theresurgence.com for more.

If you missed out on the festivities, there are many more baptism events coming up this summer (updated):

• TONIGHT at Lake Sammamish State Park
• August 12 at Richmond Beach
• August 24 at Alki Beach
• August 29 at Myrtle Edwards Park (outdoor concert)

Check out this clip from the Mars Hill Media Library to learn more about the significance and meaning of baptism.

Mars Hill Media:

Visit the Mars Hill Church Media Library to access free content: sermons, music, publications…New material added weekly.

The Resurgence Training Center (Re:Train), led by Pastor Rick Melson, will help develop thousands of new and existing pastors and deacons with a passion for the gospel, a love for people, and a heart for Jesus and his church. The Master of Missional Leadership is the school’s flagship offering, a 36-hour graduate program that is:

• Reformed. Gospel-centered sound doctrine based on the entirety of God’s Word, the exclusivity of Jesus, and the absolute truth of his grace and sovereignty, mercy and justice, wisdom and love.
• Urban. Cities command great cultural influence and our hope is to direct that influence toward the honoring of Jesus. From the cities we want to see gospel-centered churches and campuses extend to suburban and rural areas.
• Missional. Knowledge and education are useless without a practical, efficacious, and sincere love for people.

Re:Train represents a significant effort to build a lasting legacy out of the ministry of Mars Hill Church in obedience to the Great Commission. People need Jesus, and we’ve been called as a church to aggressively expand the preaching of the gospel and to train other leaders to do the same.

Courses will be taught by respected theologians and practitioners such as John Piper, Ed Stetzer, and Bruce Ware. Re:Train will arrange for some of these instructors to offer sessions for the general public during their stay, including guest appearances for the Sunday pulpit.

Re:Train welcomes applicants from around the world, and enrollment will be extremely competitive–especially for the school’s inaugural year, which will include only 50–60 students. For those at Mars Hill, however, the good news is that church members automatically qualify for a significant scholarship.

Visit theresurgence.com/retrain for more details, including application materials and course catalog. Applications are due July 1, and class begins mid August.

The Resurgence

Resources to equip leaders to live for Jesus, teach the Bible faithfully, and reach their cities with the gospel. Visit theresurgence.com for more.

I do not find the report surprising or discouraging…With the social benefits of professing to be a Christian no longer in place and the social stigma of not professing to be a Christian now lifted, those who were [nominally] part of Christian America are simply no longer pretending to be part of Christian America. Since those who professed faith but did not practice faith were confusing to account for, this is actually a good thing. Now, it is more likely that if someone is a Christian or non-Christian, he or she will state so plainly.

Read the full article at FoxNews.com.

FamilyLife Today, a nationally syndicated radio show, has been airing selections of Pastor Mark’s sermons. In a recent episode called Act Like Men, the program featured an excerpt from Marriage and Men: 1 Peter 3:7. 

This morning we received dozens of inquiries from folks who heard Pastor Mark on the radio and want to find more content. Here’s where to look:

• A few weeks ago we summarized some of our best resources for men.
• Our media library is updated multiple times a week.
• The Resurgence is a great outlet for blogs, books, and additional media content.

Mars Hill Church has never pursued many radio opportunities, due to the expense involved and our preferred strategy of online distribution. On occasion, however, we permit existing programs (such as FamilyLife Today) to rebroadcast Mars Hill content over the airwaves. We’re grateful for any chance to spread the gospel of Jesus to a new and different audience.

If radio is your medium of choice, Pilgrim Radio Network, is set to begin broadcasting the entire 1st Corinthians series on Wednesday, May 20 (check listings).

Tens of thousands–online and in person–helped us celebrate the occasion of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and the local news (KOMO and KING) took note:

In addition to the TV segment, KOMO posted an article on the station’s website.

One segment that didn’t air on the televised version of the debate was Pastor Mark’s closing statement. For many, this moment was the highlight of the event:

1 John 5:19-20

The full video from the Face-Off debate is now online at Nightline’s website.

Does Satan exist?

This question will be debated next Friday when ABC visits Mars Hill Church to record a “Face Off” debate for Nightline. The debate will then be aired as several segments on an upcoming broadcast of the news program.

Participating in the debate will be:

For the existence of Satan:

Pastor Mark Driscoll; founding pastor, Mars Hill Church

Annie Lobert; executive director, “Hookers for Jesus”

Against the existence of Satan:

Dr. Deepak Chopra; president, Alliance for a New Humanity

Bishop Carlton Pearson; author, “The Gospel of Inclusion”

Read more about the debate on the Nightline website.

Time Magazine’s next cover story will be 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now. Third on that list is “The New Calvinism” as preached by the likes of John Piper and Mark Driscoll.

Over at The Resurgence Pastor Mark has blogged his take on the Time article, as well as some distinctions between New Calvinism and Old Calvinism.