Mark Driscoll Gears Up for Marriage Conference by Asking Followers to Tweet Relationship Questions

By Alex Murashko, CP Contributor Friday, January 10, 2014

Author and pastor Mark Driscoll is gearing up for a marriage conference he'll host next month by asking those following his teachings to post questions regarding matrimony on Twitter with the hashtag/key word: #RM2014. The answers to the questions leading into the Real Marriage (also the title of Driscoll's book released in 2012) event will be posted on the Resurgence website, according to his ministry.

"I have a question! #RM2014 What year really is the hardest year as a married couple?" and "I have a question! How can a guy have faith he will get married, if he's awful with girls? If he fails, show his heart too fast? #RM2014" and "#RM2014 Do you raise your children to be good spouses, or good singles?" are some of the tweets recently posted in response to Driscoll's request.

Content writers for Resurgence, a ministry led by Driscoll, recently posted that he and his wife, Grace, who co-authored Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together, will teach at the conference scheduled for Feb. 21-22. The event will be simulcast live online from Roseville, Calif. "Churches, small groups, couples, and anyone who wants to can join, for less than the price of a plane ticket – and only $29 for couples and individuals," stated Resurgence.

"The teaching will include fresh content that expands on some of the themes covered in the Driscolls' best-selling book, including a little something for everyone, whether married or single. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to cultivate healthy marriages and relationships for the good of your church, the glory of God, and the sake of his mission."

Shortly after Real Marriage was released two years ago, Driscoll hit back at critics who claimed his new book penned with his wife, went too far, or didn't go far enough, in its discussion of marriage and sex.

"You try to write a book on marriage and sex with your wife and next thing you know there are a lot of ants crashing your picnic," he wrote in a post for CNN's Belief blog.

The book addresses issues that both Christians in general and pastors specifically are often hesitant to openly discuss. The Driscolls, who went on a nationwide media tour promoting the book two years ago, talked honestly about sexuality – covering topics such as pornography, sexual abuse, and what kind of sexual activity they believe is permissible for married couples. "It's a practical book rooted in the Bible," Pastor Driscoll argued in the CNN post. "It deals with marriage in the context of friendship, men's and women's roles and responsibilities and ways of dealing with sin so that marriage gets better rather than bitter."

Never one to shy away from controversy, Driscoll has recently taken a low-key approach to media relations after accusations of plagiarism and improper attribution were made against him in his book, A Call to Resurgence: Will Christianity Have a Funeral Or a Future?, and other content.

Last month, Tyndale House Publishers defended Driscoll against the accusations. In the same statement, Driscoll released an apology, including a chronological explanation of events, saying he was grieved by his mistakes. His statement came after a long silence on the matter in which many Christian media and bloggers questioned the wisdom of staying quiet.