State of Emergency - Episode 7 - The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill

Church planting isn’t for the faint of heart. It requires a tenacity few pastors can fully anticipate when they set out. Healthy planting demands not only clarity of mission and relentless work, but practical partnership, wise counsel, and responsive governance to the changing needs that come with growth. From the church’s beginning, Mars Hill leadership committed to all of these-a vision of Jesus as senior pastor with elders serving with “one vote each.” But somewhere along the line, the vision shifted. Absolutism and a muscular, aggressive form of governance took hold, a campaign led by Mark Driscoll in the name of church growth.
In this episode of The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, host Mike Cosper pulls back the curtain to expose the inner workings of church governance at Mars Hill. Guided by careful research and hundreds of hours of interviews, Cosper plots out a story of church growth corrupted by power. Discover a Mark Driscoll you may never have met-a young church planter with a vision for Seattle and for the world. Watch what happens when the friction between accountability and speed causes church planting efforts to combust. And see how prioritizing “reaching people for Jesus” can mask spiritual abuse without the proper checks and balances.
“The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” is a production of Christianity Today
www.christiani...
Executive Producer: Erik Petrik
Produced, written, edited, and hosted by: Mike Cosper
Associate produced by: Joy Beth Smith
Music, sound design, and mixing: Kate Siefker
Graphic Design: Bryan Todd
Social Media: Nicole Shanks
Editorial consulting: Andrea Palpant Dilley, Online Managing Editor
Christianity Today Editor in Chief: Timothy Dalrymple
Theme song: “Sticks and Stones” by King’s Kaleidescope
Closing song: “Return My Heart to My Chest” by Joe Day

[@TuckerMusic-js3fe]

Been enjoying the series. I wish the podcast would have gone over the changes in by laws and how the eldership and authority structure evolved over time. There’s been a lot of discussion on hyper masculinity but would have preferred there to be more on the logistics of the power struggle and change

[@johbitterman]

I witnessed the same kind of personalized abuse of authority in the small private college where I worked. It is particularly poignant to see it occur in a church claiming to be Christ centered. Woe to the shepherds who led so many sheep astray. We must be watchful and prayerful and humble, so that we have the understanding and courage to articulate the hard questions when they arise and to defend anyone among us who is being harmed.

[@hesaves98]

I guess I have just never understood the Employer Employee concept of Church at some level it breaks my heart, but considering the nature of man this kind of reality in Church life does not surprise me. it certainly wont be the last time in Church history churchmen will be bad Shepards. Let God be true and every man a liar, and may his Kingdom spread after the Fall of Mars Hill.

[@bluetickbeagles116]

I’ve seen this same abuse from a “prophet”, “spiritual head”, “bishop”, “pastor of pastor” out of a church in Coudersport, Pennsylvania. The guy died a few years back and it’s a relief that he will not butcher anybody else. Goodbye 👋🏻

[@arthurvanderhoff2413]

This opening is echoed in many preachers/pastors' approach. I have heard multiple times in the past few months, the pastor of the church I attend, compare himself to Moses. "The tension between speed and safety..." A careful review of the New Testament completely disallows a single leader in a congregation.

[@JoshuaTilley]

The pastor I served under in the Detroit-Metro Area literally compared himself to Moses and those who disagreed with the folks who were swallowed by the earth. Luckily, this particular pastor wasn't savvy enough to grow his church and subject anyone else to his arrogance; he just killed it slowly. He too left behind a pile of broken relationships, bad theology, and frustrated leaders. It almost drove me to quit ministry completely.

[@Solar-Busters]

I hope & pray that ARC churches fall apart as well 🙏

[@amelian9677]

Same. I attended one in the past.

[@kaybrown4010]

The NAR too.

[@annettecrady7142]

I can’t even believe the men that went along with the trial and didn’t get the heck out of that church. It’s so gut wrenching to hear how that went down for those men and their families.

[@raising5kiddos]

Well after the first two elders were thrown under the bus, who else was going to stand up and say I don’t agree? It’s kind of like the Russell Wilson thing. He surrounded himself with yes men and people who would never sharpen him but just agree with him. Mark showed everyone what happens when you are not a yes man. It’s sad and I hope he has repented and found a human body to submit to. Jaime Munson, I pray the Lord forgives you because many of us never will forgive you and the bs/ evil you helped orchestrate! Lost marriages, families, money, jobs and friends who refused to speak to us.

[@laurapeter3857]

This constant obsession with “headship” “authority” “submission” “accountability” are all major red flags. This is not biblical.

[@BrianSimonin]

The whole series is disturbing about Driscoll. However, this just did not happen at Mars Hill. Within the churches of Christ and the Restoration Movement there was something called the Boston Movement led by Kip McKean. The Boston Movement later left the churches of Christ and became the International Church of Christ. Kip McKean and Mark Driscoll could be clones.

[@greglogan7706]

Understatement!

[@arcasa73]

A Pastor turned stand-up comedian, turned dictator... a drop in the ocean.

[@timisa58]

Just another sad story of how many believers do not have a personal relationship with his/her god. Too focused on the leadership and the agenda setup by the human, sinful leadership that is present in every church. A thousand people left the church because they knew there was something corrupt, but did not have the courage to challenge the corrupt leadership or warn others. Instead allow thousands of others to become a part of an organization that was rotten to the core. One thing I find that is common in organizations like this...a lack of discernment. Despite claiming to be guided by their god, they scarcely know the difference nor have the courage to do the RIGHT/Moral thing. It is such indecision and indecisiveness of character and moral/ethical judgment, consistent cause that the world sees more than anything else and the reason why more people choose not to visit the pews.

[@janewhitely964]

Elders should not also be staff members.

[@royellis752]

What was the “book with 1000 footnotes”

[@kaybrown4010]

The Bible.

[@NUESTROFAMILIAX4.GOVERNMENT]

Hey All Star Trek Q was a a supreme patronizer .

[@mythographer]

This series and episode says much more about CT than about Mark Driscoll. The phrase, “eat their own” comes to mind. What was so threatening about Driscoll’s “charisma and instincts” that CT engages in such a 15 hour take down after the fact, complete with scare music backgrounds and a plethora of sociologists, which every college grad knows is the most godless academic discipline. If MD was/is a scandal, scratch below the surface and realize that CT and the liberalizing American Christianity is the real scandal.

[@collectibles4u]

I would caution people to make a decision on exactly what went down off this one podcast always remember you're not getting the full story here Yes there was some abuses also you're not hearing the accountability from the other people that were part of this congregation that had responsibility I'd like to know what his bylaws were that he wanted to change up with so that in fair You don't hear accountability from the other participants therefore at least me to believe that devices seen on this program goes a lot deeper and that there's a lot more accountability that needs to be had from other elders and participants within this larger context of course this show has a very large boxes and it really shows now I understand Mark not wanting to comment look at where Mark's at now what he's doing but you're not hearing the other participants any accountability whatsoever It don't sit well

[@thelaulaumeister]

I don't understand the plain English of so much of this. Where do you buy the seeds for the church planting or do you use cuttings? What happens to the plant and why do you plant it? When he says Jesus gave him a word, he never tells us what the word is. Is it always the same word or does the word change from time to time or is that a secret word? Is it an English word or is it in an ancient language?

[@machtnichtsseimann]

A Christian Reply: When anyone says, "God told me..." I take it with a grain of salt. Test it with critical thinking, asking basic things like, "What exactly was the 'word' or message?" Like you, I observe if it's very general and similar over time, often leading me to believe it is more Wishful Thinking / Bias on their part and not God. Christians who get very defensive are not helping persuade me as to their experience. If secure, then handle the questions from curious and discerning individuals, not dupes.

[@Joey-b8w]

😂

[@Window4503]

Christianese isn't meant to be clear. Thankfully the Bible doesn't speak as vaguely and confusingly like Christian pop-culture does.

[@js1817]

You don't understand the metaphor of comparing a church to a plant? You don't understand that word in this context means message and that speaking this way is simply an imitation of Biblical language? What is your point? That Christians speak funny? It's a culture, it has ways of speaking that are fashionable or traditional amongst its members. So what?

[@ClipZ_Gaming_1]

@@js1817 I think he’s being satirical. It’s funny, laugh.

[@brackishnz]

Why on earth do you need to declare all your sexual sin in a premarriage course? Wheres that in the bible Mark?

[@carrotstick1970]

I agree with you. It seems to me to be rooted in a perverse curiosity and an effort to categorize people.

[@michaelmoran7312]

Curious that you did not mention COVID as an example of a totalitarian emergency.

[@ClipZ_Gaming_1]

Yeah well it’s Christianity Today, so we should expect nothing else.

[@Star-dj1kw]

✅

[@normmadson5381]

What's the deal with you? Sounds like you're running scared. Its not good what you are doing

[@Continuum7]

wut? who is running scared? The only one who ran scared was Driscoll when he fled Seattle to his new cult in Arizona ... where by the way news of his abuses and power rips continues: bodyguards, stalking a kid and his family, insane surveillance teams that all eventually quit, has a 10 million litigation fund, etc etc. If that doesn't prove insanity and paranoia I don't know what does lol

[@Joey-b8w]

Someone is projecting 😂