Mars Hill & Criticism

Since I started attending Mars Hill (Ballard) about 1.5 years ago, I was always able to find commentary about it. Usually nice, factual write-ups about it's growth and appeal. The only criticisms coming from the Emergent/Liberal wing of christian churches. But lately that has seemed to change (or perhaps just my awareness of it). Mars Hill (primarily Mark Driscoll) is now firmly in the sights of it's 'opponents'; the far-left loons of Seattle that we are called to love and care for. An announcement was made last week through different sources that there will be a demonstration of some sort from 1000 to 1130 on 3 December. It took me a little digging to find the sources (not that they are hiding). Here they are:

http://groups.myspace.com/peopleoffaithagainstmarshillchurch

http://www.endfundamentalism.org/

And most shockingly local weekly bum blanket, The Stranger!

http://www.thestranger.com/blog/2006/11/mars_hill_protest_ab.php

Also, there have been a few thread posts in the Mars Hill Myspace Group that seem to be planted by detractors; i.e. bomb throwers.

http://groups.myspace.com/marshillchurch

Criticism is not necessarily a bad thing. It can be constructive and should not be avoided. The 'criticism' listed here however is neither of those things. It is hate-filled speech from close-minded people. 'We' have nothing to fear because these are the lost that are merely acting out as certain segments of the lost always have. As long as this knee-jerk reaction does not distract us from seeing them as the objective, then it is all just "sound and fury signifying nothing". Everyone and anything that has been worth a damn throughout history has attracted criticism, but it matters from what quarters it comes from. If John Piper or the like was the attacker, Mark/Mars Hill might be in trouble. But this comes from the expected sources; unbiblical or twisting Scripture, taking comments out of context to suite their aims and simply being hate-filled by branding others so vehemently of that crime. People that just are not going to 'get it' unless God bends their hearts.

"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV)

Judge the success of something by the criticism it attracts. And by that metric, I think Mars Hill is kicking ass.