I wonder. Do you find yourself strongly affected when you hear about God saving people? If so, then go read this post and watch the video about what has just been happening over the Easter weekend in Seattle. When I did, I found myself crying tears of gratitude to God for what he is doing through the Mars Hill Church.  I have spoken to a number of other people who had the same experience.

It seems clear from the post that Mark Driscoll is as surprised by all that God is doing through the church there as anyone else. Like many of the men God chooses to use, Driscoll might not have been man's choice.

I am thrilled to see what God is doing there, having had the joy of interviewing Driscoll by e-mail in 2006, and hearing him preach live in Scotland. We are looking forward so much to him being the main speaker at the Newfrontiers Brighton conference.

Over on Terry Virgo's Blog, his son, Joel, recently interviewed Driscoll in three parts (1, 2, 3). One question Joel asked was whether the astonishing growth that is happening in Seattle should be classified as a revival. Driscoll was understandably reticent to use that word, preferring to leave such judgments to the future, while clearly delighted at what God has, indeed, been doing.

It seems to me that the events of the past weekend at Seattle sound even more like true revival than what has gone before. Here is an extract of what Mark says, but please do go and read the whole thing!

"Something broke this weekend, spiritually. I’m not sure how to explain it, but God’s favor was evident everywhere. We had 8,070 people attend on Sunday, plus however many could not make it into the Eastside Campus or stand up outside the building to listen on speakers because there was no room in the parking lot or on the sidewalk. We had 3,648 for Good Friday services plus however many hundreds got turned away from the 7 p.m. service at Ballard. We had at least 11,718 people altogether this weekend, somewhere near 200 baptisms yesterday alone, and are still trying to figure out how many people got saved. . . .

Yesterday, while singing with the congregation at each of the five services I preach live, I could not stop weeping. People were singing loudly with their hands in the air. They cheered all day as people came forward to give their lives to Jesus and be baptized. The pastors were up front laying hands on people, praying over them, and leading them to Christ by the dozens at every service. I stood off to the side during the singing to watch what God was doing, and multiple people walked up to me weeping and asked me to pray with them to become a Christian."

— Mark Driscoll