Thursday, March 27, 2014

Documenting the Problems with Mars Hill Pastor Mark Driscoll [UPDATED]

Posted by Sola Sisters


[UPDATE: New links continue to be added regularly]

In order to understand what went wrong at Mars Hill, we highly recommend that you first read this article by former Mars Hill elder Paul Petry. According to Petry (and other witnesses in the form of former Mars Hill elders who have also since come forward), there was a dramatic change in the climate of Mars Hill in late 2007, when new bylaws were instituted under which Mark Driscoll was not accountable to anyone who disagreed with him. (Here is a copy of the 2007 bylaws)

And here is a concise timeline of Driscoll's downfall.

 ** Mark Driscoll Resigns - October 15, 2014 ** 


Mars Hill Pastor Mark Driscoll Resigns, Claims He Is Not "Disqualified From Future Ministry"

Mars Hill “Global Fund” Contributors With Concerns Invited to Contact Washington State Attorney General’s Office

Paul Petry, The First Elder Fired From Mars Hill, Is Interviewed (Paul and Jonna Petry's Website)


 Driscoll Fleeing Church Discipline, Seeking To Set Up NEW Church? 

Former Mars Hill Pastor Mark Driscoll Considering New Ministry, Still Has Not Repented, Sought Reconciliation Say Former Mars Hill Members/Elders

One Year Ago Today Janet Mefferd Interviewed Mark Driscoll

Mars Hill Elders Were Going to Discipline Mark Driscoll (listen beginning at the 37 min mark)

Mars Hill Church Board of Elders: Mark Driscoll Resigned Instead of Entering a Restoration Plan


Gateway Pastor Robert Morris Welcomes Mark Driscoll Onto the Stage One Week After Driscoll's Resignation, Even Though Driscoll Has Fled the Discipline Process at Mars Hill and Still Has Not Repented And Sought Forgiveness From Those He Abused (audio of Mars Hill pastor A.J. Hamilton speaking at 10-19-14 church service, listen beginning at the 37 min mark)

Mars Hill Church To Dissolve


Lessons From Mars Hill - An Interview With Warren Throckmorton 

Beauty From Ashes: 18 Mars Hill Elders Issue Letter of Confession to Former Mars Hill Elders Who were Railroaded Out in 2007

Interview with Former Mars Hill Elder/Pastor Paul Petry, Part 1 and Part 2
Unanswered Questions at Mars Hill Church


 Dr. John Piper Finally Addresses the Issue of Mark Driscoll.....and Misses The Mark 

What John Piper Said When He Finally Addressed the Issue of Mark Driscoll......What We Wish He Had Said Instead

John Piper and Mark Driscoll: Lessons Not Learned?
 (Pyromaniacs)


 Pastor Driscoll's abusive nature toward the flock in his care 

The Out Of Control Bus That Runs Over Sheep (Sarah Leslie, Herescope)

Ungodly Behavior

Mark Driscoll Proud of the Dead Bodies Behind the Mars Hill Bus?

Audio of Mark Driscoll chuckling about the "pile of dead bodies behind the Mars Hill bus"

Pastor Mark Driscoll Called Women “Penis Homes”

Mark Driscoll: "Shut Up and Do What You're Told."

Mark Driscoll Brags About Pile Of Bodies Behind Mars Hill's Bus

"Break their nose"

A Former Mars Hill Pastor Speaks Out and Why Others Are Afraid: The Mars Hill Church Non-Disclosure Agreement

Mark Driscoll Joking About His Anger

Mark Driscoll's Church Discipline Contract, Part 1 and Part 2


 Mark Driscoll affirms false teachers as Christian brothers  

Mark Driscoll calls Word of Faith heretic Joel Osteen his Christian brother

Mark Driscoll affirms Trinity denier T.D. Jakes as a Christian brother at his Elephant Room event


 Former Mars Hill pastor claims violations of city ordinances  

Former Mars Hill Pastor: Mars Hill Leaders Ordered Violation of City Ordinances

The Mars Hill Orange County Discrimination Narrative: The Rest of the Story?


 Former Mars Hill leaders and church members going public with concerns 

Former Mars Hill Women’s Ministry Leader: “The cult of personality . . . isn’t how God builds his church”

According to multiple witnesses, Mark Driscoll refers to himself as "The Brand" (Seattle Times)

The Reckoning of Mars Hill

Current Mars Hill Members Write An Excellent Letter To Mark Driscoll, Make Suggestions

Former Mars Hill Elder Sutton Turner Releases Explosive In-House Email Detailing Mars Hill's Disastrous Financial Condition (Turner's entire email can be read here)

New Disclosures by Former Mars Hill Elder Bent Meyer (Written record of Mars Hill events compiled by Meyer directly linked here)

Mars Hill Co-Founder and Former Elder Leif Moi Interviewed On Camera About Formal Charges Against Mark Driscoll

Twenty-One Former Mars Hill Church Pastors Bring Formal Charges Against Mark Driscoll (Statement of Formal Charges and Issues brought against Mark Driscoll linked here)

Nine Mars Hill Pastors Take A Bold Stand (Aug 28, 2014)
..........and All Are Now Gone (Oct 8, 2014)
Pastor Dustin Kensrue – Mars Hill Bellevue (RESIGNED)
Pastor Drew Hensley – Mars Hill U-District (DISMISSED)
Pastor Mark Dunford – Mars Hill Portland (DISMISSED)
Pastor Ryan Kearns – Mars Hill Bellevue (DISMISSED)
Pastor Ryan Welsh – Pastor of Theology (DISMISSED)
Pastor Adam Ramsey – Mars Hill Bellevue (RESIGNED)
Pastor Cliff Ellis – Mars Hill West Seattle (DISMISSED)
Pastor Gary Shavey – Mars Hill Bellevue (RESIGNED)
Pastor James Rose – Mars Hill Ballard (RESIGNED)
Nine Mars Hill Church Elders Took a Bold Stand and Now Eight Are Gone

Mars Hill Church Director of Worship Dustin Kensrue Resigns

Members Flee Mars Hill; Remaining Members Are Berated For Not Giving Enough Money

Dozens Protest Mars Hill Church after Leader Resignations and Mark Driscoll Apology


Former Mars Hill Pastor Mark Dunford Explains Dismissal from Mars Hill Church and Much More (Dunford's full statement here)

Former Mars Hill Member and Acts 29 Church Planter Ron Wheeler Goes Public With Concerns, Pleads With Driscoll To Resign (Wheeler's open letter to Driscoll - I. Am. Not. Anonymous)

Former Mars Hill Pastors Repent At New Website (RepentantPastor.com)

Former Mars Hill Pastor (Paul Petry) Starts A Blog Detailing Abuse (Joyful Exiles)

Former Executive Pastor Repents for Culture of Fear at Mars Hill Church

Former Mars Hill Pastor Dave Kraft Explains Charges Against Mark Driscoll

Former Mars Hill Pastor Dave Kraft Speaks Out About His Relationship with the Church

Former Mars Hill Pastor Bent Meyer: On His Silence and His Views on Suffering

Former Mars Hill Leader Jeff Bettger Speaks Out in Support of Dave Kraft's Concerns About Mars Hill

Twenty Former Mars Hill Pastors Seek Mediation With Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church Leadership

Former Mars Hill Church Pastor (James Noriega) Issues Statement of Confession

The Seeds of Trouble: Mars Hill Church, Mark Driscoll and the 2007 Purge

More Mars Hill Church Grievances: Former Member Calls For Evacuation

Firing of Mars Hill Pastors Causes Turmoil at Mars Hill

A Former Mars Hill Pastor Speaks Out and Why Others Are Afraid: The Mars Hill Church Non-Disclosure Agreement

Amended and Restated By-Laws of Mars Hill Church (UPDATED)

Mars Hill Church to Former Employees: Don’t Talk

Becky Garrison: Mark Driscoll’s Revisionist History About the Founding of Mars Hill Church

How To Revise History the Mark Driscoll Way

Former Mars Hill Church Worship Leader Luke Abrams to Current Members: Vote With Your Nickles and Noses

[NOTE: All patheos articles about Mars Hill/Mark Driscoll can be found here]


 Driscoll's lies and slander toward a Christian brother, and shameless publicity stunt 

Mark Driscoll's Failed Publicity Stunt At John MacArthur's Strange Fire Conference That Ended With Him Lying About What Really Happened


 Driscoll's unbiblical view on spiritual warfare 

Mark Driscoll speaking to demons: "I want to know who all is involved here and what we're dealing with."


 Pressure being brought for Mark Driscoll to step down from spiritual leadership 

Mark Driscoll's Problem, and Ours (Carl Trueman, March 2014)

Mark Driscoll To Step Down While Mars Hill Elders Review Charges Against Him (Religion News Service)

Mark Driscoll's Statement To Mars Hill Church (Audio Included In the Body of the Article)

Twenty-One Former Mars Hill Church Pastors Bring Formal Charges Against Mark Driscoll

Mark Driscoll: “A lot of the people we were dealing with in this season remain anonymous, and so we don’t know how to reconcile or how to work things out with people because we’re not entirely sure who they are.”

New Group To Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church: We Are Not Anonymous

Dear Pastor Mark and Mars Hill: We Are Not Anonymous (Facebook group)

I. Am. Not. Anonymous. (Acts 29 co-founder Ron Wheeler pens open letter to Mark Driscoll)

Former Mars Hill Members Protest Mars Hill, Call For Driscoll's Resignation (The Seattle Times)

James MacDonald Resigns From Mars Hill Board; Paul David Tripp Resigns But Continues To Work With Mars Hills As Consultant

Paul David Tripp Releases Clarifying Statement

Why Mark Driscoll Might Go Down and Why He Should......

Rock Star Pastor Loses His Luster (USA Today)

Mars Hill Church and Pastor Mark Driscoll Removed from Church Planting Network (Acts 29) That He Co-Founded

Acts 29 Pioneer Ron Wheeler Sends Open Letter to Mark Driscoll, Asks Him to Resign

Acts 29 Network Removes Co-founder Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church From Membership (UPDATED)



 Questions about Mars Hill Global Fund 

Former Mars Hill Church Members Speak Out About Church Finances

Mars Hill Member Wants Accounting of Global Fund Donations


Mars Hill Church Scrubs Three Mars Hill Global Videos


 Websites of former Mars Hill leaders 

WenatcheeTheHatchet

Joyful Exiles - Website of former elder Paul Petry and his wife Jonna


Jonna Petry's Testimony (Jonna Petry is the wife of former Mars Hill elder Paul Petry)


 Miscellaneous 

Mark Driscoll's Salary While At Mars Hill Church

Thoughts On Driscoll and The Biblical Qualifications For A Pastor


"Demon Trials" At Mars Hill Church??

Mark Driscoll: I Made The Mistake Of Trying To Be Under the Authority Of My Elders

Mark Driscoll: It was a mistake to submit to these young, new and green elders

Will John Piper Publicly Address The Mark Driscoll Virus That He Unleashed Into the Church by Keynoting Mark Driscoll at the 2006 Desiring God Conference?

Mark Driscoll Gives Himself a 6-Week Timeout

Former Mars Hill Elder Deconstructs Mark Driscoll's Public Statement

Pastor Jesse Johnson Weighs In

An Open Letter To Mark Driscoll (made after Driscoll's public statement, which can be read and watched here)

Mark Driscoll: A Brash Style That Filled Pews, Until Followers Had Their Fill (New York Times)

After $2 Million Raised For Mars Hill Event, ‘Jesus Festival’ Disappears Without a Trace or Explanation

Mars Hill Resurgence Ministry Cancels 2014 Conference

Lifeway Christian Stores Pulls Mark Driscoll's Books

Mars Hill Church in May and June of 2012: Systemic Deficits and a Million-Dollar Home Purchased in Snonohomish County

An Open Letter To Mark Driscoll (Pyromaniacs)


 Driscoll bought his way onto the New York Times bestseller list 


Mark Driscoll bought his way onto the NY Times bestseller list through anonymous 3rd parties



Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability: Buying Place on Best Seller Lists Violates Standards

Chris Rosebrough interviews Janet Mefferd about Driscoll's latest scandal

The signed contract that helped get Mark Driscoll’s Real Marriage book on the New York Times bestseller list


 Mark Driscoll's plagiarism 

Janet Mefferd's Interview With Mark Driscoll

Allegations That Mark Driscoll Plagiarized Dr. Peter Jones

The Evangelical Celebrity Machine: Janet Mefferd accused pastor Mark Driscoll of plagiarism then deleted all her proof. Why’d she back down?

More on the Silencing of Janet Mefferd, the Shamefulness of Tyndale Publishers, and How Mark Driscoll the Plagiarist is Getting Away With It


College professor James Duncan evaluates evidence of Mark Driscoll's plagiarism, assigns him an "F"

American Copy Editors Society: Leading The Charge Against Plagiarism

The Atlantic Asks Can Megachurches Handle Mega Money? Puts Focus on Mark Driscoll Controversy

This Was No Boating Accident

Of Mefferd and Driscoll and Integrity

On Plagiarism, Tone and Tribalism

Evidence of Plagiarism or Swatting at a Hornets Nest

Mark Driscoll Reacts to Janet Mefford’s Questions About Plagiarism and Strange Fire

New Twist In Mark Driscoll Plagiarism Scandal: 'You May Not Go Up Against The Machine'

Mefferd producer reportedly resigns over Mark Driscoll controversy

The Best Dumbest Excuses Made by Plagiarists


 Driscoll's vulgarity and pornographic mindset 

***Please note that the links below contain strong, explicit sexual content. My desire is not to cause anyone to stumble, so please prayerfully bear this in mind. The links are here for documentation purposes ***

Mark Driscoll: "Look, I had this vision. Let me tell you about it."

Dreamweaver: The Visions of Mark Driscoll

Pornographic Divination

Mark Driscoll Issues Apology for Pussified Nation Comments; Is This Just the Beginning? (**Warning: Extremely Vulgar Content**)

Mark Driscoll and His Rated R Sermon in Scotland - transcript hereaudio here  (**Warning: Very Explicit Content**)


 Explicit sexual discussion/recommendation on Mars Hill website 

***Please note that the links below contain strong, explicit sexual content. My desire is not to cause anyone to stumble, so please prayerfully bear this in mind. The links are here for documentation purposes ***

(NOTE: These links were active as of 2:00 PM EST on 8/12/14, but appear to have been recently removed. Attached is a screenshot of the Mars Hill Q and A about the use of sex toys as it appeared before being removed.)

Mark and Grace Driscoll Comment on a Mars Hill Q/A Regarding the Use of Sex Toys

Link to Sex Toys Site ("Covenant Spice") From the Above-Referenced Mars Hill Q/A

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
1 Timothy 3:1-13 - Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons
Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap. 
In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. 
In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. 
A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
Titus 1:5-10 - Qualifications for Elders
This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.