“Pastor”? (Sean Palmer)

From Sean Palmer:

With one simple click of the mouse, Christians can be pastored by their favorite pastor. Regardless of the miles between them, open your web browser and in just a few keystrokes, your preferred preacher is pastoring your soul…except, not really. Here’s one unwitting example:

Last week the Internet announced the resurgence of Mr. Resurgence. Mark Driscoll, the embattled former pastor of the now defunct Mars Hill Church in Seattle, who rejected his board’s restoration process, attended a Christian conference in Dallas where he was compared to Jesus, is no longer pastoring a local church, and has now launched a new website.According to reports, “The site acts as a history of sorts for Driscoll, with access to his sermon series and blogs, as well as the online home of the Driscolls’ ministry. Those who sign up are given access to exclusive content.”

Fair enough. Like any public persona, Driscoll has a dedicated following whom, I’m sure, wish to keep up with him and his endeavors. However, I find Driscoll’s new site troubling, but not because I’m interested in the accusations and/or behaviors that led to Mark’s orbit away from Mars.

My problem with the website — and others like it — is simple: It’s called, “Pastor Mark.”

Some (maybe most) folks won’t understand why this is inappropriate. Others will suggest I’m making too much of it. They’ll say titles are merely honorific and largely meaningless. But I don’t think they are, especially this one.

My ache is about a mutating virus sickening the contemporary church: Christians have either abandoned or never understood what a pastor is. And there is no pastor without a church!

And Sean’s knock-down line:

A shepherd without sheep is just a dude with a stick!