Pastor Mark Driscoll Explores Issues of Identity in New Book

“Who do you think you are?”

This is the crucial question that Pastor Mark Driscoll, New York Times best-selling author and founder of Mars Hill Church, hopes to help readers resolve with the publication of his new book, Who Do You Think You Are?: Finding Your True Identity in Christ, set for release on Jan. 8. 

Two decades of ministry work have taught Driscoll that the issue of identity underlies nearly every struggle. “I believe we have an opportunity with this book,” he says, “to fill a massive and very practical biblical need for a wide range of Christians, across virtually every denomination, tribe, and theological nuance. And that is the need to understand who we truly are and where our identity lies. 

“The fundamental problem we have in this world is that we don’t understand who we truly are—children of God made in His image—and define ourselves by any number of things other than Jesus. Only by knowing our false identity apart from Christ, in comparison to our true identity in him, can we finally deal with and overcome the issues in our lives.” 

Driscoll’s first release since hitting No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list with Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship and Life Together in early 2012, Who Do You Think You Are? was written to serve seasoned believers and those new to the faith alike as an exploration of the identity question and an practical examination of what it means to be “in Christ,” as the Bible says.

Consumers inundated with holiday messages about who to be, what to buy and what to look like will find great encouragement in Driscoll’s book. Research also indicates that depression spikes in the winter months. In other words, the book’s January release couldn’t come at a better time. 

“In an age when marketing tries to establish our identity through purchases, pornography tries to establish our identity through beauty, and culture tries to establish our identity through performance, I believe this book is enormously timely, helpful, biblical, and practical,” Driscoll says.

“People are chasing the fruit of sin (drugs, alcohol, addiction, anger, depression, suffering, sexual sin, etc.) but not the root of sin—identity. They’re living for their identity, rather than from it. And it’s their identity that writes their testimony and determines their destiny. If it’s not rooted in Christ, then they’re doomed to misery. If it is, then they’re free to live joyful lives, loving God and loving others. I can’t imagine anything that matters more.” 

Driscoll’s writing draws on years of experience as the founding pastor of Mars Hill Church, based in Seattle, with 14 locations across multiple states. Outreach Magazine recently recognized Mars Hill as the nation’s 28th largest and third fastest-growing church. Driscoll reaches an even greater audience online. His weekly podcast often ranks No/ 1 on iTunes charts, and listeners download more than 10 million of his sermons every year.