Last week was a glorious week. Early Friday morning my wife Grace and I boarded a flight to Minneapolis for the national Desiring God conference hosted by my friend Dr. John Piper. We left our four older children at home while my youngest son Gideon Joseph traveled with us. We checked into our hotel and had dinner with Dr. Piper and the other speakers before I got to sit in on a panel discussion with Dr. Piper and Dr. Tim Keller, both of whom I love and respect tremendously. Afterward, Grace and I hung out with Justin Taylor from Crossway who has also become an encouraging friend.

The next day we again hung out with all of the speakers (Dr. David Wells, Dr. D. A. Carson, Dr. Tim Keller, Dr. John Piper, and Voddie Baucham). I had previously spent some time with everyone except Wells and Baucham and it was a privilege to meet both men. Dr. Wells' writing has been very shaping for me over the years, and Baucham is now among my favorite people because he loves kids and got down on the floor in his suit to wrestle with my eight-month-old boy. It was funny to see my son growl at a man who is big enough to have his own zip code and looks like he should be the pulling guard for a pro football team.

Perhaps the funniest backstage moment for me was when all the speakers showed up to have our photo taken. Thinking it was casual dress, I wore dark jeans and was humored to find that I was the only man not wearing a suit. I had nearly worn my "Vote for Jesus" t-shirt but instead grabbed a button-up at the last minute, which was better, but certainly no suit. Upon seeing me in jeans, the stately gentleman Dr. Wells actually busted up laughing as he envisioned what the photo would look like with me and the guys dressed up in suits.

That afternoon I spoke at a main session and rushed to the airport to fly back to Seattle that night. On Sunday we celebrated the ten-year anniversary of Mars Hill Church. It was a very emotional day for me. We started as a flat-broke Bible study of mainly college students and indie rockers in one of America's least churched cities when I was twenty-five. I actually cried at most of the services when it hit me that God has saved me through Jesus and has given me the wonderful honor of pastoring a church that I love with all my heart.

The only disappointment of the day was the news that was relayed to me before the final two evening services: Dr. Piper had spoken about me at the conference after I had already departed. He had not mentioned anything to me about this beforehand, so I was curious about what was said. Shortly thereafter, bloggerdom exploded, essentially debating the issue and taking sides, as if there were some division between Dr. Piper and myself. To be honest, this was very saddening to me because I deeply respect the men I was honored to speak with; I want to present the real Christian unity I have with them.

Later that night, when all of our services were finished, I receive a very kind email from Dr. Piper, to which I responded. I received his permission to post our email exchange in an effort to clear up any misunderstandings people may have. So, with the permission of my friend Dr. Piper, I will post in chronological order his email to me, my responses to him, and his final email on the matter to me. As you read, I suspect you will see why a young generation of pastors looks to him as a pastor to pastors and why I consider it an honor to call him a friend.

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Sunday, October 01, 2006 7:12 PM
Dear Mark,

I expected your message to the conference to be very good. It was better. Your left hand was like the nailing of theses to the Wittenberg Door, and your right hand was like the hand that touched lepers and said, Be Clean. It was a very good word for all of us, especially me. Thank you for the labor that went into it and for the time it took for you to come. It was good to meet Grace and Gideon.

I wish you could have been there for two subsequent things. So I will tell you about them. In the q and a I commented on your talk and said that my approach to deciding whom I hang out with and support hangs almost entirely on what is in the left hand. And I was so moved by your theses-nailing that I pass few judgments on a brother's contextualizing "tactics." I acknowledged that there may be disagreement over whether there are tactics that in the LONG run may undermine something in the left hand. I said if I see that I will talk to you.

I said that I would tell you one small concern. In my book on preaching I quote James Denny like this: "A preacher cannot show that he himself is clever and that Jesus is mighty to save." I said, that you have one of the more remarkable gifts for turning a pop-cultural phrase, that it could easily set a standard for overweening cleverness for others who do not have your passion for the truth. Most of the chapter titles in your books are clever turns of phrase. Thus the general tone seems to be one of clever speech. That's my yellow flag.

Here is the interesting (second) thing. A brother came to me this morning before I spoke and said, "You know, pastor John, Mark is clever with pop culture, you are clever with academic culture." I looked at him and said, "That is VERY perceptive and I receive it as a God-sent exhortation." So when I stood up to speak I narrated that exhortation to me in front of all the people and said, "So you can see that Mark and I are in this battle together. We both want to speak in a way that is NOT boring about the greatest things in the world and is not worn out and tired and hackneyed. It is a sin to bore people with God. So pray for us. The line is fine between choosing words to strike the soul with glory and strike a clever pose."

O how good it was to have you here. Let us pray for each other. God is at work in this Reformed resurgence at more levels that you or I could get our arms around. But our roles are important (I don't say "crucial" since we could drop dead tomorrow and the truth would go marching on), May the Lord make us contrite and broken stewards. Let us have that demeanor. Since the CT article people will be watching to see if we strut (like Bush, who says in TX it is called "walking"--that may be one of TX's problems).

I love you and hope to be together more.

Happy tenth anniversary.

John

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Monday, October 02, 2006 12:10 PM

Dr. Piper, I wanted to sincerely thank you for sticking your neck out and bringing me to speak at the event. Everyone on the DG staff was very kind and helpful and we had a great time. We returned home late Saturday night and had the big 10 year anniversary Sunday. God brought us nearly 5300 people who gave $1.5 million for the day's offering. We launched a new campus and the first service drew 600 mainly new people. I must confess that with all that is going on, all the opportunities, all the critics, the media, the rapid growth of the church and five little kids on days like this I feel beyond spent in my body though I remain encouraged in my spirit. As far as your comments regarding me, I welcome them but must confess that maybe telling me them before they get sent out to cyber world like fresh meat to feed all my critics would be preferable. Either way, I love, respect, and appreciate you very much and have an open ear for any counsel or criticism from you. Perhaps some day I can take a few minutes to tell you my life story as it may help to explain a bit of who I am and make our friendship even simpler. It was a tremendous honor to be in the company of men I have learned much from over the years and made the celebration of 10 years in ministry all the more memorable. This past weekend was one of the highlights of my life. So, thank you very much and I pray you get some rest after the conference.

For Jesus' fame,
Mark Driscoll

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Monday, October 02, 2006 6:16 PM

I guess I will ask one more thing from you. As a result of your correction of me there is a bit of a roaring debate as to our relationship in some circles that we both respect as if folks needed to pick your team or mine. I in no way expect you to defend me, but I also do not want the rumor to keep growing that we are somehow at odds. I want the men who are supportive of me to be supportive of you also and in my heart would be very grieved if there was an appearance that somehow we were at odds because it is untrue. So, I am wondering if I might have your permission to put your email and my response on my blog and clear the air so to speak? If not, I will respect that and likely just blog that you and I have communicated via email and that I love and respect you very much and appreciate your concern and counsel. Either way, I'd just like to make sure there is water on the proverbial fire because these are important times and big issues are on the table and unity on what counts is critical. One of my goals in speaking at the event was to show unity around what counts and if somehow the event resulted in exactly the opposite in the minds of many people, I would be deeply saddened.

Many thanks
Mark Driscoll

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Monday, October 02, 2006 7:35 PM

Good grief. I am glad I don't read the web very much. I would sin with anger too much. "Roaring debate" !-- these people have too much time on their hands.

Absolutely you may use the email and tell the world that, I would not have .001 seconds hesitation in having Mark Driscoll come back tomorrow to our church or our conference. I LOVE being on the same team and consider my self a learner in your presence more than a counselor. Yes, say all that. People really don't know how much I love and live by the left hand. .

With deep affection (say that too),

John (not Dr. Piper, even if I am old enough to be your father)