Lindell said that after the conference, Driscoll texted Lindell’s son, David, several times, referring to Magala as a “gay porn, stripper, Jezebel” and “completely demonic.” Driscoll also left David a voicemail after receiving no reply. Lindell said that he reached out to Driscoll the next day to ask Driscoll to stop his “pursuit of this situation.” Driscoll responded by telling Lindell that he loved Lindell’s family.
Lindell then suggested that David return Driscoll’s call. David later recounted Driscoll telling him, “I’m not wrong.” Per David’s account, Driscoll told David that “there is something wrong at James River Church,” that “there is something evil at work in the church,” and that “there is a mixture of the sinful and the sacred.”
Lindell said that Driscoll further told David that he needed “to differentiate” from his father and brother and “become the leader of James River Church.” Driscoll also reportedly said that David’s brother, Brandon, “is a broken man” and that “something is wrong with him.”
“This is your fulcrum moment,” David recounted Driscoll saying.
While Lindell and his wife currently serve as the church’s lead pastors, they announced in 2023 that leadership of the church will pass to David and Brandon in 2027.
“Let me say this, Brandon is a man of God in every sense of the word,” Lindell said, and the church erupted into applause. Lindell added, “In fact, I will take it a step further: David is a man of God in every sense of the word.” The congregation cheered and applauded more.
Lindell went on to say that he confronted Driscoll personally about his conversation with David but got nowhere with him.
“What Mark had done at this point was so egregious,” Lindell said. “Attempting to tear down the leadership of the church, attempting to create doubt and friction between brothers, attempting to sow discord between a father and a son. It seems demonic to me.”
He added, “And honestly it makes me very, very concerned for Mark.”
Lindell said that he subsequently asked Dr. Jimmy Evans, founder and president of MarriageToday and a mutual friend, to reach out to Driscoll.
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“Dr. Evans repeatedly told Mark Driscoll that he needed to repent,” Lindell said. “But Mark was unwilling to repent.”