Missions Misunderstood

Sure their computers are prettier and crash a lot less than everyone else's, but Mac users are more than just adopters of an alternative operating system. They're members of a club. If you've ever been evangelized by a Mac user, you know what I mean. It's more than a computer, it's a way of life. Mac users look at the world differently than PC users. They dress alike and hang out in coffee shops. All it takes for entry into the club is a thousand dollars (the cost of a MacBook). 

Apple isn't just selling hardware and software; with every shiny new iPod and Mac they're selling identity. 

Mark Driscoll is selling the same thing (for a lot less, though). You can see his admirers and devotees planting churches across the country. They're bold, they're sarcastic, they're unashamedly reformed. They major on the majors, like good theology, social action, and character. They drink, smoke cigars, and watch a lot of movies. They have iPhones, blogs and Flickr pages. They are unimpressed by denominations and traditions, and there are likely one or two of them planting churches in your area. 

Sure, you could call members of Driscoll's tribe or the Mac Club "followers." You could criticize them for not being unique or original. 

I say, why aren't more of us providing identity? People are looking for a way to make sense of their world, a way to understand who they are in relation to everything else. In Christ, we have that identity. 

I think that would be good news for a lot of people.