What is Acts 29
As I listened to Mark Driscoll define Acts 29 at the most recent A29 lead pastors and wives retreat in Vail, CO. it really struck me why I decided to join this great network. Well let me first back up and say during the entire retreat we never heard about or heard from Mark Driscoll until it was time for him to speak during the closing session. Prior to this we heard from multiple A29 pastors, including several who pastor small churches, regarding their suffering and difficulties during the previous year. I was amazed by the love and support that the network had poured out on them in their time of need. I was also very humbled to hear each man tell of how he wrestled with God in the midst his trial and how at the end of the day the only thing left to cling to was, the hope of the gospel and the sovereignty of God. All of this to say that the retreat was not focused upon any one man or even Acts 29 per say.
Mark was his usual humorous and articulate self. He made us laugh, he didn’t make us cry, which was good because there had been enough of that for 10 retreats with all of the heart wrenching stories we had already heard. Driscoll’s premise was to bring some clarity as to why Acts 29 exists and what makes us different from the myriad of networks, movements and denominations that already exist.
In brief here are the 4 points of Acts 29 that Mark elucidated -
1. Jesus and Gospel Focused Theology (Jesus is the hero)
2. Complementarian Relationships (Men lead the home and the church)
3. Spirit Filled Lives (We’re on Jesus’ mission by Jesus’ power)
4. Missional Churches (To contextualize the gospel and contend for the gospel)
I hope to write separate blog posts about each of these points in the coming days and weeks.
