Pastor Dude's Mega-Church Draws Crowds

Pastor Mark Driscoll is the "indy rock star" of the evangelicals. At his Mars Hill Church in Seattle, sermon topics include sex, and why Jesus was a rebel.

(ABC)

Jesus Was a Rebel

Driscoll has five children and works most days from home to help raise them. His wife Grace was his high-school sweetheart and today she finds herself in the sometimes difficult position of being married to a pastor who likes to talk about sex.

"We did have some discussions, just talking about how far we want to go, what all we want to say," she said, adding that she's no longer embarrassed sharing those intimate details.

"I used to be more private about that sort of thing. I know we have a lot of young couples that need to work through that stuff. So if we can be of help to people, that's great. Otherwise, we don't need to talk about it," she added, laughing.

Driscoll does have some critics who accuse him of lowering the moral standard in his ministry.

"I preach for a living," he said. "If you don't have a critic, then you probably aren't saying anything."

And then there are the things he has to say about Jesus -- Jesus according to Pastor Mark.

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Driscoll calls the mainstream church's portrayal of Jesus "a hippie-Christ. A neutered and limp-wristed popular sky fairy of popular culture that would never talk about sin or send anyone to hell."

According to Driscoll, Jesus was an outcast who didn't play by the rules.

"Jesus is typically portrayed as very effeminate guy, kind of long, flowing hair wearing a dress, always smiling, [making] pithy Zen statements that read like fortune cookies at a Chinese restaurant," he said. "And the truth is that he was a construction worker. He was very controversial and got murdered."

The image of Jesus as a rebel seems to strike a chord because the Mars Hill Church isn't just growing by leaps and bounds -- which it is -- but it's drawing in people who otherwise didn't have much interest in organized religion.

A number of parishioners told "Nightline" that they didn't attend church in the past.

"I considered myself a Christian since I was a little kid but I've never really liked a church as much as this church," said RC Decosta. "This is the first church that I've been to that really, I stick by."

The church is as hi-tech as it is hip. While Pastor Mark preaches in the flesh at the main building, thousands come to see him each Sunday on the big screen from a half dozen newer locations throughout the Seattle area -- churches that include pretty nifty coffee shops and free Wi-Fi inside.