Mark Driscoll Uses Thrive Leadership Conference for Message of Forgiveness

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: May 05, 2015

Mark Driscoll Uses Thrive Leadership Conference for Message of Forgiveness

Mark Driscoll spoke at the recent Thrive leadership conference in Sacramento, a move that some are forecasting as a return to the ministry. Christian Today reports Driscoll, who resigned from his position as lead pastor of the Mars Hill megachurch complex last year, spoke about forgiveness. 

Driscoll referred to Matthew 26:31, saying, "I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.” The pastor then talked about what his family went through after he was accused of involvement with multiple scandals, including plagiarism, misuse of church funds and bullying church leaders. According to Driscoll, his family were targeted with protests and hostile media coverage and his 8-year-old son feared that the family would be attacked. 

He also prayed that God would "send the Holy Spirit to help us forgive those who have struck us and struck our families.”

While many who attended the conference were moved by Driscoll’s speech, Pastor James Miller responded that Driscoll missed the point. 

"Driscoll just gave a long lecture on forgiveness without asking for it,” Miller wrote. “In fact, it seemed like the entire lecture was aimed at his need to forgive those people who had wronged him."

Publication date: May 5, 2015



Mark Driscoll Uses Thrive Leadership Conference for Message of Forgiveness