Pastor Apologizes for Inviting Mark Driscoll to Men’s Conference
Megachurch pastor John Lindell apologized to his congregation Sunday for inviting sword-swallower Alex Magala and disgraced pastor Mark Driscoll to the Stronger Men’s Conference two weekends ago in Springfield, Missouri.
The apology follows a week of controversy sparked by Driscoll’s sharp condemnation of Magala’s “strip” act and Lindell’s initial defense of Magala’s act and rebuke of Driscoll for alleged divisive and “demonic” actions.
“I want to apologize and let you know I take full responsibility for the decision that was made to invite Mark Driscoll and Alex Magala to the Stronger Men’s Conference,” Lindell told his congregants at James River Church. “I am deeply saddened by the division that our invitation has brought to the Body of Christ. That was never our intent.”
“The Stronger Men’s Conference is about reaching men for Jesus Christ, and it will continue to be about reaching men for Jesus Christ,” Lindell added to the applause of his congregation.
Lindell did not offer any explanation as to why he was apologizing for Magala’s act now, after first defending it.
In an address to his congregation last Wednesday, Lindell claimed Magala’s act, which included taking off his shirt, swallowing a sword, and scaling a pole, was appropriate for the Christian men’s conference. Lindell also claimed Magala, had become a born-again Christian 10 years ago and is a member of Mosaic Church in Los Angeles led by Erwin McManus.
However, last Friday, Magala posted a video on his Instagram page, claiming that Lindell’s statements about him were inaccurate.
“I just wanted to clear some details. First of all, I have no kids. I have a family; I have no kids yet. So, that’s number one,” Magala said. “And secondly, some sources say that I was saved by God around 10 years ago, which is not correct because I’m an Orthodox Christian. … Orthodox Christian means that I get through the ceremony of becoming a Christian as a baby. So pretty much all my family is an Orthodox Christian, and me as well.”
Magala also suggested only a loose connection with Mosaic Church.
“I had no problem going to, attending a Baptist church in Los Angeles, Mosaic Church, with Pastor Erwin McManus primarily because my friends were going there, and just in general,” Magala said.
He called McManus a great speaker and added that he found a lot of wisdom in Bible stories.
“I know my way of expressing my faith is different,” Magala said. “When I perform, I swallow a sword and attempting a death-defying stunt, climbing on top of the pole, and then going upside down. The moment when I dropped down, that to me, is when I give my life to God. And the moment when I stopped one inch before hitting the ground, that’s the moment when I get saved by God.”
Before becoming a professional sword-swallower, the performer worked in both women’s and gay nightclubs as a pole dancer, TRR reported. His background, coupled with images on his social media pages that show Magala in seductive poses, helped spur on the controversy that followed his conference performance.
The Roys Report (TRR) reached out to James River Church and Pastor Lindell for more details on where Lindell got his initial information about Magala, but did not hear back prior to publication.
Also in his address last Wednesday, Lindell called on Driscoll to repent for attacking Magala’s performance.
At the Stronger Men’s Conference, Driscoll had claimed that Magala’s “strip” act exhibited the “Jezebel spirit.” This prompted Lindell to interrupt Driscoll, calling from off-stage, “You’re out of line Mark. … You’re done,” and to boot Driscoll off the platform.
Soon after, Driscoll and Lindell re-appeared on stage and seemed to reconcile.
But in his address last Wednesday, Lindell revealed that Driscoll had privately accused Lindell’s son, Brandon Lindell, of “a list of dark sins.” Driscoll also urged Lindell’s son, David Lindell, to take James River Church and to separate himself from his father and brother, John Lindell said.
Lindell called Driscoll’s behavior “demonic” and strongly urged him to repent.
However, Driscoll appears to be doubling down on his position. In an X post last Friday, Driscoll wrote, “Tolerance is demonic. … When the church gets naughtier than the culture, they become an abomination.”
Driscoll also seems to be capitalizing on the controversy as an opportunity to advertise his new book, “New Days, Old Demons” and his sermons on the Jezebel spirit.
In an X post with a link to a sermon, Driscoll asks, “What is the Jezebel spirit, and how is she destroying the American church? Today we pull back the veil on the demonic.”
This story was republished with permission from The Roys Report.
Liz Lykins is a freelancer who writes for WORLD Magazine, Christianity Today, Ministry Watch, and other publications.