Funny, but I'm not coming to this article from the viewpoint of someone who is just reading a couple of quotes taken out of context. I have listened to Mark Driscoll's sermons over several months, on the Mars Hill Church podcast.

Sorry, folks, but even though he freaks folks out to a certain extent (including the Rev. who wrote this article), he is right on target in his sermons. Here, with Mr. MacArthur, we have a case of a person who thinks "if you don't preach the way I preach, there's got to be something wrong with you."

Mark Driscoll knows his bible, and loves Jesus more than anything else in life. He would give his life for his family and his congregation.

If you can't get people IN your church, folks, you will never get around to telling them what they need to hear. I think it's time to get over our "do it my way or else" attitude.

And I am a middle aged widow in her late forties, in no way a "young, hip, trendy" woman.

The accusations in this article are not founded in reality.

What an interesting article. If you take a peek into the language the Bible was written in, you will find ancient near eastern swear words littered throughout as used by Jesus (in the book of Matthew he uses the word raca, a terrible word used to slander someone) and Paul uses swears on several occasions.
Paul threatened to cut someones male only anatomy off in the book of Galatians, and David tells us you can identify a man as one who can "pissith against a wall".
But a pastor who talks about sex, drugs, prostitutes, and other things of relevance to the culture is a bad thing? We need to use these things to reach people. Listen to Jay Baker talk. He gets it. He knows people need to speak the language of the people to reach the people. I am not saying we should have cuss-word laden speech, especially if it used to rip someone else apart or bring them down, but we should not be afraid to address topics because they are a little taboo.The Bible is full of this. Have you read it?

Am I the only one that read the cussing pastor's quotes on the other links? When I read the part where he was quoted in a conversation with a young man who was struggling with sexual sin (masturbation), I was disturbed by his reactions and responses to the poor man who is just trying to seek help from a pastor. How could anyone who calls themselves a Christian not see this is clearly not glorifiying God!!

I've visited non-traditional churches before. Hip Hop gospel churches and believe me their pastor was in no way behaving in a way that would dishonor God or the body of Christ. Everything in that church was Christ centered, however the only difference would be the Hip Hop style of music worship. But, even the music had a Christ centered message.
Believe me, if I ever heard the Hip Hop pastor cuss or use the type of vulgarity that this so called grunge pastor uses, I would have walked out that church with no regrets. Oh and by the way, I'm between 20-30 yrs of age and discerning!

I agree largely with MacArthur's point: being cool is hardly a good guide for one's ecclesiology. And he's also right that evangelicals somewhere along the way definitely threw in the towel in the battle against worldliness, and that has created an ecclesiastic confusion whose maleffects are still yet to be seen. But Crosswalk, I think, needs to get a better editor. The thing that bothers me here is that MacArthur's mildly shrill tone is not accompanied by a single quote by Driscoll, Bell, or others in order to substantiate the claims. Worse yet, MacArthur's article cites an article by Phil Johnson which is equally devoid of evidence, and has an even more shrill tone (Johnson calls Driscoll a heretical, and implies he is not even a Christian--this is hardly the stuff of honest, charitable debate). MacArthur seems to assume that his interpretations of style, indecency, and vulgarity are accurate, and are to be blindly trusted and shared by others. An editor is sleeping somewhere.

My apologies, Mark the Cussing Pastor is mentioned in passing. It has been a while since I read the book, I submitted before checking the book. Please forgive me.

As a pastor trained, mentored, and empowered by the very circle MacArthur runs in, I am again embarrassed and ashamed of the harsh rhetoric used by the men I once counted as dear friends. It is a shame that a man with the influence of MacArthur would choose to spend his time bashing a man who he doesn't know. I personally admire Driscoll and would call him a friend although we've only met briefly. Clearly this article isn't about the Gospel it is an attack on Driscoll.

If MacArthur has problems with men who address real issues from their pulpits then maybe he should take it up with Jesus who spent his time with thieves and prostitutes. Or maybe he should look into the vulgarity of a certain apostle named Peter. MacArthur clearly refuses to acknowledge that the modern era is ending and the Communication Age or Postmodern Age is being birthed.

MacArthur apparently didn't read Blue Like Jazz, Rick McKinley is the cussing pastor, sent out by Driscoll to plant Imago Dei, Portland, OR.