Driscoll Resigns
Mark Driscoll has resigned as pastor of Mars Hill church.
The resignation letter:
October 14, 2014
Michael Van Skaik
Chairman, Board of Advisors and Accountability
Mars Hill Church
Dear Michael:
By God’s grace I have pastored Mars Hill Church for 18 years. Today, also by God’s grace, and with the full support of my wife Grace, I resign my position as a pastor and elder of Mars Hill. I do so with profound sadness, but also with complete peace.
On August 24th I announced to our Mars Hill family of churches that I had requested a leave of absence from the pulpit and the office for a minimum of six weeks while a committee of elders conducted a formal review of charges made against me by various people in recent times. Last week our Board of Overseers met for an extended period of time with Grace and me, thereby concluding the formal review of charges against me. I want to thank you for assuring Grace and me that last Saturday that I had not disqualified myself from ministry.
You have shared with us that this committee spent more than 1,000 hours reviewing documents and interviewing some of those who had presented charges against me. You have also shared with me that many of those making charges against me declined to meet with you or participate in the review process at all. Consequently, those conducting the review of charges against me began to interview people who had not even been a party to the charges.
I readily acknowledge I am an imperfect messenger of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are many things I have confessed and repented of, privately and publicly, as you are well aware. Specifically, I have confessed to past pride, anger and a domineering spirit. As I shared with our church in August, “God has broken me many times in recent years by showing me where I have fallen short, and while my journey, at age 43, is far from over, I believe He has brought me a long way from some days I am not very proud of, and is making me more like Him every day.”
Prior to and during this process there have been no charges of criminal activity, immorality or heresy, any of which could clearly be grounds for disqualification from pastoral ministry. Other issues, such as aspects of my personality and leadership style, have proven to be divisive within the Mars Hill context, and I do not want to be the source of anything that might detract from our church’s mission to lead people to a personal and growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
That is why, after seeking the face and will of God, and seeking godly counsel from men and women across the country, we have concluded it would be best for the health of our family, and for the Mars Hill family, that we step aside from further ministry at the church we helped launch in 1996. I will gladly work with you in the coming days on any details related to our separation.
Recent months have proven unhealthy for our family—even physically unsafe at times—and we believe the time has now come for the elders to choose new pastoral leadership for Mars Hill. Grace and I pledge our full support in this process and will join you in praying for God’s best for this, His church, in the days and years ahead. Grace and I would also covet your prayers for us as we seek God’s will for the next chapter of our lives. Therefore, consider this written notice of my voluntary termination of employment.
Finally, it would be my hope to convey to the wonderful members of the Mars Hill family how deeply my family and I love them, thank them, and point them to their Senior Pastor Jesus Christ who has always been only good to us.
Sincerely,
Pastor Mark Driscoll
From Mars Hill:
From Mars Hill Church:
On Tuesday, October 14, Pastor Mark Driscoll submitted his resignation as an elder and lead pastor of Mars Hill Church. The Board of Overseers has accepted that resignation and is moving forward with planning for pastoral transition, recognizing the challenge of such a task in a church that has only known one pastor since its founding. We ask for prayer for the journey ahead.
As is well known, inside and outside of Mars Hill, Pastor Mark has been on a leave of absence for nearly two months while a group of elders investigated a series of formal charges brought against him. This investigation had only recently been concluded, following some 1,000 hours of research, interviewing more than 50 people and preparing 200 pages of information. This process was conducted in accordance with our church Bylaws and with Pastor Mark’s support and cooperation.
While a group of seven elders plus one member of the Board of Overseers was charged with conducting this investigation, the full Board of Overseers is charged with reaching any conclusions and issuing any findings. In that capacity, we believe it appropriate to publicly mention the following:
We concluded that Pastor Mark has, at times, been guilty of arrogance, responding to conflict with a quick temper and harsh speech, and leading the staff and elders in a domineering manner. While we believe Mark needs to continue to address these areas in his life, we do not believe him to be disqualified from pastoral ministry.
Pastor Mark has never been charged with any immorality, illegality or heresy. Most of the charges involved attitudes and behaviors reflected by a domineering style of leadership.
We found some of the accusations against Pastor Mark to be altogether unfair or untrue.
Other charges had been previously been addressed by Pastor Mark, privately and publicly. Indeed, he had publicly confessed and apologized for a number of the charges against him, some of which occurred as long as 14 years ago.
We commend Mark for acting upon the vision God gave him to start Mars Hill Church and for his ministry of faithfully teaching the Word of God for the past 18 years. We commit to pray for him, for Grace, and for their children as they transition from ministry at Mars Hill Church.
We would ask for patience as we now make plans for the first transition of pastoral leadership in the history of Mars Hill Church. We have asked Pastor Dave Bruskas to serve as the primary teaching pastor while we work on long-term plans and decisions. Our elders and board members will work closely with the church staff to support the ongoing operations of Mars Hill in the days and months ahead.
Finally, Mark Driscoll was not asked to resign; indeed, we were surprised to receive his resignation letter. While he can speak to his decision as he chooses, we would point to just two things from his letter. He noted that he had concluded “it would be best for the health of our family, and for the Mars Hill family, that we step aside from further ministry at the church.” Secondly, he specifically wanted to convey “to the wonderful members of the Mars Hill family, how deeply my family and I love them, thank them, and point them to their Senior Pastor, Jesus Christ, who has always been only good to us.”
Mars Hill Board of Overseers
Michael Van Skaik
Larry Osborne
Jon Phelps
Matt Rogers
It was the only possible outcome. The evidence allowed nothing else.
“Prior to and during this process there have been no charges of criminal activity, immorality or heresy, any of which could clearly be grounds for disqualification from pastoral ministry. Other issues, such as aspects of my personality and leadership style, have proven to be divisive within the Mars Hill context..”
Sounds a bit like, “I’m sorry if you were offended by leadership style..” 🙂
Obviously, he only sees things like “activity, immorality or heresy” as being reasons for his disqualifying him from ministry. I guess he missed the entire lists from 1 Tim and Titus.
Babs – It could have ended with Mark in power and rebuilding his empire.
Does this this mean he walks away from any financial responsibility with the church in debt, etc?
Alas… a leadership style issue. Again.
I do not think the board could or would have come out and said our pastor is an abusive leader and has committed acts that are too severe to resolve.
Remember a PR firm is shepherding the information flow.
This in no way reflects the fullness of what was happening. Just turn your minds to pray for all involved and realize that when people cry out things do happen.
So lies, plagiarizing, pride, anger, and harassment are NOT immoral? When will folks finally admit that morality encompasses far more than sexual behavior?
We can wrap pretty words around our sins (calling it our personality or our leadership style) but that doesn’t get rid of the stench. I’ve tried that and it doesn’t work. Not enough Spiritual Fabreze in the world to hide the smell of my sins; only the sweet fragrance of Christ’s blood can do that (and I often still have to live with the sins’ consequences).
I hope this is all sincere and that Mr. Driscoll doesn’t come back in a year or two to start another church in the Seattle area to compete with Mars Hill.
He will definitely be back somewhere
“Remember a PR firm is shepherding the information flow. ” Babs – good point.
These two sentences were a little too similar:
Mark’s letter – “Prior to and during this process there have been no charges of criminal activity, immorality or heresy, any of which could clearly be grounds for disqualification from pastoral ministry.”
MH letter – “Pastor Mark has never been charged with any immorality, illegality or heresy.”
Mark Driscoll had not displayed any Fruit of the Spirit…love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, self control….No matter how good he is in the pulpit, if his life does not reflect that of Jesus, he is just a clanging symbol, who was given too much power, and abused it. I am so saddened by people still saying, he was a good preacher…really did his life in any way, reflect the Fruit of the Spirit?
Yawns….
Driscoll has become a golden calf for those who want a god who will conform to their image.
For the rest he is just another lab rat for those observing and documenting the effects of NPD.
How soon before he starts another church?
Will he be getting a severance package like Bob Coy???
Driscoll’s letter makes me gag, but since I have never seen a disgraced CC pastor bother to write anything for public consumption when his sins found him out, I will hold further comment.
I’m puzzled by driscoll’s reference to the lack of willingness on the part of accusers to participate with the investigation. Either they did not trust the process & those conducting it, or were still too fearful to participate.
My friend and I were just joking about how Christians are so against gay marriage and the love act like “the gays” are destroying the country. When in fact 95% of the evil that exist in this country is perpetrated by the “straight” world (and many pastors) ..I’m sickened by the number of people who have been hurt by this guy and by how an entire generation of people hate the church and God because men like this!!!
“Driscoll’s letter makes me gag, but since I have never seen a disgraced CC pastor bother to write anything for public consumption when his sins found him out, I will hold further comment.”
That’s because they plan on returning to the same pulpit.
j2theperson, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Mark shoot off in another direction “unencumbered” by a church.
Pastors should never have the type of Power that Mark Driscoll, Brian Broderson and other Hirelings/Wolves have
As a former full time pastor, I would like to offer my 2 cents:
The sharing of power/responsibility by a board of elders is difficult at best. Even the most godly men are sinners, often with ego issues. It is just a fact. We are fallen men. Someone has to take responsibility, as we see James doing so in Acts 15. However, decisions were shared by the Elders and the congregation (Acts 6).
I was mocked by some CC pastors because I shared authority with a board – equal authority. One even called me a hireling. Whatever. Power must be balanced, as this situation with Mars Hill Church demonstrates. It is my conviction that very few men can handle power. In fact, if you want to know the real character of an individual, just put him in charge.
The really sad part is the “trail of bodies thrown under the bus.” More I’m sure than we know. Having been under the bus I can tell you that it is painful. Having had board members literally betray me, I can understand the temptation to be “in charge.” Having had to try to comfort a wife that has been targeted by women in the church determined to get their own way come hell or high water, I can identify with some of the feelings of the pastors and their wives who have been slandered and abused.
I have heard Christians say, “I have given up on the church.” I haven’t; however, I have given up on the religious system, led by modern day Pharisees and Sadducees, masquerading as the true church. If Jesus were to “visit” these, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John would run out of pen and paper.
I don’t know what is the answer. It is so sad. No wonder Jesus is found standing outside, patiently knocking to be let back inside (Revelation 3:20).
“Jesus Christ warns them that if they disobey his commands, and do not repent, their church’s existence will be ignominiously terminated. ‘I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent’ (Revelation 2:5). No church has a secure and permanent place in the world. It is continuously on trial… . Many churches all over the world today have ceased truly to exist. Their buildings remain intact, their ministers minister and their congregations congregate, but their lampstand has been removed.”
John R. W. Stott, (27 April 1921 – 27 July 2011)
Kudos to the leadership at Mars Hill. They took a long time to go about it, but they finally did the right thing. Mark will be back, but I’ll bet it is in drastic diminished influence…and maybe in brokenness, time will tell.
What happened to Bob Coy? He used to be one of my favorite radio fellas
He was caught putting his pole in other people’s ponds.
Eric-
There could be an opportunity for a true blue Scandinavian like yourself in Ballard right now. 🙂
HA, the message would be all about salmon and Roller Derbies… actually based on what I have heard of MH it might actually catch on
The leadership of Mars Hill did not do the right thing. They looked at the overwhelming facts of Mark’s disqualifying abuses and declared him fit for ministry.
Mark resigned and now doesn’t have to deal with the financial chaos he caused. He’s done nothing to repent or make things right with the long list of people he harmed, some he told, “I’ll ruin you,” … and then he did.
After reading Driscoll’s sister’s FB post, it appears that her anger is towards the leaders instead of the people, which indicates that maybe their was a deal negotiated to get the leaders to publicly declare him free of the charges.
I don’t know what the leades a tually thought, but either way the leaders failed … and so did Driscoll … while the church (meaning the people,) stood for righteousness.