The Radical Reformission: Reaching Out Without Selling Out

Having read this book, I have come away with four major points to ponder: First, if Driscoll is the "godfather" of the emergent movement, so to speak, then the entire emergent movement (to the extent I have been able to read) has completely missed the point he was trying to make in this book. From Driscoll's own statements in the book, the emergent movement as it exists today is nothing more than heresy. Heresy! That seems a far cry from what he originally proposed. One of my good friends said that from what I told him it sounded like emergents took Driscoll's ideas and "ran wild" with them. That's exactly what I think after reading through this book. Talk about an "adventure in missing the point!" Second, if Driscoll is correct in what he says, then we have to completely overhaul our ecclesiology. We've got to see if we've become so entrenched in our traditions that the Gospel becomes irrelevant, or if we've gotten so fancy in our innovations that we compromise the Gospel and again make it irrelevant. The second half of that statement is exactly why I think the emergent movement has completely missed the point. Third, if what he says is true about me, I've got some further sanctification to get cracking on. I've been convicted by some of the things I've read in here, and roundly encouraged towards a goal by other things I've read in the book as well. Fourth, some of the people who have reviewed the book need to get a life and grow a sense of humor. This guy is funny. Funny. I did not in the least feel his handling of Scripture was irreverent; then again maybe my sense of humor is different from most other people's. But I have never gotten such a knee-slapping laugh out of a book other than Christopher Moore's "Lamb," and that one was a parody of the Gospel! Much less, I have never laughed while reading a serious book like "Reformission." When you can thoroughly enjoy someone laying some serious sanctifying smackdown on you, you know the book is good. So, I'd recommend this book heavily to everyone who asks me about it. I'd recommend it over Brian McLaren any day.

It is one thing to be able to write with humor, it's another to offer sound biblical principles to your message, but to do so while living out the message you preach is the main catalyst to the success and influence this book has. I have the pleasure of being the preaching elder of a daughter church that Mars Hill is funding and helping to guide and plant here in San Diego, and I can say with full confidence that the reason this book is gripping (even after hearing many of these great stories and principles in our network) is because it is not some pie in the sky ideology about missional living, or some cold, removed, theological discussion with no connection to Christ. This message which Pastor Mark brings is absolutely critical as we face a post-Christian, post-modern, post-everything, culture which sees the church at times better than we do. We need to return to the often chanted and rarely applied mantra of semper reformanda. And we must be willing to cut dead weight from our traditions, and kill innovative programs for the sake of pragmatism, so that we can return again to the one, true God who reigns over history and has commissioned us to preach the God glorifying, sin crushing, people freeing gospel in our day. David Fairchild

Started attending Mars Hill Church, where Mark Discoll is the head teaching elder, a little over a year ago. Only very serious problems can keep us away on Sunday. I'm twice the age of the average member/attendee, but Mark preaches old time religion applied to today's culture and I and about 2,500 others seem very comfortable with both. Mark is very real, sometimes shocking and shows real grace. Week after week my wife and I ask each other "Is that the best sermon we've ever heard AGAIN?" What you get in RR is what I see happening at Mars Hill, along with Mark's humor and wisdom that's beyond his years. I've been a believer for 35 years and I'm as excited about Jesus as I've ever been and due in no small part to the vision you read about in this book. Would I feel the same way if I wasn't watching Mark practice what he preaches up close and personal? Maybe not, but when I read it, I could honestly say I saw RR being worked out and it's authentic. Read RR, log on to the MHC web site, stream the sermons, praise God and have a blast.

Mark Driscoll's work on living on the balance of syncretism/sectarianism is critical to the church as we struggle between moralism and 'selling out'. His work has had a profound impact on his church and church pastors across the country. This book is a must read whether you are an 'emerging' pastor or if you have been in the ministry for decades. I pray it is a wake up call to a radical but necessary place of tension.

Driscoll's sense of humor is rather twisted. His willingness to say aloud what others forbid themselves to even think is refreshing. His views are thought provoking. His concepts in practice are enlightening. Some people "will" find parts of Radical Reformission offensive. My parents were offended by the copy I gave them. But they are now buying more copies and recommending it to everyone. RR will show you how to use your freedom to set others free. Thank you Jesus for Pastor Driscoll.