Sex, Drugs, and Mark Driscoll, pt. 2

Mark Driscoll is addicted to adrenaline. I hope that wasn't a big let down for some of you. It really is far more serious than what some might think.

I get my info from here:

a summary of accounts and references so far

Here is the part I'm most interested in:

A naturopath said I had overextended myself and worn out my adrenal glands (which regulate my sympathetic nervous system).

I’ve read it carefully a couple of times and I have one word for this pace and level of expectation and disjointed assistance to someone crying out for help. Insane.

Our sympathetic and parasympatetic nervous system is designed to warn us that our lifestyle is out of whack. And when we don’t pay attention, we pay the price. I’m sure Driscoll will get hundreds of tut-tut emails, and people letting him know they are praying for him.

He needs help, good medical help. He serious, mature people stepping into his life and into their responsibilities at his church to provide him with what he and his family needs, not what he thinks he wants.

The smaller print is Driscoll's words. The larger words come from Bene Diction Blogs via Wenachee the Hatchet's blog.

Now for a few of my own words on it.

I get being addicted to adrenaline. I get the adrenaline rush that you get from speaking in front of a small congregation. I can only imagine the rush that Driscoll gets from speaking to thousands by satellite or millions on The View.

If you are unfamiliar with this, let me explain a little bit. I like public speaking. I like expounding on points and seeing a reaction on the faces of those listening to me. I like the adrenaline rush that you get before and during a time of public speaking. And I like the afterglow let down that you bask in for an hour to several hours after a speaking engagement.

Adrenaline is a drug that the body produces. It is a natural drug that helps us deal with stressful situation. Public speaking is a stressful situation. In fact, I've heard that many people would rather face death than to speak in front of an audience. Adrenaline helps us with public speaking and other situations that seem dangerous.

One of the things adrenaline does is that it reduces or eliminates pain. I used to suffer from chronic back pain back when my husband still pastored. But when I got up to speak to the church, that adrenaline would rush in and I didn't feel back pain all the time I was speaking and for several hours after I spoke. This also happened when I had headaches.

I used to mistake that rush and elimination of pain for "The Anointing". The anointing is that thing that pastors and other Christians get when they are exercising their Spiritual gifts. Now I know it was adrenaline.

Don't get me wrong. In many cases, adrenaline is good and useful. For a public speaker or Christian teacher alike. But everything in moderation.

Also, Christian teachers need to realize that adrenaline is not necessarily anointing. I believe that Driscoll makes this mistake. One time he has said that everything he said, while preaching, was from the Holy Spirit. Seeing what those things were, I can tell you. They were not from the Holy Spirit. Messages concerning what wives need to do sexually for their husbands and breaking elders' noses... this isn't the Holy Spirit talking. It is pure adrenaline.

Anyway, the fact that Driscoll has overextended his adrenal glands is evidence that he's addicted to the drug, adrenaline. And, as the blogger I quoted above says, "He needs help...mature people stepping into his life...to provide him with what he and his family needs, not what he thinks he wants."

In other words (and I say this with sympathy, not judgement)...

Mark Driscoll needs an intervention.