One of the things noticed at the SBC were motions brought from the floor (all of which except for the Great Commission Resurgence one were simply referred to various agencies and not voted upon) criticizing Acts 29 Network and "Reformissional" Pastor Mark "the cussing preacher" Driscoll (see the BP article on motions).
BP reported one such motion: "--that author Mark Driscoll's books be removed from LifeWay Christian Bookstores because of his 'reputation for abusive and ungodly language and ... promotions of sex toys on his church web site.' This was submitted by Jim Wilson, pastor, First Baptist Church in Seneca, Mo. "We need to live holy lives and bringing this man to our college campuses and promoting his books in the bookstore ... I believe is a violation of Scripture."
The website of the Missouri Baptist Laymen's Association takes Driscoll to task as well as some Southern Baptists who have invited Driscoll to speak at SBC sponsored events. Among these are Lifeway's Ed Stetzer and SEBT's Danny Askin. The attack on Akin who invited Driscoll to speak at the seminary's 20/20 student conference this year seems suspiciously timed to coincide with his promotion of the Great Commission Resurgence. Obviously, this did not slow down the passage of the GCR or Akin being named to the GCR task force.
Most of the attacks on Driscoll were related to his use and promotion of alcohol (namely home-brewed beer). As one who has also offered a critique of Driscoll and who also disapproves of his invitation to things like 20/20 at SEBTS, Piper's pastors conferences, and the Gospel Coaltion, I would say that a prudish concern over alcohol consumption is the least of worries. In other words, his SBC critics were again' him for all the wrong reasons. The problem is not merely alcohol use but his commitment to uncritical pragmatic cultural engagement and non-cessationism.
JTR
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