tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75778040985980365382024-03-04T23:11:53.681-08:00Mars Hill RefugeMars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-21962560515054182972014-08-09T22:34:00.001-07:002014-08-09T22:34:19.296-07:00Moving On...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What a journey this has been. Yesterday, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/mark-driscoll-removed-from-the-acts-29-church-planting-network-he-helped-found/2014/08/08/e8e6137c-1f41-11e4-9b6c-12e30cbe86a3_story.html" target="_blank"> Acts29 removed Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill</a> from their network of churches (which he co-founded). The <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/08/08/mars-hill-church-board-reacts-to-being-removed-from-acts-29-network/" target="_blank">response from Mars Hill</a> was heartbreaking, to be honest. It is the same thing they did almost three years ago with <a href="http://marshill.com/2012/03/02/a-call-for-reconciliation" target="_blank">A Call to Reconciliation</a> (but worse).<br />
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It has become clear to me that Mark will not resign, and he plans to go down with his ship. I have become thoroughly convinced that Mars Hill Church has become a cult. In light of that, it is time for me to move on. I have given Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill enough of my time, talent and treasures.<br />
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I AM truly encouraged by the number of people who have found the courage to use their voices and speak out against Mark and the abuses at Mars Hill. In the beginning, the voices were few, and I felt compelled to keep being a voice crying in the wilderness. Today there are a symphony of voices calling for change, accountability, and resignation. I fully trust that those who have picked up the torch will fight the good fight and finish the race.<br />
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I am ready to turn the page and begin a new job, and focus on things that I have power over. I am leaving the blog up as a historical record and resource for those who will come out in the future. I am extremely grateful for the friendships I have made through all of this.<br />
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If You Wish to Stay Current on Mark Driscoll & Mars Hill:</h4>
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<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/?s=mars+hill" target="_blank">Warren Throckmorton's Blog</a></div>
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<a href="http://wenatcheethehatchet.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Wenatchee The Hatchet</a></div>
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<a href="http://welovemarshill.com/" target="_blank">We Love Mars Hill</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/repealbylaws/" target="_blank">Repeal the Bylaws Facebook Group</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/433217200154935/" target="_blank">We Are Not Anonymous Facebook Group</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/MarsHillRefuge/" target="_blank">Mars Hill Refuge Facebook Group</a></div>
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This group will be given to an admin who will keep the integrity of the group and the spirit in which it was created.</div>
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<h4>
If A Friend or Loved One is in a Cult/Abusive Church:</h4>
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Elizabeth Esther provides some very helpful information when trying to talk with someone who is currently in an abusive church or cult. She also provides guidance on how you can help them when they are ready to leave.<br />
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<a href="http://www.elizabethesther.com/2010/01/how-to-talk-to-someone-living-inside-an-abusive-church-cult-group.html" target="_blank">How to Talk to Someone Living Inside an Abusive Church or Cult Group</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.elizabethesther.com/2013/11/how-to-help-someone-inside-a-cultabusive-church-hint-interventions-dont-work.html" target="_blank">How to Help Someone Inside a Cult or Abusive Church (Hint: Inverventions Don't Work)</a><br />
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If You Are Thinking of Leaving or Have Already Left:</h4>
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<a href="http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=1&id=4&Itemid=7" target="_blank">How to Leave and Recover</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=50&Itemid=7" target="_blank">Post Cult (Abusive Church) Trauma Syndrome</a><br />
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Counseling:</h4>
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<a href="http://www.paradigmcounselingps.com/" target="_blank">Paradigm Counseling of Puget Sound</a><br />
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<a href="http://nwfamilylife.org/about/counselors.html" target="_blank">Northwest Family Life</a><br />
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<a href="http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/name/Sarah_Groen-Colyn_PhD_Edmonds_Washington_42238" target="_blank">Dr. Sarah Groen-Colyn Psychologist , PhD</a><br />
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<a href="http://dennygunderson.com/" target="_blank">Denny Gunderson, MA, LMHC</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.jamelynkeatts.com/perspective--background.html" target="_blank">Jamelyn Keatts, MA, LMHC</a><br />
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Websites:</h4>
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<a href="http://www.batteredsheep.com/articles.html" target="_blank">Battered Sheep</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.churchexiters.com/" target="_blank">Church Exiters</a><br />
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<a href="http://pureprovender.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">PureProvender</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.spiritualabuse.com/" target="_blank">Recovery from Spiritual Abuse Website (Jeff VanVonderen)</a><br />
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Books:</h4>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Subtle-Power-Spiritual-Abuse-Manipulation/dp/0764201379/" target="_blank">Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, The: Recognizing and Escaping Spiritual Manipulation and False Spiritual Authority Within the Church by David Johnson & Jeff VanVonderen</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Bondage-Legalism-Neil-Anderson/dp/0736911812/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328132659&sr=1-1-fkmr1" target="_blank">Breaking the Bondage of Legalism by Neil T. Anderson & Rich Miller & Paul Travis</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.reveal.org/development/Churches_that_Abuse.pdf" target="_blank">Churches that Abuse by Ronald M. Enroth</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.reveal.org/development/Recovering_from_Churches_that_Abuse.pdf" target="_blank">Recovering from Churches that Abuse by Ronald M. Enroth</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Toxic-Faith-Stephen-Arterburn/dp/0877888256/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product/104-9589306-4072747">Toxic Faith: Experiencing Healing From Painful Spiritual Abuse</a> by Stephen Arterburn and Jack Felton<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0840796579/8084521/104-9599885-7998361">Faith That Hurts, Faith That Heals: Understanding the Fine Line Between Healthy Faith and Spiritual Abuse</a> by Stephen Arterburn, Jack Felton<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0964958805/ref=pd_sbs_b_1/104-9599885-7998361">Twisted Scriptures: A Path to Freedom From Abusive Churches</a> by Mary Alice Chrnalogar<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0825431638/qid=1006335292/ref=sr_11_0_1/002-9908104-7278456">The Drift into Deception: The Eight Characteristics of Abusive Christianity</a> by Agnes C. Lawless, John W. Lawless<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0830816186/qid=1005082397/ref=sr_11_0_1/002-9403824-8365603">Growing Up Fundamentalist: Journeys in Legalism and Grace</a> by Stefan Ultsein<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1556610300/qid=1005082482/ref=sr_11_0_1/002-9403824-8365603">Tired of Trying to Measure Up</a> by Jeff VanVonderen<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0884197689/qid%3D1039847071/701-4905719-3154767">Exposing Spiritual Abuse</a> by Mike Fehlauer<br />
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<a href="http://www.dallascult.com/">I Can't Hear God Anymore: Life in a Dallas Cult</a> by Wendy J. Duncan<br />
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<a href="http://recognizeheresy.com/default.aspx">The Heresy of Mind Control: Recognizing Con Artists in Leadership</a> by Stephen Martin<br />
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Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-46930743027592910712014-07-29T18:15:00.000-07:002014-07-29T18:15:17.326-07:00Peaceful Protest This SundayThis Sunday, August 3, a group of former members and leaders will lead a peaceful protest at the Bellevue Campus. Here is a Facebook link to the event information:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1538224579738960/?ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular" target="_blank">We Are Not Anonymous Protest</a><br />
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Feel free to show up at 10:00 am if you are in the Seattle area.Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-58236477824144191122014-07-29T18:13:00.000-07:002014-07-29T18:13:30.199-07:00Bloggers Thoughts on Mark's Pussified NationFrom the Friendly Atheist:<br />
<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/07/29/mark-driscoll-admitted-to-trolling-his-own-churchs-online-forums-14-years-ago-the-thread-is-still-online-whoops/">http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/07/29/mark-driscoll-admitted-to-trolling-his-own-churchs-online-forums-14-years-ago-the-thread-is-still-online-whoops/</a><br />
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From Matthew Paul Turner:<br />
<a href="http://matthewpaulturner.com/2014/07/29/mark-driscolls-pussified-nation/">http://matthewpaulturner.com/2014/07/29/mark-driscolls-pussified-nation/</a><br />
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From Rachel Held Evans:<br />
<a href="http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/driscoll-troubled-mind-william-wallace">http://rachelheldevans.com/blog/driscoll-troubled-mind-william-wallace</a><br />
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William Throckmorton:<br />
<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/07/29/mark-driscoll-year-2000-we-live-in-a-completely-pussified-nation/">http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/07/29/mark-driscoll-year-2000-we-live-in-a-completely-pussified-nation/</a><br />
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Seattle PI:<br />
<a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2014/07/29/mars-hill-dissenters-plan-protest-release-pussified-nation-driscoll-rant/">http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2014/07/29/mars-hill-dissenters-plan-protest-release-pussified-nation-driscoll-rant/</a><br />
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The Stranger:<br />
<a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2014/07/29/newly-exhumed-documents-reveal-mark-driscolls-vision-of-our-pussified-nation">http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2014/07/29/newly-exhumed-documents-reveal-mark-driscolls-vision-of-our-pussified-nation</a>Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-8387377021209637522014-07-29T12:04:00.002-07:002014-07-29T12:04:44.810-07:00Mark Driscoll's Pussified Nation<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Wenatchee the Hatchet secured this from a former member. AJ Hamilton (pastor at Mars Hill Huntington Beach) and others tried to get rid of all copies and personally called people and asked them to dispose of it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Blogger named Wenatchee the Hatchet's explanation and background:</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwenatcheethehatchet.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F07%2Fan-introduction-to-historical-and.html&m=1" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Wenatchee the Hatchet's background & explanation</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Actual Document:<br /><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0By0MyUeolZbgU2FMOEVUYTRuTmc/preview?pli=1" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Mark Driscoll's Pussified Nation</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Page in book with confession</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: black;"><a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=ivS1oNco0cIC&lpg=PA129&dq=Mark+Driscoll+%22William+Wallace%22&pg=PA129#v=onepage&q=Mark%20Driscoll%20%22William%20Wallace%22&f=false" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Mark Driscoll admits to being William Wallace II</a></span></div>
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Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-47680207270328606172014-07-19T21:46:00.000-07:002014-07-19T21:46:05.982-07:00SUMMARY OF THE MASSIVE MELTDOWN<br />
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A few days ago, Stacey Solie published a very thorough summary of what has been happening lately at Mars Hill.<br /><br />Stacey Solie is a Seattle-based reporter, writer and editor and an adjunct at the University of Washington where she leads narrative non-fiction workshops for scientists. She has contributed to The New York Times, The Daily Beast, The Seattle Times and was the founding editor of The Science Chronicles, an environmental conservation monthly. Follow her @staceysolie<br /><br />If you haven't been following, read the entire article here: <a href="http://crosscut.com/2014/07/16/religion/121033/inside-mars-hills-big-meltdown/?page=single">Inside Mars Hill's Massive Meltdown</a><br /><br />Some excerpts:<br /><br />"As insiders begin to open up, financial scandals are also rising to the surface. Former pastors say the church is being run more like a cutthroat business, where people who give up their secular jobs to serve the church are then abruptly fired on a whim. The threat of witholding severance pay is used to secure their silence in the form of non-disclosure agreements and non-compete clauses. But several former pastors have now refused to comply.<br /><br />Recently, a former member started a petition at <a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/evangelical-council-for-financial-accountability-mars-hill-church-tell-us-how-much-global-fund-money-was-spent-on-international-outreach">change.org</a> requesting financial transparency. It asks Driscoll to reveal his salary, which is estimated by a few insiders I spoke to to be somewhere in the ballpark of $900,000, and it raises questions about how much of the $2 million donated to the church's Global Fund in the 2012-2013 fiscal year actually made it to Ethiopia and India."<br /><br />"Currently, attendance is down by 1000 people at the church's Bellevue meetinghouse, a former member told me. Almost the entire staff has turned over, with an estimated 40 pastors and hundreds of staff who quit, fired or were laid off in the last two years."<br /><br /><br /><img height="200" src="http://crosscut.com/media/story_image/real-marriage.jpg" width="133" /><br /><br />"Even the subtitle of Real Marriage — "The Truth About Sex, Friendship & Love" — implies that reality has, until now, been in short supply.<br /><br />In the book, co-written by Grace Driscoll, she is frank and forthcoming about the abusive relationship she was in prior to meeting Mark in high school. This previous boyfriend was possessive, controlled her schedule, stalked her, and sexually assaulted her.<br /><br />This abuse contributed to her emotional numbness and dissassociation during sex, she said, and she kept the story hidden for most of her life, out of a sense of shame. She seems to be in the middle of her healing process, and does not seem to have a clear idea that being sexually assaulted was not her fault.<br /><br />While Mrs. Driscoll is bravely bringing to light extremely personal struggles in her life, Mr. Driscoll seems more interested in focusing on other people.<br /><br />About his childhood, he mentions a series of disturbing influences."</div>
Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-55300177308900218542014-07-16T00:09:00.001-07:002014-07-19T20:53:06.888-07:00My Updated Story<div style="direction: ltr; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; padding: 0px; widows: auto;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Cross posted at http://welovemarshill.com</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">“You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.”</span><span style="font-style: italic;">― </span><span style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fauthor%2Fshow%2F7113.Anne_Lamott&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEBuahFdT0UtiPSchXW8bDnvX3Afw" style="text-decoration: inherit;">Anne Lamott</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fauthor%2Fshow%2F7113.Anne_Lamott&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEBuahFdT0UtiPSchXW8bDnvX3Afw" style="text-decoration: inherit;"></a></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This is not the first time I have told the story of my experience at Mars Hill, but it has been 2 ½ years since I have, and so much has transpired since then. I have been reticent to post my story on We Love Mars Hill. If I am honest, I don’t love Mars Hill Church. I don’t love Mark Driscoll. I don’t even know the guy. However, I do have empathy and compassion for those who have been harmed, whether they have left or not. I do know what it is like to go through it, and I know what it is like to lose community. I also know what it is like to lose faith.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In January 2011 our family decided to move to Orange County. This was a big transition for me, as I had never moved away from my hometown. I asked my pastor for guidance in finding a church, and he said the only one he could stand behind was Mars Hill. I trusted his opinion. They had built quite the empire with impressive media and great marketing. Mars Hill had the resources to help a massive number of people not only find Jesus but change their lives. I did not know anybody in our new town, and I liked that Mars Hill had community groups, as most of my friends back home were from church and I knew this would be the main way I would make new friends. In April we started attending the “Core Group Gatherings”. We made the 3 hour drive before our move to be a part of this. We were really excited to meet people who we believed to be passionate about Jesus and furthering the gospel. We attended regularly and joined a community group as soon as we arrived in July<sup><a href="https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/s/?view=att&th=1473b8e574f04edc&attid=0.1&disp=attd&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P_BooI5XO78RkNSYRVltJpW&sadet=1405494246254&sads=1gcZFl5sH4_lToalwqtSRv3wUc4#cmnt1" name="cmnt_ref1">[a]</a></sup><sup><a href="https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/s/?view=att&th=1473b8e574f04edc&attid=0.1&disp=attd&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P_BooI5XO78RkNSYRVltJpW&sadet=1405494246254&sads=1gcZFl5sH4_lToalwqtSRv3wUc4#cmnt2" name="cmnt_ref2">[b]</a></sup>.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At one of the first gatherings, the pastor presented us with the four distinctives of Mars Hill: <span style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fmarshill.com%2F2010%2F09%2F23%2Fthis-is-mars-hill&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGViXdYXc2fnMNj63w4fTsn1nTthw" style="text-decoration: inherit;">Reformed theology, complementarian relationships, Spirit-filled lives, and missional churches</a></span>. On the surface, this seemed great! A church that knows where it is going and what it stands for. I was new to reformed theology, but open to learn. Complementarian relationships was a belief I had not previously held. It was presented well. Men and women are different. We do different things and have different qualities. Since my husband and I had chosen, for this season of our lives, traditional roles (where he works and I stay home with our children), complementarian roles seemed to affirm the choices we had made for our family. I respected that men were trying to step up and participate. It took me a few months to become uneasy. I began to have some serious concerns.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There was a definite sense of elitism, pride in Mars Hill, and belief in the clear perfection of their doctrine There was much talk of Christians who think they are saved but really aren’t or sleepy Christians who need to be woken up (which leaves the unstated concept that if they come to Mars Hill, then their doctrine would be right and they would really be saved or that we are the ones to help wake them with our doctrine). There was a hyper focus on sin and idolatry. It seemed to be all people talked about. Many women referred to themselves as “Daughters of Eve”, and any problem people had, whether in their marriage, finances, etc. was attributed to sin. Members felt it was their right and responsibility to look for and point out things they believed were sin in each other’s lives. This environment naturally breeds guilt, shame, and a lack of transparency because of fear of church discipline.The membership covenant emphasized submission to elder authority and being held accountable and church discipline. There is no provision for how one can hold a leader or elder accountable or question them in regards to inappropriate behavior (read it<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fmarshill.com%2Fabout%2Fbecome-a-member%2Fmember-covenant&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNF9WW7f8iUFVfvlpxq2nIycExQEGQ" style="text-decoration: inherit;">http://marshill.com/about/become-a-member/member-covenant</a></span>).</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">My community group leader showed irritation when I spoke up at group or challenged him on things he said. I was often dismissed as making excuses or wanting an emotional experience. At this point I did not really understand the headship teaching and didn’t realize he considered my vocal participation to be out of line. The prayer time, separated by gender, was spent mostly talking about how we could please our husbands, submit to our husbands, or “serve them well”. As women, we were not allowed input as to what would be the first bible study we did. It was dictated to us by our leader. We were taught that if we had questions, we should go to our husbands. We were not directed to search the scriptures for ourselves, or to wrestle it out with God. Many of the women seemed oppressed, stifled and silenced.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The most alarming? That to veer from the expectations of complementarian relationships as Mars Hill defined them was considered SIN.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At the community group meetings, there was a lot of debate about doctrine, review of Mark’s teaching, and not a whole lot of bible teaching. My husband and I participated as much as possible. We often went home VERY frustrated, however we could reason that these were believers from many different churches coming together to be a part of a new church plant, and that it would take time for everyone to get on the same page. It came time for the community group to split into two groups, and the person who was chosen from our group to lead the new group was someone my husband and I felt was the least qualified in terms of having the integrity of someone who would be leading people. He was, however, very similar in personality to the original leader and very enthusiastic about Mars Hill. We decided to go ahead and break off with the new group, as our good friends were not given a choice (they were told they had to go to the new group) and we thought perhaps we could bring balance. We were in our mid 30’s and we were actually the oldest people in our groups. It was later revealed to us by other group members that our original community group leader was actually the “keeper of the gate”. He would report back to Kyle and another pastor about the people in the group and whether or not he thought they were fit for leadership.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Over time it seemed that being involved with Mars Hill took over our lives. I found myself with the women of my community group up to 4 days per week. We were in the midst of the “Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe” sermon series. One of the sermons and subsequent community groups talked about covenants. The term was used very loosely, and it was explained that members were required to sign a membership “covenant”. Our old church did not believe in membership, and so we had some questions about this. We knew that if we did not become members, we would be limited in what we could do as far as service. We asked some friends about the membership process as they had already completed it. They informed us that you did the “Doctrine” series and then you did a membership interview. In that interview they talked with you, I was told you made a giving pledge, and you had to confess a sin that you still struggle with. At some point we were told that your community group leader would “hold you accountable” if you were not meeting your pledge.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I reluctantly asked my husband if he had any concerns about Mars Hill. I knew he would, and I knew that these were irreconcilable. I feared that I would lose the only friends I had made in OC. The next week we both spent a lot of time in prayer and our Bibles. We weren’t sure if we were just rebels (that spiritual manipulation thing is no joke) or if what we were seeing was our sign to get out. We decided that we wanted to keep our reasons private and not cause division among our community group by challenging what Mark calls “open handed” issues. We sent a message on The City to our leaders and anyone whom we felt we owed at least a goodbye because of the friendships we thought we had built in community group. Our message was kind, we said that we felt we were being called elsewhere (we had not found another church yet), and that we loved them and wished them well. We were optimistic in thinking that the church is universal and that we would maintain the friendships we had built. One friend responded passionately and immediately, wanting reasons. I did not feel it was wise to share reasons so I said that we disagreed on some of what Mars Hill considered “open handed” issues and for us they were held tightly in our “closed hand”. We were trying very hard to leave well.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">None of the leaders that I messaged responded to me. Our community group leader emailed my husband (which I found odd, since I had sent the message) and demanded that my husband call him so they could set a meeting. My husband did not feel that he needed to make himself accountable to the leader. He had a team of older men from different churches he went to for guidance. Based on the leader’s personality and ambition we knew that it would not end well. My husband informed him that he was welcome to email him his questions, but that we both felt resolute in our decision. He wanted my husband to meet with him so they could discuss all our reasons, and based on our experiences and some of the other experiences we read on the internet, we chose not to subject ourselves to such a meeting. We did not hear anything for a few days. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> The silence from the leadership and the people I considered friends was deafening. I was crushed. This was my only group of friends in this town and I felt like I was getting everything taken from me and having to start all over. I was pressed for reasons again by a well-meaning friend and I conceded some of the reasons I was leaving. I left for a women’s retreat with my old church back home for the weekend. About a week later, our community group leader’s wife showed up unexpectedly at my front door. She had tears in her eyes and handed me a sweet card and ran off my porch. It was odd. About 3 hours later, my husband and I received the following email:</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">On Wed, Oct 26, 2011 at 11:47 AM, [CG Leader] xxxxxx <xxxxxxxx@gmail.com> wrote:</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">[Pam’’s Husband] & Pam,</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">First off, I want to say that we love you both. Your family has been a blessing to us, the community groups in Irvine and Orange, and the rest of Mars Hill. We are very sad and surprised to see you go.I have no desire to for you to stay at Mars Hill if he’s calling you elsewhere. If he is calling you somewhere else, we want to bless you and send you out joyfully. If he’s not, then you are endangering your family and hurting the church for your own motives.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">[Pam’s husband], I wrote to you last week in regards to Pam’s message and was shut down. You both have made some bold statements about the Lord’s calling. I wanted to discuss them with you, but you were unwilling. You said in your email that you believe the Spirit is calling you both, and that it has nothing to do with “human logic”. If it is the Spirit’s calling, you should not be intimidated by discussing how he’s called you and what he’s called you to - especially if it is “tested against scripture.”</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">You contacted xxx, but were unwilling to speak with me. Pam, Pastor Kyle has also left messages trying to get in touch with you which have been unreturned. Why are you hiding? TBD is not a new church. TBD is isolation from God’s people. You are essential to the body. “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’” (I Cor. 12:21) You may not be official members of Mars Hill yet, but you are members of the body—being served and serving.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">Peter calls our struggle as the body a war (I Peter 2:9-13). Our battle is not against flesh and blood (Eph. 6:12). How will you wage war alone (Ecc. 4:9-10)? [Pam’s husband], how will lead your family without accountability (Prov. 27:17)?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">At Mars Hill you were not merely obtaining a good or service, but you were part of an army of God’s soldiers, living out the gospel in community. Conviction comes in hearing the word of God preached, but confession and repentance come in community.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic;">You fleeing community is not the biggest problem though. The biggest problem is you creating division through your hiding from leadership while calling those in the flock and venting your frustrations. Don’t you find it alarming that you are willing to contact anyone in the community except leadership to discuss this? Because of this, we are removing you from the CG and The City. You are welcome to come back to CG and Mars Hill anytime. Again, we love you and wish to discuss this in person with you both. My hope and prayer is that this message communicates that you are important to and loved by the community, even if the message is a tough one. [Pam’s husband], please call me at714.xxx.xxxx so we can sit down together. -[CG Leader]</span> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Although we never became members, they were trying to require us to explain and hold us to a covenant we did not make. Based on the content of the email, we knew going to community group to be on the hot seat so they could decide if they agreed was unwise and unnecessary. My husband responded and pointed out the manipulation and twisting of scripture. He informed the leader that we would not be sitting down together. I responded with the following email:</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">Pam responded on Oct 26, 5:53 pm</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">Dear [CG Leader] and xxxxxx,</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">When I received your message I was in the middle of writing an explanation to xxxxxx. I was touched that you came by. I was confused by your silence as I value our friendship and wasn’t sure what to make of the silence. This morning after you came by, I felt bad because your note was so sweet and I thought that the sadness in your face was because you had mistaken our vagueness about our reasons as not respecting our friendship. I now realize that it was goodbye because you knew [your husband] would be sending this message today.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">I do not feel the explanation I was about to give will be received with an open mind and a heart of love based on the tone of the email we received. Our reasons had nothing to do with the two of you. In the future though, [CG Leader], I would encourage you to LOVE first and question things more carefully. You made a lot of judgments about the condition of our hearts.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">I would like to clarify that I did not receive any calls or voicemails from Pastor Kyle. I don’t know what number he was using to try to reach me. I have contacted xxxxxx and made sure that she would make my correct number available to Pastor Kyle. There is no hiding involved, only a simple wrong number. I informed xxxxxxx that I would be happy to speak with Pastor Kyle anytime.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">[CG Leader], we are not isolated from God’s people. Being outside of Mars Hill is not isolation from God’s people. Mars Hill is not THE body of Christ, it is part of the larger body. It is dangerous whenever we get into an elitist mindset. Mars Hill (or any other church) does not have the perfect doctrine. Our church is TBD because we have not had the chance to go to ANY OTHER church other than Mars Hill. You spent two paragraphs questioning us and assuming that leaving Mars Hill meant that we were “fleeing community” and going to be rebels for Christ. We fully intend to find a church body that is a good fit for our family and to submit to the Holy Spirit and the pastors he places over us. We understand that OC is full of consumer Christians, but it is an unfair judgment to lump us into that category. We just moved here from a church we attended for 5+ years and would still attend had we not moved. I so much wanted to have what I had back there that I chose Mars Hill before we ever moved…I did not come here and ask God to show us where our family was to go or where He was leading us. And in all this I see that I ran ahead of Him because I was not truly trusting Him to provide what he knew I needed. Mars Hill does a really good job of offering ready made community, but we are in a season where God is calling us to really focus on our kids and our marriage. While that may not be what Mars Hill is teaching, it is what he is showing us nonetheless.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">Finally, I am saddened that you all got together to compare notes. The only person I “vented my frustrations” to was Xxxxx. I thought that in friendship and community it is safe and okay to talk with those you trust about the things that are concerning you and for those people to help you work out your feelings and direct you to the Word. I did not know that in community it was fair game to share those “private” conversations.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">As I am sure you could discern from [my husband]’s message, we are done. We do not feel it necessary to get together.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">Xxxxxx, I LOVE you very much and appreciate your friendship and for all the sweet ways you made me feel loved. Considering the circumstances it is questionable if we will ever hang out again, but I want you to know that I hold you in the highest regard and love and respect you very much.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: italic;">Love,</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After receiving this email, I contacted Pastor Kyle’s wife and let her know, through tears, that I was done and that I was only willing to talk to Kyle at this point. She cried with me. I was emotionally exhausted, and so my husband and I decided he would have that conversation with Kyle. I was done. We were disappointed when Kyle backed our community group leader. We thought that he would hear us out, and perhaps apologize for the leader’s behavior.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That was the last interaction we had with anyone from Mars Hill for quite some time. I was very, very hurt and very, very confused. Since I had lost all of the friends I had in Orange County, I spent a lot of time online trying to make sense of what had happened. In response to a comment made on <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fthewartburgwatch.com%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHZU816lWeJdrI6CHpJhfK75Fp8sQ" style="text-decoration: inherit;">The Wartburg Watch</a></span> (a Christian blog), I decided to (anonymously) share my story. I had struggled with what to do with what had occurred. My husband and I wanted to just forget about it and move on, but based on stories we had come across, we knew that our experience was not an isolated incident. What kind of damage is this causing to others? How can we just walk away and be glad that we “dodged the bullet”?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I had already submitted my story several days before it came out. I simultaneously started the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fmarshillrefuge.blogspot.com%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEwk6mzPZOFzR7ppyI8DY1PwAloPg" style="text-decoration: inherit;">Mars Hill Refuge</a></span> blog (in response to another comment that wondered when a site similar to Sovereign Grace (SGM) Survivors would pop up), which I thought would be some obscure little piece of the internet. I had no idea that just one day prior to my story being told, Matthew Paul Turner would write about Andrew’s discipline contract and shunning. I could not have imagined the chain of events that would follow. Shortly after the release of both our stories, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thestranger.com%2Fseattle%2Fchurch-or-cult%2FContent%3Foid%3D12172001&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFCOgduK2FBi6q8b7ewqgvCVUtTlA" style="text-decoration: inherit;">The Stranger</a></span> wrote an article about Lance. In that article, my blog was linked (without my prior knowledge). This was followed by <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thestranger.com%2Fseattle%2Fchurch-or-cult%2FContent%3Foid%3D12172001&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFCOgduK2FBi6q8b7ewqgvCVUtTlA" style="text-decoration: inherit;">The Slate Article</a></span>, which was picked up by the Huffington Post. Then many of us were contacted to participate in the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fmarshillrefuge.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F03%2Fkomo-news-story_03.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNF0ms0TeVgLf6Sbv1okV3mm3Qx0VQ" style="text-decoration: inherit;">KOMO News Story</a></span>.The result of all of this unsolicited publicity following the telling of my story has been a response I couldn’t have predicted. People have come forward with their stories in large numbers. Some have been posted publicly, and some have been shared privately. The response has been overwhelming, and each time I have wanted to quit, to walk away from it all, I receive another email, and I know that I must continue to speak out.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In March of 2012, Mars Hill posted “A Call to Reconciliation”. The statement seemed to blur the lines and imply that all of the people speaking out against Mars Hill were under church discipline and were taking those matters public. To clarify, this is the exception and not the rule, as in our case and most others that have been shared, we were not, in fact, under church discipline. And since, in this post as well as the last two responses PR issued, they continued to stand by their stance on church discipline, one which I do not now nor will I ever agree with, I was unable to be reconciled in the way that they wished to reconcile me. Up until this point, I had never been contacted by the CG leader, Kyle (yet), or my friends for apologies, reconciliation or the like. I did feel compelled to attempt reconciliation with people in my story, so I reached out to the friend who had pressed me for reasons. We met that night. This friend and I are still friends today. She was able to fill in some blanks and answer some questions for me. She told me that I was not officially shunned, but that the leader considered us to be under church discipline, even though we had never become members. That is like firing someone who quit yesterday.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As I reflect on my experience I see that in comparison to many others, I was fortunate. I left quickly, and managed to avoid church discipline (because we refused to meet with leaders). I understand why some might think that I have an ax to grind, that I am “bitter,” or that perhaps I am making a bigger deal than need be made. If that was the end of my story, I might agree. It is not.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For so long, I feared telling my friends (back home and new ones) about what had happened, the blog, and how much I was struggling. I had worried about losing more friendships for speaking out against Mars Hill. It is one thing to get nasty comments (like being called Satan) on the Internet or to lose friends you only had for a short while, but the fear of losing the people you love the most is paralyzing. Unfortunately, as I did begin to tell, and began to lose my faith, most of those friendships dwindled to nothing. I only retained one close friend from back home. My experience at Mars Hill and the loss of the friends was confusing and painful. I did not understand how Christian people could treat each other that way, or how the hunger for power could overshadow friendship. I did not understand how people could cut friends out of their life for no good reason. And for a while, I believed that it was one bad experience and that I should just put it behind me. That is what I intended to do.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After we left Mars Hill, we tried several churches, none of which we could call home. We were exhausted. My kids are introverts, and they were tired of going into different rooms full of strangers each Sunday. So were my husband and I. No amount of Starbucks or trips to Krispy Kreme was worth the anxiety that church now created for us. At that time, we planned to move home at the end of the school year. The decision to take a break from church came easy. We felt good about the decision to use our Sunday mornings for family time with our kids. We anticipated that we would return to our home church when we moved. So we rested. We enjoyed our kids. We went to Disneyland.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A few months later, I attended an Anglican church alone. I really wanted to regain what I had lost. As I sat in the seat, I felt like I was going to burst. I was anxious, my heart pounded. I wanted to run out of there. I wanted the sermon to be over and had a hard time following the deacon’s message. He spoke about the spirit giving us wisdom and discernment, and how we are different than normal people because of it. I get what he was trying to say, but it still bothered me. I am a normal person. I am just as confused, broken, lost, and hurting as anyone else. I am not any better, wiser, or more holy. My anxiety continued to build and I couldn’t stay. I went out of the sanctuary. I was at a crossroads. If I went back into the service, I knew what awaited me there. Comfort. Security. Certainty. Restraints. Elitism. Judgment. I looked to my right. It was a long hallway, and at the end was a door with a giant green exit sign above it. On the other side of the glass door was a wall. I could not see what was beyond it. Freedom? Loneliness? Authenticity? A slippery slope? Judgment? Loss?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I was aware as I walked down that hallway toward the EXIT sign that I very well may be walking away from Sunday morning church for the last time.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As the Mars Hill Refuge blog got more publicity, I received story after story similar to mine, and much, much worse. Joyful Exiles was launched. As if those stories were not enough, the thing that really did me in was the comments I received and the attack on my personal character and questioning of my salvation. My Mars Hill experience was the first domino in a series of events that began the deconstruction of my faith. For someone who had a blind faith (since childhood), the deluge of questions was alarming. What did I believe? What could I no longer believe? How do I get over the wall (see <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fkathyescobar.com%2F2008%2F06%2F10%2Fa-nifty-chart-for-the-journe%2F&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHUS8IP-p4ZOdGtusF8J9v1_RcB5A" style="text-decoration: inherit;">Stages of Faith</a></span>)? Why isn’t this working for me anymore?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I have grieved so many losses. I have lost my “rose-colored glasses”, the belief that Christians play by a certain set of “rules”, the feeling of belonging. I have lost trust in leadership and become suspicious. I have lost the belief that friends will stick by me no matter where I am and not judge me. I have lost black and white thinking and the surety of absolute truth. I have lost the feeling of being truly known by friends and feeling the freedom to just be me, whoever that is, today.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What have I gained? I have gained an “underground railroad” of sorts…people who have been or are on this journey who understand me and are safe. I have realized that we are all wanderers, and that nobody knows all the answers. I have gained confidence in my own ability to discern truth. I have gained compassion for those that consider themselves outsiders and new perspective on political and social issues, such as LGBTQ rights. I have gained friendships with people whom I may not have become friends with (and would have previously judged)…and my life is richer for it. I have gained the conviction that women should be free to use their spiritual gifts and be treated <span style="font-weight: bold;">EQUALLY</span> and the empowerment to teach my daughter that she can do anything, she is not limited simply because she is female.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I no longer consider myself a Christian. For me, the most honest answer at this time is “I don’t know.” The idea that we are somehow better, more enlightened, really bothers me. Maybe I am oversensitive to the elitism that is prevalent in Christianity due to some of my experiences. But I have heard this type of thing before, in almost every church I have ever attended, no matter the denomination. I realize that each denomination and religion is a different box I am supposed to fit into and I just don’t. A very wise and trusted friend once explained that we pick what feels good to us and find reasons (theology or denominations) to back up our beliefs…And I have been thinking about that a lot. Isn’t that what everyone is doing, no matter the denomination or God(s)?</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> The decision to walk away from institutional church is a difficult one to make. I don’t think it is the right answer for everyone, I think it is personal. Many people have had bad experiences and have been able to find refuge in another church. And when children are involved, it is even more complicated. But for me personally, it is no longer life giving. I went through a really hard time. I was very depressed and sought out counseling. I found that I was experiencing a form of PTSD from the move, the Mars Hill experience, the unofficial shunning, loss of friendships back home, and a deconstruction of my faith. I stopped blogging and following what was happening at Mars Hill in an effort to move on and to heal.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Throughout this time, I had intermittent communication with Pastor Kyle’s wife. I learned that Kyle had been let go and that they had to move from OC quickly. Then communication stopped again. This was confusing for me. My husband and I concluded that the church had required him to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and that she was not allowed to speak to me (especially because of my blog). We understood. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When Kyle and others began to speak publicly, I started paying attention again. These were former pastors, and were men, and I had hopes that they would be able to do what I could not because they held more power. Kyle has since personally apologized to me and my husband. While we didn’t entirely blame him, we felt he was complicit for backing the leader. I cannot tell you how healing receiving an apology from him has been. I have been able to rekindle my friendship with his wife (whom I always loved) and I am very grateful for that. I am doing well now. I like who I have become. I am pursuing goals, going back to school, and rebuilding a life I enjoy. My hope is that those who have been harmed by their experience at Mars Hill can arrive at this place.</span></div>
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Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-23025713273560225642014-04-04T17:04:00.000-07:002014-04-04T17:04:02.239-07:00Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church Face Possible LitigationToday, Warren Cole Smith, who writes for World Magazine wrote the following in his post <a href="http://www.worldmag.com/2014/04/mars_hill_church_moves_to_destroy_documents" target="_blank">Mars Hill Church moves to destroy documents</a>:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: ff-more-web-pro, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><i>"A group of 16 former Mars Hill members delivered a letter to the church earlier today, asking Mars Hill to delay or rescind the implementation of this policy. In the letter, obtained by WORLD, the group’s attorney, Brian Fahling, asked the church to “preserve electronically stored information that may contain evidence.” Fahling wrote that his clients anticipate legal action in which the church, Driscoll, and others in church leadership “will be named as defendants.” <b>The letter lists anticipated litigation in the areas of “RICO [Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act], Fraud, Conspiracy, Libel, Slander, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress.”</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: ff-more-web-pro, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">(emphasis added)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: ff-more-web-pro, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span></span>
<a href="http://www.pajamapages.com/how-mark-driscoll-pockets-the-money-he-gives-to-mars-hill/" target="_blank">How Mark Driscoll Pockets the Money He Gives to Mars Hill</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: #2d2d2d; font-family: ff-more-web-pro, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif;"><a href="http://www.pajamapages.com/see-how-the-result-source-campaign-made-mark-driscoll-a-half-million-dollars/" target="_blank">See how the Result Source campaign made Mark Driscoll a half million dollars (Updated)</a></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.pajamapages.com/on-driscoll-its-called-inurement-and-its-probably-illegal/" target="_blank">On Driscoll, It's Called Inurement and It's Probably Illegal</a></span>Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-28135845169336747972014-04-04T09:04:00.000-07:002014-04-04T09:04:30.861-07:00Mars Hill's Brand New Email Policy Today April 4th, Mars Hill will be deleting each and every email in their system older than 90 days.<br />
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Warren Throckmorton at Patheos has an excellent post on the matter:<br />
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<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/04/02/megachurch-methods-mars-hill-email-retention-policy/">http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/04/02/megachurch-methods-mars-hill-email-retention-policy/</a><br />
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They state that it is in order to be "good stewards" and reduce the risk of storing old emails unnecessarily.<br />
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Just so there is no confusion... there is little to any risk in storing emails for long periods of time. Storage is cheap these days. I work at a company with well over 200 employees and the company policy is a good faith policy where they ask us to be conscientious about reviewing our Inbox every few months and removing unnecessary ones.<br />
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It is reckless as an organization to have such an aggressive blanket policy where emails are deleted at the 90 day mark when projects, campaigns, issues, etc... often have a much longer shelf life than 90 days... any organization will be deleting possibly important correspondence on matters that may still be pertinent, not to mention it is an outstanding historical record for new issues that may come up.<br />
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Let me be clear here... This is a cover up, plain and simple. Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-64082185891211907512014-03-13T11:24:00.000-07:002014-03-13T11:28:19.770-07:00Some Important Developments - Former Pastors Speaking OutBoth of these men were pastors at MHOC while I was there.<br />
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<a href="http://davekraft.squarespace.com/posts/2014/3/8/do-you-swear-to-tell-the-truth-the-whole-truth-and-nothing-b.html" target="_blank">Dave Kraft</a><br />
The comments are filled with current and former elders, pastors and deacons raising concerns and backing Dave in speaking out.<br />
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<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2014/03/09/a-former-mars-hill-pastor-speaks-out-and-why-others-are-afraid-the-mars-hill-church-non-disclosure-agreement/" target="_blank">Kyle Firstenberg</a><br />
Includes a copy of the non-disclosure agreement most pastors sign in exchange for severance pay.<br />
<br />Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-86170548664356024702013-12-06T17:26:00.000-08:002013-12-06T17:26:47.228-08:00Welcome, Jezebel Friends!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/full_width_image/images/article/mars_hill_ryan_brown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bitchmagazine.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/full_width_image/images/article/mars_hill_ryan_brown.jpg" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
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Thanks for clicking through to check out this blog. I started this blog almost two years ago, after telling my story anonymously an another blog. I<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Since I left, I had struggled with what to do with what had occurred. My husband and I wanted to just forget about it and move on, but based on stories we had come across, we knew that our experience was not an isolated incident. What kind of damage is this causing to others? How can we just walk away and be glad that we "dodged the bullet"?</span></span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /></span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I had already submitted my story several days before it came out. I simultaneously started the </span><a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/" style="color: #7d181e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Mars Hill Refuge</a> blog<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">, which I thought would be some obscure little piece of the internet. I had no idea that just one day prior to my story being told, </span><a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/" style="color: #7d181e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Matthew Paul Turner</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> would write about </span><a href="http://matthewpaulturner.com/2012/01/24/jesus-needs-new-prmark-driscolls-church-discipline-contract-looking-for-true-repentance-at-mars-hill-church-sign-on-the-dotted-line/" style="color: #7d181e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Andrew's</a> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">discipline contract and shunning. I could not have imagined the chain of events that would follow.</span></span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /></span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Shortly after the release of my story, </span><a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/church-or-cult/Content?oid=12172001" style="color: #7d181e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Stranger</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> wrote an article about Lance. In that article, my blog was linked. This was followed by </span><a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/church-or-cult/Content?oid=12172001" style="color: #7d181e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Slate Article</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">, which was picked up by the Huffington Post. Then many of us were contacted to participate in the </span><a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/2012/03/komo-news-story_03.html" style="color: #7d181e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">KOMO News Story</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">.</span></span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /></span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">The result of all of this unsolicited publicity following the telling of my story has been a response I couldn't have predicted. People have come forward with their stories in large numbers. Some are posted</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/p/more-stories.html" style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #7d181e; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> on the site, and some have been shared privately. The response has been overwhelming.</span><br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;" /><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>Here are the links to all stories that can be found on the internet, or have been shared with us. We post these so that you can read for yourself and make your own determination about Mars Hill. Some of the Yelp links have positive stories, and if you would like to read more, I am sure you can find them on the Mars Hill Website.<br />
<br />
Starred stories are MUST READS!<br />
<br />
<b>*<a href="http://matthewpaulturner.com/2012/01/24/jesus-needs-new-prmark-driscolls-church-discipline-contract-looking-for-true-repentance-at-mars-hill-church-sign-on-the-dotted-line/" target="_blank">Andrew's Story (Part 1)</a></b><br />
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/79127218?access_key=key-qi5c7vvaa38eai7sddm" target="_blank"><b>MH Discipline Contract</b></a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://matthewpaulturner.com/2012/01/24/jesus-needs-new-prmark-driscolls-gospel-shame-the-truth-about-discipline-excommunication-and-cult-like-control-at-mars-hill/" target="_blank">Andrew's Story (Part 2)</a></b></li>
<li><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/79241578/File-Attachments-341254-Letter-to-Members" target="_blank"><b>Letter to MH Members (to shun Andrew)</b></a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://marshill.com/2012/01/27/church-discipline-in-the-bible" target="_blank">Mars Hill's Response to Andrew's Story</a> </b></li>
<li><b><a href="http://marshill.com/2012/02/13/a-response-regarding-church-discipline" target="_blank">A Second Response from Mars Hill</a></b></li>
<li><b><a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/02/16/mars-hill-responds">The Stranger Clarifies They Did Contact Mars Hill</a></b></li>
</ul>
<b>*<a href="http://joyfulexiles.com/" target="_blank">Paul & Jonna Petry's Story</a> </b><br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://twocleareyes.blogspot.com/2012/01/mars-hill-altar-of-doctrine-and-occult.html" target="_blank">UnReformed's Story</a></b><br />
<br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #424242; line-height: 20px;">*<a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/2012/03/kips-story.html" target="_blank">Kip's Story</a> </b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #424242; line-height: 20px;"><br /></b><b><a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/church-or-cult/Content?oid=12172001" target="_blank">Lance's Story (The Stranger Article)</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://rebuildingrebecca.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-story-leaving-mhc.html" target="_blank"><b>Rebecca's Story</b></a><br />
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<b><a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/01/30/fired-mars-hill-elder-breaks-his-silence" target="_blank">Bent Meyer's Story</a></b><br />
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<br /></div>
<b>*<a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/exorcism-at-mars-hill-one-womans-story/" target="_blank">Amy's Story</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/p/kaelees-story.html" target="_blank">Kaelee's Story</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/p/our-story.html" target="_blank"><b>Sophia's Story</b></a><br />
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<b><a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/2012/02/kevin-potts-story.html" target="_blank">Kevin Potts' Story</a></b><br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://wenatcheethehatchet.blogspot.com/2012/01/bht-are-we-seeing-pride-going-before.html" target="_blank">Wenatchee's Story</a> </b><br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/2012/04/mars-hill-departed-story-part-1.html" target="_blank">Mars Hill Departed Part 1</a></b><br />
<a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/2012/04/mars-hill-departed-story-part-2.html" target="_blank"><b>Mars Hill Departed Part 2</b></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/01/27/mars-hill-and-mark-driscoll-under-scrutiny-while-another-painful-story-emerges" target="_blank"><b>Frankie's Story</b></a><br />
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<div class="comment-author vcard" style="background-color: white; color: #424242; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/a-response-from-mars-hill-church/#comment-11764" target="_blank">Angie's Story</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/two-more-former-mars-hill-church-members-break-silence/#comment-14192" target="_blank"><b>ELP's Story (Anonymous)</b></a><br />
<br /></div>
<b><a href="http://freedom4captives.wordpress.com/mars-hill/" target="_blank">Multiple Stories @ Freedom4Captives</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-hill-church-seattle" target="_blank">Stories on Yelp - Ballard Campus</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-hill-church-downtown-seattle-seattle" target="_blank">Stories on Yelp - Downtown Campus</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-hill-church-seattle-2" target="_blank">Stories on Yelp - West Seattle Campus</a></b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-hill-church-bellevue" target="_blank"><b>Stories on Yelp - Bellevue Campus</b></a><br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-hill-church-albuquerque" target="_blank">Stories on Yelp - Albuquerque Campus</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-hill-church-santa-ana" target="_blank">Stories on Yelp - Orange County Campus</a></b><br />
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The next post is a list of articles and blog posts about Mark Driscoll.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-71774689582282619332013-12-06T17:00:00.000-08:002013-12-06T17:28:18.185-08:00You Decide!I think everyone needs to read and research for themselves. Here is a comprehensive link-up of articles, blog posts, etc. about Mars Hill Church and Mark Driscoll. This will remain a page on the site for easy reference.<br />
<br />
<b>Women's Issues</b><br />
<a href="https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/?ui=2&ik=7325283f35&view=att&th=1354cbbb44f64f44&attid=0.5&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P8lZaBiVG4mTZYAV2tA_LsB&sadet=1335032502023&sads=x-R" target="_blank">Mars Hill Church Leadership Booklet</a><br />
<br />
<b>Resources made available by MHC and Mark Driscoll:</b><br />
<a href="http://marshill.com/">Mars Hill Church website</a><br />
<a href="http://marshill.com/media/sermons?direction=desc&order_by=date">Mark Driscoll's recent sermons</a><br />
Mark Driscoll's sermons on <a href="http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/trial/marriage-and-women">Marriage and Women</a> and <a href="http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/trial/marriage-and-men">Marriage and Men</a> (3/09)<br />
<a href="http://marshill.com/media/cg-sync-q-a-with-pas/reaching-seattles-gay-population">Mark Driscoll preaches against homosexuality</a> (5/10)<br />
<a href="http://pastormark.tv/">Mark Driscoll's website</a> (est. 2011)<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pastormark?sk=wall">Mark Driscoll's public FaceBook wall</a><br />
<a href="http://theresurgence.com/2011/07/13/the-issue-under-a-lot-of-issues">Mark Driscoll's non-apology apology following "Effemigate"</a> (7/11)<br />
<a href="http://marshill.com/media/real-marriage/disgrace-and-grace">Mark Driscoll's sermon on sexual assault</a> - Not completely terrible, but still some problematic paternalistic aspects. (2/12)<br />
<a href="http://theresurgence.com/books/porn_again_christian"><i>Porn Again Christian</i> by Mark Driscoll</a> - Free e-book on men, pornography, masturbation, and sex. (2008)<br />
<br />
<b>Neutral Resources:</b><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Hill_Church">MHC Wikipedia entry</a><br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Driscoll">Mark Driscoll Wikipedia entry</a><br />
<br />
<b>Survivor Testimony & Spiritual Abuse Resources:</b><br />
<a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/">Mars Hill Refuge</a> - MHC survivor blog (wife of Two Clear Eyes). (est. 2012)<br />
<a href="http://twocleareyes.blogspot.com/">Two Clear Eyes</a> - MHC survivor blog (husband of Mars Hill Refuge). He offers <a href="http://twocleareyes.blogspot.com/#!/2012/01/mars-hill-altar-of-doctrine-and-occult.html">a detailed, articulate account</a> of his experiences at MHC. (est. 2012)<br />
<a href="http://freedom4captives.wordpress.com/">Freedom For Captives</a> - MHC survivor blog. Lots of in-depth discussion and resources on warning signs of spiritual abuse. (est. 2009)<br />
<a href="http://prayingheart.wordpress.com/">Praying Heart</a> - MHC survivor blog. (est. 2008)<br />
Matthew Paul Turner/Jesus Needs New PR: A former MHC member ("Andrew") goes public about his experience with church discipline [<a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/mark-driscolls-church-discipline-contract-looking-for-true-repentance-at-mars-hill-church-sign-on-the-dotted-line/">1</a>, <a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/mark-driscolls-gospel-shame-the-truth-about-discipline-excommunication-and-cult-like-control-at-mars-hill/">2</a>] (1/12)<br />
The Wartburg Watch: <a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/01/27/mars-hill-and-mark-driscoll-under-scrutiny-while-another-painful-story-emerges/">On MHC's response to exposure of church discipline procedure, plus more survivor testimony</a> (1/12)<br />
Slate.com: <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/life/faithbased/2012/02/mars_hill_pastor_mark_driscoll_faces_backlash_over_church_discipline_case_.html">A Shunning in Seattle</a> - some more clarification on the case of "Andrew". (2/12)<br />
<a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/01/27/mars-hill-and-mark-driscoll-under-scrutiny-while-another-painful-story-emerges/#comment-35184">Former MHC pastor Bent Meyer comments on some issues he sees still ongoing within MHC, and his own firing in 2007</a> (1/12)<br />
The Stranger: <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/church-or-cult/Content?oid=12172001">Another former MHC member ("Lance") goes public with some jaw-dropping testimony.</a> (2/12)<br />
Mars Hill Refuge: <a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/2012/02/kaelees-story.html">More survivor testimony ("Kaelee")</a> (2/12)<br />
The Wartburg Watch: <a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/02/01/how-to-minimize-damage-when-resigning-from-a-mark-driscoll-like-church/">How to Minimize Damage When Resigning From a Mark Driscoll-like Church</a> (2/12)<br />
Wenatchee the Hatchet: <a href="http://wenatcheethehatchet.blogspot.com/2012/02/technology-and-illusion-of-control.html">Technology and the Illusion of Control</a> - evaluating the veracity of survivor testimony and MHC's failed attempt at keeping disciplinary matters private. (2/12)<br />
<a href="http://joyfulexiles.com/">Joyful Exiles</a> - Former MHC elders go public with emails and documents they received from the church at the time of their firing in 2007. (launched 3/12)<br />
Matthew Paul Turner: <a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/exorcism-at-mars-hill-one-womans-story/">Exorcism at Mars Hill</a> - A woman tells the story of her unwilling exorcism from "sexual demons" at the hands of Mark Driscoll. (6/12)<br />
<a href="http://pureprovender.blogspot.com/">Pure Provender</a> - General resource on spiritual abuse.<br />
<br />
<b>Blogs regularly featuring posts on MHC and Mark Driscoll:</b><br />
<a href="http://arewomenhuman.me/">Are Women Human?</a> (tags: <a href="http://arewomenhuman.me/tag/mark-driscoll/">Mark Driscoll</a>, <a href="http://arewomenhuman.me/tag/mars-hill-church/">Mars Hill Church</a>)<br />
<a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/">The Wartburg Watch</a><br />
<a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/">Matthew Paul Turner - Jesus Needs New PR</a> (tag: <a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/category/mark-driscoll/">Mark Driscoll</a>)<br />
<a href="http://wenatcheethehatchet.blogspot.com/">Wenatchee the Hatchet</a> - former member of MHC who left on reasonably good terms.<br />
<a href="http://driscollwatch.wordpress.com/">Driscoll Watch</a> - a blog specifically devoted to respectfully refuting Driscoll's claims about Catholicism.<br />
<a href="http://driscontinuity.tumblr.com/">Driscontinuity</a> - fact-checking Mark Driscoll.<br />
<a href="http://www.ismarkdriscollabully.com/">Is Mark Driscoll a Bully?</a> - A record of ex-MHC member testimony and Driscoll quotes.<br />
<br />
<b>Articles & Blog Posts:</b><br />
Seattle P-I: <a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Mars-Hill-pastor-responds-to-uproar-over-blog-1221412.php">Mars Hill pastor responds to uproar over blog posts on women</a> (12/06)<br />
Denny Burk: <a href="http://www.dennyburk.com/mark-driscoll-on-women-in-ministry-2/">Mark Driscoll on Women in Ministry</a> (7/07)<br />
The Stranger: <a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=445277">Fired and Brimstone: Mars Hill Megachurch Has No Room for Two Dissenting Pastors</a> (11/07)<br />
Obscene Beauty: <a href="http://obscenebeauty.blogspot.com/2007/11/does-mark-driscoll-believe-in-god-of.html">Does Mark Driscoll believe in a God of Love or Hate?</a> (11/07)<br />
Praying Heart: <a href="http://prayingheart.wordpress.com/2008/01/27/mark-driscolljockeying-for-and-abusing-power/">Pastor Mark Driscoll... "Jockeying for and Abusing Power?"</a> - on new MHC bylaws and consolidation of power. (1/08)<br />
Praying Heart: <a href="http://prayingheart.wordpress.com/2008/03/01/mark-driscoll-continues-to-lie-to-mars-hill-members/">Does Mark Driscoll Continue to Lie to Mars Hill Members?</a> - concerning the reasons behind the firing of two MHC pastors. (3/08)<br />
Christianity Today: <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/april/27.48.html">A Jesus for Real Men: What the new masculinity movement gets right and wrong.</a> (4/08)<br />
New York Times: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/magazine/11punk-t.html">Who Would Jesus Smack Down?</a> (1/09)<br />
Cathy Mickels: <a href="http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2011/07/disturbing-review-of-mark-driscoll.html">Mark Driscoll: is he qualified to lead?</a> (1/09)<br />
Experimental Theology: <a href="http://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/2009/02/thoughts-on-mark-driscoll-while-im.html">Thoughts on Mark Driscoll ... while I'm knitting</a> - thoughtful discussion on gender and Christianity, albeit with with some problematic language (w/Driscoll video clip). (2/09)<br />
Freedom 4 Captives: <a href="http://freedom4captives.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/14-cult-like-spiritual-abuse-issues-by-laws-in-a-nutshell/">Cult-Like Spiritual Abuse Issues & By Laws In a Nutshell</a> - positively hair-raising! (4/09)<br />
Are Women Human?: <a href="http://arewomenhuman.me/2010/09/16/punishing-gender-variant-masculinity/">Punishing gender-variant masculinity</a> (9/10)<br />
Christian Post: <a href="http://www.christianpost.com/news/driscoll-macdonald-defend-multisite-church-strategy-47006/">Driscoll, MacDonald Defend Multisite Church Strategy</a> - Driscoll claims his congregation are less "addicted" to him than those at a regular church. (9/10)<br />
Are Women Human?: <a href="http://arewomenhuman.me/2011/03/29/mark-driscoll-is-not-god/">Mark Driscoll is not God</a> (3/11)<br />
Shawn Wamsley: <a href="http://theophiliacs.com/2011/04/14/mars-hill-church-mark-driscoll-and-gender-roles/">Mars Hill Church, Mark Driscoll, and Gender Roles</a> - Driscoll's problematic equation of masculinity with agency. (4/11)<br />
The Broken Telegraph: <a href="http://brokentelegraph.com/2011/05/17/mars-hill-driscoll-when-church-becomes-a-spectacle/">Mars Hill, Mark Driscoll, and Church as a Spectacle</a> (5/11)<br />
Matt Morin: <a href="http://theotherjournal.com/2011/06/28/the-confessions-of-a-cage-fighter-masculinity-misogyny-and-the-fear-of-losing-control/">The Confessions of a Cage Fighter: Masculinity, Misogyny, and the Fear of Losing Control</a> (6/11)<br />
Are Women Human?: <a href="http://arewomenhuman.me/2011/07/09/dianna-anderson-dear-mr-driscoll/">Dianna Anderson: Dear Mr. Driscoll</a> (7/11)<br />
Joy In This Journey: <a href="http://joyinthisjourney.com/2011/07/dont-take-pot-shots-at-worship-leaders-er-i-mean-anyone/">Don't Take Pot-Shots at Worship Leaders, er, I Mean, ANYONE</a> - Effemigate. (7/11)<br />
Rachel Held Evans: <a href="http://rachelheldevans.com/mark-driscoll-bully">Mark Driscoll is a bully. Stand up to him.</a> - Effemigate. (7/11)<br />
Love Radically: <a href="http://loveradically.com/2011/07/13/mark-driscolls-missed-opprotunity/">Mark Driscoll's Missed Opportunity</a> - Effemigate. (7/11)<br />
Here I Blog: <a href="http://hereiblog.com/mark-driscoll-prophetic-dreams-seeing-future/">Mark Driscoll On Prophetic Dreams and Seeing the Future</a> - Driscoll's gift of prophecy allows him to "see" his parishioners engaged in sexual sin (w/extended quotes, audio and video clips). (8/11)<br />
Question @Yahoo Answers: <a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110906021935AAmh1lx">Why do Pastors Mark Driscoll and Perry Noble have such similar sermons?</a> (8/11)<br />
Jesus Needs New PR: <a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/church/mark-driscoll-sees-things/">Mark Driscoll 'sees' things</a> (9/11)<br />
Alisa Harris: <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/alisaharris/2011/09/to-the-child-star-of-pastormark-tv/">To the Child Star of PastorMark.TV</a> - what does it mean that Driscoll's 14-year-old daughter will be blogging on his website? (9/11)<br />
Seattle P-I: <a href="http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/2011/11/03/seattle-pastor-mark-driscoll-says-yoga-is-demonic/">Seattle pastor Mark Driscoll says yoga is demonic</a> - but not MMA? Both are rooted in Eastern mysticism, but apparently only the one "for women" is demonic. (11/11)<br />
Christian Pop Culture (Brad Williams): <a href="http://www.christandpopculture.com/featured/mark-driscoll-mma-is-not-the-measure-of-manhood-jesus-is/">Dear Driscoll, MMA is not a Measure of Manhood — Jesus is</a> (11/11)<br />
Wenatchee the Hatchet: <a href="http://wenatcheethehatchet.blogspot.com/2011/12/publishers-weekly-on-mark-and-grace.html">Publisher's Weekly on Mark and Grace Driscoll's Real Marriage, and a phrase to be considered</a> - what are the implications of Driscoll's confession that he made "a god" of sex? (12/11)<br />
The American Jesus: <a href="http://theamericanjesus.net/?p=5082">In Defense of Christian Bloggers</a> - critique of The Elephant Room round table discussion. (1/12)<br />
Krish Kandiah: <a href="http://krishk.com/2012/01/driscoll-pearls-swine/">Driscoll and Britain</a> (1/12)<br />
Kinnon: <a href="http://kinnon.tv/2012/01/the-interview-was-it-of-the-undisciplined-or-undiscipled.html">The UK Real Interview – Was it of the Undisciplined or the Undiscipled?</a> (1/12)<br />
The Friendly Atheist: <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/01/18/did-anyone-else-know-pastor-mark-driscoll-was-sexist/">Did Anyone Else Know Pastor Mark Driscoll Was Sexist?</a> (1/12)<br />
The Friendly Atheist: <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/01/20/the-christian-indoctrination-will-continue-forever/">The Christian Indoctrination Will Continue Forever</a> (1/12)<br />
The Wartburg Watch: <a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/01/20/mark-driscoll-acts-29-haiti-relief-denied-because-of-a-woman-preacher/">Driscoll, Acts 29 Deny Haiti Relief Because of a Female Pastor</a> (1/12)<br />
Church Leaders: <a href="http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/158168-driscoll-marriage-porn-and-talking-about-sex-in-the-pulpit.html?p=1">Driscoll on Sex, Critics, and When to Cross the Line in the Pulpit</a> - Driscoll talks about <i>Real Marriage</i> and his critics. In question #4, he dismisses any criticism directed at him. (1/12)<br />
Driscontinuity: <a href="http://driscontinuity.tumblr.com/post/16160808683/ted-bundy-is-not-a-prop">Ted Bundy is Not a Prop</a> - refuting Driscoll's "facts" about Ted Bundy. (1/12)<br />
Strange Figures: <a href="http://strangefigures.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/in-the-name-of-love-should-we-just-keep-quiet/">In the name of love, should we just keep quiet?</a> - On letting churches get away with spiritual abuse. (1/12)<br />
Covenant of Love: <a href="http://covenantoflove.net/culture/never-mind-andrews-sin-what-about-mars-hills-sin/">Never Mind Andrew’s Sin, What About Mars Hill’s Sin?</a> analysis of MHC's interpretation of scripture surrounding church discipline. (1/12)<br />
Big Circumstance: <a href="http://bigcircumstance.com/2012/01/28/mark-driscoll-and-the-mars-hill-churches-when-discipline-becomes-control-becomes/">Mark Driscoll And The Mars Hill Churches: When Discipline Becomes Control Becomes...?</a> (1/12)<br />
Searching for Chet Baker: <a href="http://www.searchingforchetbaker.com/2012/01/dangers-of-mark-driscoll-mars-hill.html">The Dangers of Mark Driscoll & The Mars Hill Church</a> (1/12)<br />
Notes From the Well: <a href="http://notesfromthewell.wordpress.com/2012/01/28/concerns-about-mark-driscoll-mars-hill-church-and-the-acts-29-network/">concerns about mark driscoll, mars hill church and the acts 29 network</a> - criticism from a former Driscoll supporter. (1/12)<br />
Cushman Chronicles: <a href="http://cushmanschronicles.com/2012/01/29/thoughts-on-mars-hill-and-andrew/">Thoughts on Mars Hill and Andrew...</a> - a former Driscoll fan responds scripturally to the MHC discipline controversy. (1/12)<br />
Wenatchee the Hatchet: <a href="http://wenatcheethehatchet.blogspot.com/2012/01/ht-phoenix-preacher-mark-driscoll.html">Mark Driscoll & Church Discipline </a>- was the recently publicised instance of MHC discipline the result of nepotism? (1/12)<br />
Christian Pop Culture: <a href="http://www.christandpopculture.com/featured/from-fanboy-to-frustrated-a-plea-to-mark-driscoll/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=from-fanboy-to-frustrated-a-plea-to-mark-driscoll">From Fanboy to Frustrated: A Plea To Mark Driscoll</a> (2/12)<br />
The Stranger (Brendan Kiley): <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/03/07/mars-hill-responds-again">Mars Hill Wants to Reconcile</a> (3/12)<br />
The Friendly Atheist (Amanda): <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/03/08/mars-hill-church-responds-to-criticisms/">Mars Hill Church Responds to Criticism</a> (3/12)<br />
<br />
<b>Reviews:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-hill-church-seattle">Yelp.com reviews of MHC by members and visitors</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ship-of-fools.com/mystery/2008/1569.html">Ship of Fools Mystery Worshipper on Ballard campus MHC service</a> (1/08)<br />
Are Women Human? on MHC's <i>God's Work, Our Witness</i> documentary [<a href="http://arewomenhuman.me/2011/12/14/recapping-the-mars-hill-documentary-gender-race-sex-and-cults-of-personality/">1</a>, <a href="http://arewomenhuman.me/2011/12/31/recapping-the-mars-hill-documentary-love-of-money/">2</a>] (12/11)<br />
The Friendly Atheist: <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2011/12/24/grace-and-mark-driscoll-write-a-how-not-to-book-on-marriage/">Grace and Mark Driscoll Write a How-Not-To Book on Marriage</a> - review of the first chapter of <i>Real Marriage</i> (12/11)<br />
Dianna E. Anderson on the first chapter of <i>Real Marriage</i>, especially noting the framing of Grace Driscoll's sexual assault only in terms of how it affected Mark. [<a href="http://diannaeanderson.net/?p=739">1</a>, <a href="http://diannaeanderson.net/?p=855">2</a>] (12/11)<br />
Rachel Held Evans: <a href="http://rachelheldevans.com/mark-driscoll-real-marriage">Driscoll, "Real Marriage", and Why Being a Pastor Doesn’t Automatically Make You a Sex Therapist</a> (1/12)<br />
David Moore @The Burner on <i>Real Marriage</i> [<a href="http://theburnerblog.com/arts/books/mark-driscoll-thinks-wives-are-only-good-for-sex/">1</a>, <a href="http://theburnerblog.com/arts/books/mark-driscoll-chauvinist-views-on-appropriate-roles-in-marriage/">2</a>, <a href="http://theburnerblog.com/arts/books/mark-driscolls-preoccupation-with-visual-stimulation-read-like-the-guilty-dog-barking-loudest/">3</a>, <a href="http://theburnerblog.com/arts/books/how-to-avoid-satan-himself-laying-in-the-space-between-you-and-other-loose-ends-from-questions-from-real-marriage/">4</a>] (1/12)<br />
Word Vixen: <a href="http://wordvixen.com/2012/01/09/mark-driscolls-real-marriage-book-review/">Mark Driscoll's <i>Real Marriage</i> Book Review</a> (1/12)<br />
Sojourners: <a href="http://blog.sojo.net/blogs/2012/01/22/he-said-she-said-driscolls-real-marriage-really-not">He Said, She Said: Driscoll's "Real Marriage" is Really Not</a> (1/12)<br />
Practical Theology for Women: <a href="http://www.theologyforwomen.org/2012/02/our-review-of-real-marriage-by-mark-and.html">Our Review of <i>Real Marriage</i> by Mark and Grace Driscoll</a> (2/12)Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-41877779023454693762013-12-06T16:00:00.000-08:002014-07-19T20:55:05.362-07:00So...Is it a Cult? Part I<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 14px; padding: 0px;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://arewomenhuman.me/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/cult-300x180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://arewomenhuman.me/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/cult-300x180.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit: Kevin Dooley</td></tr>
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This list of signs was taken from a Huffington Post article by Jayanti Tamm <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jayanti-tamm/the-c-word_2_b_848340.html" style="background-color: transparent;">here.</a></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Is it a Cult? The Top Ten Signs the 'Group' You've Joined is Not what It Seems</strong></div>
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<li style="border: 0px; list-style: decimal inside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 35px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;">The leader and group are always correct and anything the leader does can be justified.</li>
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<li style="border: 0px; list-style: decimal inside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 35px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;">Questions, suggestions, or critical inquiry are forbidden.</li>
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<li style="border: 0px; list-style: decimal inside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 35px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;">Members incessantly scramble with cramped schedules and activities full of largely meaningless work based on the leader's agenda</li>
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<li style="border: 0px; list-style: decimal inside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 35px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;">Followers are meant to believe that they are never good enough.</li>
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<li style="border: 0px; list-style: decimal inside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 35px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;">Required dependency upon the leader and group for even the most basic problem-solving.</li>
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<li style="border: 0px; list-style: decimal inside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 35px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;">Reporting on members for disobedient actions or thoughts is mandated and rewarded.</li>
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<li style="border: 0px; list-style: decimal inside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 35px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;">Monetary, sexual, or servile labor is expected to gain promotion.</li>
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<li style="border: 0px; list-style: decimal inside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 35px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;">The 'outside' world -- often including family and friends -- is presented as rife with impending catastrophe, evil, and temptations.</li>
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<li style="border: 0px; list-style: decimal inside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 35px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;">Recruitment of new members is designed to be purposefully upbeat and vague about the actual operations of the leader and group.</li>
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<li style="border: 0px; list-style: decimal inside; margin: 0px 0px 4px 35px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;">Former members are shunned and perceived as hostile.</li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Sound familiar?</span></span></div>
Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-36877697384059601462013-12-06T15:30:00.000-08:002014-07-19T20:56:59.611-07:00So.....Is It A Cult, Part II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1twIr8hJrGeGm3Wf1m-yUG57VGqk-uywIum01wcHyH8NcOb-tbdX1bLdJ4M-wGPAc0W_FaYzfS8kFs1O4j-vqysrU5GjINEQEi0IwgvwO4OBJ9wP5jfA7UdhiRmpJTh4jnEzldMrTOcTL/s1600/defy+religious+leaders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1twIr8hJrGeGm3Wf1m-yUG57VGqk-uywIum01wcHyH8NcOb-tbdX1bLdJ4M-wGPAc0W_FaYzfS8kFs1O4j-vqysrU5GjINEQEi0IwgvwO4OBJ9wP5jfA7UdhiRmpJTh4jnEzldMrTOcTL/s320/defy+religious+leaders.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today, Rob Davis posted a blog about his experience at an Acts 29 church. He boldly named Acts 29 a cult. You may read it <a href="http://whoisrobdavis.wordpress.com/2013/11/07/the-real-acts-29/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
Why are we so afraid of the word cult? I agree with him. It's like we can't bring ourselves to say the words. But how many of these things need to be present before we can bring ourselves to name it? A group does not have to use every single tactic to qualify.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In his post, he outlines the problematic characteristics of Acts 29 taken from <a href="http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-cult_q9.html#cq_cognitive" target="_blank">The Cult Test</a>. I have copied that list here, and applied them to Mars Hill. The comments in parenthesis are mine:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-style: inherit; line-height: 23px;"></span><br />
<ul><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-style: inherit; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">The guru is always right (Do not question Driscoll)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">No exit. (Without permission/blessing or countless meetings and harassments)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Cult speak.(Mars Hill has its own catch phrases and buzzwords)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Groupthink.(Not open to variations in belief)</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/magazine/11punk-t.html?_r=3&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=all" sl-processed="1" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s linear; border: 0px; color: #ff8f85; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Suppression of dissent</a><span style="font-style: inherit;">. (Read the membership covenant)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Denigration of competing sects, cults, religions, groups, or organizations. (Elitism, refers to others as fake Christians)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Personal attacks on critics. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Insistence that the group is THE ONLY WAY. (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Doctrine-Paperback-Edition-Christians-Believe/dp/143352757X" target="_blank">Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe</a>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Induction of guilt, and the use of guilt to manipulate group members. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Appeals to “holy” or “wise” authorities.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Instant Community. (Community Groups)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Surrender To The Group.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Dual Purposes, Hidden Agendas, and Ulterior Motives.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Deceptive Recruiting.</span></li>
<li><a href="http://actlikemen.com/" sl-processed="1" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s linear; border: 0px; color: #ff8f85; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Cloning — You become a clone of the group leader or other elder group members</a><span style="font-style: inherit;">.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">You must change your beliefs to conform to the group’s beliefs.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">The Group Implants Phobias.</span></li>
<li><a href="http://vintagenc.com/longview/" sl-processed="1" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s linear; border: 0px; color: #ff8f85; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">The Group is Money-Grubbing</a><span style="font-style: inherit;">.</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/life/faithbased/2012/02/mars_hill_pastor_mark_driscoll_faces_backlash_over_church_discipline_case_.html?fb_ref=sm_fb_like_chunky&fb_source=home_multiline" sl-processed="1" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s linear; border: 0px; color: #ff8f85; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Intrusiveness</a><span style="font-style: inherit;">. (CG leaders and members believe they are entitled to know your personal business)</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hw1g_9gKUs" sl-processed="1" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s linear; border: 0px; color: #ff8f85; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Disturbed Guru, Mentally Ill Leader</a><span style="font-style: inherit;">.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Create a sense of powerlessness, covert fear, guilt, and dependency.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">The guru or the group demands ultra-loyalty and total commitment. (<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/magazine/11punk-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" target="_blank">Sinning through Questioning</a>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Inconsistency. Contradictory Messages</span></li>
<li><a href="http://marshill.com/leadership" sl-processed="1" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s linear; border: 0px; color: #ff8f85; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Hierarchical, Authoritarian Power Structure, and Social Castes</a><span style="font-style: inherit;">.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">The group leader is not held accountable for his actions.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Everybody else needs the guru to boss him around, but nobody bosses the guru around.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">The guru criticizes everybody else, but nobody criticizes the guru.</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.premierradio.org.uk/listen/ondemand.aspx?mediaid=%7BB568EE6E-C425-4285-BCE0-BE1CF6A6DF31%7D" sl-processed="1" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s linear; border: 0px; color: #ff8f85; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Inability to tolerate criticism</a><span style="font-style: inherit;">.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Calls to Obliterate Self.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Scapegoating and</span><span style="font-style: inherit;"> </span><a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/01/25/mark-driscolls-mars-hill-a-tutorial-on-spiritual-abuse/" sl-processed="1" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s linear; border: 0px; color: #ff8f85; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Excommunication</a><span style="font-style: inherit;">. (multiple examples on this blog)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">You can’t make it without the group.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">The group wants to own you.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Newcomers Need Fixing.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Black And White Thinking</span></li>
<li><span style="font-style: inherit;">Appropriation of all of the members’ worldly wealth.</span></li>
<li><a href="http://vintagenc.com/do-i-belong-in-church/" sl-processed="1" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.3s linear; border: 0px; color: #ff8f85; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.3s linear; vertical-align: baseline;">Making cult members work long hours for free</a><span style="font-style: inherit;">.</span></li>
</span></span></ul>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-style: inherit; line-height: 23px;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />I agree with all of those, but for Mars Hill, I would add the following:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Confession Sessions (community group prayer times, redemption groups, meetings with pastors)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Instant Intimacy (members share very vulnerable things in cg prayer time)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">A System of Punishments and Rewards (discipline contracts and titles)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Personal testimonies of previous converts (MH has changed x,y & z's life, therefore it must be good)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Surrender to the Group (spend more and more time with CG and use group for accountability)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The group and its members are special (definite sense of elitism at MH)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The group is self absorbed (they really don't help the poor, it is pretty much a closed system)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">You can't tell the truth (or we shun you, or post directions on the City of how to shun you, or lie about your character</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ideology over experience, observation, logic (well, yeah)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thought stopping language (was shut down any time I challenged the misuse of terminology to make a point)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The guru is extra-special (he sees things, he is the only person broadcast to 4 states and 14 churches)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't trust Your own mind (you are totally depraved)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dont trust Your own feelings (the heart is deceitful)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">You owe the group (you are accountable and must explain why you aren't there)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Progressive indoctrination and Progressive commitments</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
To me, saying that an organization or church has multiple characteristics of cults, but being unwilling to call it a CULT is akin to living with a man who abuses you but being unwilling to call him ABUSIVE.</div>
Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-28208348100868771022013-01-23T16:55:00.000-08:002013-11-08T12:23:32.430-08:00Stories of Former Mars Hill Members<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51eZIIaOl8L._AA160_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51eZIIaOl8L._AA160_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Stephanie Drury over at <a href="http://www.stuffchristianculturelikes.com/" target="_blank">Stuff Christian Culture Likes</a> was asked by Thomas Nelson if she would like to review Mark Driscoll's new book, "Who Do You Think You Are?" Here is her Amazon review: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/review/R14VJ73RHS4KK3" target="_blank">"Mark Driscoll is to biblical wisdom as Richard Simmons is to cage fighting"</a>.<br />
<br />
Here are the links to all stories that can be found on the internet, or have been shared with us. We post these so that you can read for yourself and make your own determination about Mars Hill. Some of the Yelp links have positive stories, and if you would like to read more, I am sure you can find them on the Mars Hill Website.<br />
<br />
Starred stories are MUST READS!<br />
<br />
<b>*<a href="http://matthewpaulturner.com/2012/01/24/jesus-needs-new-prmark-driscolls-church-discipline-contract-looking-for-true-repentance-at-mars-hill-church-sign-on-the-dotted-line/" target="_blank">Andrew's Story (Part 1)</a></b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/79127218?access_key=key-qi5c7vvaa38eai7sddm" target="_blank"><b>MH Discipline Contract</b></a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://matthewpaulturner.com/2012/01/24/jesus-needs-new-prmark-driscolls-gospel-shame-the-truth-about-discipline-excommunication-and-cult-like-control-at-mars-hill/" target="_blank">Andrew's Story (Part 2)</a></b></li>
<li><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/79241578/File-Attachments-341254-Letter-to-Members" target="_blank"><b>Letter to MH Members (to shun Andrew)</b></a></li>
<li><b><a href="http://marshill.com/2012/01/27/church-discipline-in-the-bible" target="_blank">Mars Hill's Response to Andrew's Story</a> </b></li>
<li><b><a href="http://marshill.com/2012/02/13/a-response-regarding-church-discipline" target="_blank">A Second Response from Mars Hill</a></b></li>
<li><b><a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/02/16/mars-hill-responds">The Stranger Clarifies They Did Contact Mars Hill</a></b></li>
</ul>
<b>*<a href="http://joyfulexiles.com/" target="_blank">Paul & Jonna Petry's Story</a> </b><br />
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<b><a href="http://twocleareyes.blogspot.com/2012/01/mars-hill-altar-of-doctrine-and-occult.html" target="_blank">UnReformed's Story</a> (Sophia's Husband)</b><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #424242; line-height: 20px;">*<a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/2012/03/kips-story.html" target="_blank">Kip's Story</a> </b><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #424242; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</b><b><a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/church-or-cult/Content?oid=12172001" target="_blank">Lance's Story (The Stranger Article)</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://rebuildingrebecca.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-story-leaving-mhc.html" target="_blank"><b>Rebecca's Story</b></a><br />
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<b><a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/01/30/fired-mars-hill-elder-breaks-his-silence" target="_blank">Bent Meyer's Story</a></b><br />
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<b>*<a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/exorcism-at-mars-hill-one-womans-story/" target="_blank">Amy's Story</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/p/kaelees-story.html" target="_blank">Kaelee's Story</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/p/our-story.html" target="_blank"><b>Sophia's Story</b></a><br />
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<b>*<a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/2012/04/erins-story.html" target="_blank">Erin's Story</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/2012/02/kevin-potts-story.html" target="_blank">Kevin Potts' Story</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://wenatcheethehatchet.blogspot.com/2012/01/bht-are-we-seeing-pride-going-before.html" target="_blank">Wenatchee's Story</a> </b><br />
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<b><a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/2012/04/mars-hill-departed-story-part-1.html" target="_blank">Mars Hill Departed Part 1</a></b><br />
<a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/2012/04/mars-hill-departed-story-part-2.html" target="_blank"><b>Mars Hill Departed Part 2</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/01/27/mars-hill-and-mark-driscoll-under-scrutiny-while-another-painful-story-emerges" target="_blank"><b>Frankie's Story</b></a><br />
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<div class="comment-author vcard" style="background-color: white; color: #424242; line-height: 20px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/a-response-from-mars-hill-church/#comment-11764" target="_blank">Angie's Story</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/two-more-former-mars-hill-church-members-break-silence/#comment-14192" target="_blank"><b>ELP's Story (Anonymous)</b></a><br />
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<b><a href="http://freedom4captives.wordpress.com/mars-hill/" target="_blank">Multiple Stories @ Freedom4Captives</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-hill-church-seattle" target="_blank">Stories on Yelp - Ballard Campus</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-hill-church-downtown-seattle-seattle" target="_blank">Stories on Yelp - Downtown Campus</a></b><br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-hill-church-seattle-2" target="_blank">Stories on Yelp - West Seattle Campus</a></b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-hill-church-bellevue" target="_blank"><b>Stories on Yelp - Bellevue Campus</b></a><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-hill-church-albuquerque" target="_blank">Stories on Yelp - Albuquerque Campus</a></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/mars-hill-church-santa-ana" target="_blank">Stories on Yelp - Orange County Campus</a></b><br />
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<b><br />
</b>Would you like to share your story?<br />
<br />
Please email your story to <a href="mailto:freefrommarshill@gmail.com">freefrommarshill@gmail.com</a><br />
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Please remember that your story should be free from profanity and actual names of people involved. Also, please leave out campuses/location information as this makes it very easy to identify people involved. If you include this info we will remove it. We will protect your identity and you may use an alias or first name only.Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-61033924352228527052013-01-09T19:27:00.000-08:002013-01-09T19:27:12.872-08:00Bill Clem Resigns from Ballard CampusInteresting and informative post up at Wenatchee The Hatchet about Bill Clem's resignation and change in leadership at the Ballard Campus.<br />
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<a href="http://wenatcheethehatchet.blogspot.com/2013/01/announcement-from-mark-driscoll-that.html" target="_blank">Announcement from Mark Driscoll that Bill Clem is resigning leadership of Mars Hill Ballard, Alex Early replacing him</a><br />
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">To be absolutely clear, Pastor Bill’s transition is not the result of any conflict or sin (in fact, we will honor him publicly at all services on January 27). Mars Hill Ballard is in a season of major change. After sending out dozens of leaders, thousands of members, and millions of dollars as the longtime launching pad for a church that now spans 15 locations in four states, it’s time for Ballard to find out what the next season of fruitfulness looks like as a local church. It’s going to be a big project that takes a lot of years, energy, and effort. After months of prayerful consideration, God’s made it clear to Pastor Bill: he’s not the man to lead whatever’s next for Ballard.</span><br />
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I would gladly have Pastor Bill serve in another position at Mars Hill Church, but he is feeling called to something new in his next season of life. He has my full support in this decision, and though I am sad to see him go, I am forever grateful for his service. He remains my friend and should remain yours."</div>
Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-74075555501817187152013-01-07T20:14:00.003-08:002013-01-07T20:17:41.544-08:00Rebecca's Story<span style="font-family: inherit;">Rebecca sent me her story and has also published it on her personal blog, here:</span><br />
<a href="http://rebuildingrebecca.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-story-leaving-mhc.html"><span style="font-family: inherit;">http://rebuildingrebecca.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-story-leaving-mhc.html</span></a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">It has been almost 10 months since we left our former church. I've hesitated to post our story for a number of reasons, most revolving around fear. Fear is something i struggle with greatly. But as 1 John 4:18 expresses- </span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: inherit;">There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, here I am. I know that this will likely cause me to lose friends, at the very least to be threatened with loss of friendship, (the primary wound which has so deeply been stabbed into me and the very hardest part of deciding to speak the truth out loud- despite the cultural unacceptability of that choice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another blog post will be coming regarding WHY i am speaking out. But for now, here is my story. It was written in March of 2012.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our experience with Mars Hill</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We started attending Mars Hill after leaving our old church due to both a personal issue with another member and also disagreeing with the church's focus and the conviction of the Holy Spirit that we were to raise our children differently, and we wanted to find a church that met our needs in that area. It was a hard decision to make and one that we didn't take lightly. We had been there for 7 years, made a lot of friends and the kids and we, were deeply integrated into the church and its culture.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We came to Mars Hill to visit and knew immediately that THIS was the church we were supposed to be at. We quickly got connected with a community group and were accepted with open arms, 7 kids and all. I've never known such a wonderful sense of family that we've known at Mars Hill. We ate meals together, went camping together, babysat each others kids, shared our life's most intimate details. Andrew and I went to redemption group at Mars Hill, an incredible church counseling like program for victims of incest or rape (me) or addicts, and their spouses (Andy). It was in redemption group that I finally started to heal from my childhood issues that had held me hostage for so long. You can read my story if you are interested here<a href="http://rebuildingrebecca.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-latest-manifesto-weight-loss-sexual.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">http://rebuildingrebecca.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-latest-manifesto-weight-loss-sexual.html</a> Redemption group changed my life. I made amazing friends, learned how to forgive those who have hurt me, and most importantly, really learned how to “cry out to Jesus” which for a very linear person like myself sounded hopelessly abstract before RG.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I came to LOVE Mars Hill, our local pastor, and our amazing church family. I really thought we'd be here indefinitely. But it was not to be. I'd always seen nasty Mark Driscoll comments on the internet and rejected them out of hand. Really, most of them were snarky, baseless comments from people who just plain seemed like they were trying to be mean. I was offended, and often defended him on blogs, particularly when it was clear the issues against him were baseless. When the real marriage book came out, I was excited to have gotten to be a reviewer for book sneeze and gladly reviewed the book. I really liked it and excitedly typed up a review, which I later started to regret as I read thoughtful reviews by Tim Challies, et. Al. Seen here <a href="http://www.challies.com/book-reviews/book-review-real-marriage" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">http://www.challies.com/book-reviews/book-review-real-marriage</a> He was clearly not being mean, He had very valid points. Other things were happening as well.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We both separately started having that naggy peace-less feeling, and I asked Andy if he had any concerns about Mars Hill. He revealed that he had and the dialogue opened and for a few months we just casually talked about things. At first, the mere thought of leaving was not even an option, I couldn't stand the thought of it, but more and more started to happen, just little things alone, but together, it was bigger. The little discussions about things I disagreed with on the City- I'd posted a few times, not to be argumentative or to rip on the church or anyone in the church but because 1. I was sincerely concerned with the direction our church was headed and 2. I think about issues through discussing issues, it helps me to analyze and the whole process of hearing it aloud when talking or seeing it printed, (even better!) helps me to deeply explore issues.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I think the first big issue I had was hearing Mark talk of the sexually explicit “visions” he'd had of coworkers and members of the church. This threw me for a huge loop, as being a Sexual abuse survivor, the idea that the leader of our church would sometimes look into someone's eyes and see abuses against them or sexual interactions they'd had truly freaked me out. Really, there were 3 options. 1. he was lying. Seems awfully far fetched to lie about though... didn't think that was the option. 2. He was given visions by God. The cessationists argue that this kind of thing doesn't happen, and i'm not willing to rule it out- No where in scripture does it say that God stopped giving people spiritual gifts, but it did seem ODD and inappropriate and very un-Godlike... still its possible, however, the final option was that his source of vision was demonic. This, more and more, is what I'm fearing is happening with Mark Driscoll. I think he's made some poor choices, allowed pride to motivate too much of his action, and has given satan and his demons an opening. I readily admit I could be wrong, but the thought is scary. That's just one issue-</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Additionally, there was the fund drive in December, and feeling like the infomercial-like sermons on Mars Hill history (which in itself is surreal, and took Andy and I both aback because the history was so strange, it didn't resemble our experience with Mars Hill at our last time of attendance, It seeemed heavily edited, so many omissions, no mention of the original 3 founders, other than Mark, No Mike Gunn, no Lief Moi, it was so odd. (back in the presbyterian church in seattle days) and the sudden plea for a huge amount of funds right at Christmas time seemed a bit manipulative. I voiced concern on the city and others responded in similar ways to each other, usually just minimizing the validity of my concerns (not in a mean way) and secondly questioning my own sin in the situation. Each of these issues had nothing to do with me sinning so it was never an issue, but I did get a phone call, concerned that I was not submitting to the leadership of Mars Hill and suggesting I think about whether we really want to be here if I wasn't willing to do that.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, first of all, you have to understand that i'd barely HEARD of church discipline and the whole concept of “submitting to leadership” was completely new to me, so I researched a bit, tried to figure out what my responsibility toward my church was.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I talked with this friend about the history i'd had with Mark driscoll, just one time- composed of an email discussion that turned snarky and nasty on his end and how I was still a bit cautious about Mark and didn't even see him as OUR pastor, explaining how Pastor Samuel is our pastor. HE's the one who's around, he's the one we see every sunday, who's wife we know, who directs classes and helped teach redemption group and plays basketball with the guys. But she reminded me that Mark and his fellow elders were indeed our pastors too and we needed to respect their authority. I still don't see anywhere scripturally that asserts that some other man other than my husband has authority over me.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After the whole drama about the man named “Andrew” at the Ballard campus, who was excommunicated and the whole situation that ensued, late January, we've been watching both sides of the story and since the story came out- Here- if you aren't familiar<a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/mark-driscolls-church-discipline-contract-looking-for-true-repentance-at-mars-hill-church-sign-on-the-dotted-line/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/mark-driscolls-church-discipline-contract-looking-for-true-repentance-at-mars-hill-church-sign-on-the-dotted-line/</a> there's also a part 2. Mars Hill in response posted a couple of articles that you may or may not have read, clarifying their position on the whole thing and also clarifying what constituted “Church discipline”<a href="http://marshill.com/2012/01/27/church-discipline-in-the-bible" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">http://marshill.com/2012/01/27/church-discipline-in-the-bible</a> and<a href="http://marshill.com/2012/02/13/a-response-regarding-church-discipline" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">http://marshill.com/2012/02/13/a-response-regarding-church-discipline</a> I was a LOT freaked after reading about Andrew's story. Andy and I had tearfully discussed what we'd read and knew that we would not be willing to sign that contract. We had a LOT of problems with it- the idea of shunning a friend was simply not acceptable to us. We didn't want to give up that much freedom. Also, the “sins” pointed out were crazy subjective and seemed to be very workable to meet whatever criteria anyone wanted them to mean, and I could easily have seen myself being considered “divisive” Anyway, I was a mess, and went out to have starbucks with a great friend who helped me to calm down, look at the situation objectively, She encouraged me that we did NOT HAVE to become members, maybe just hold off a bit, (we'd already missed several classes and I knew we'd want to retake the series anyway if we did change our minds) and see what comes. So ok, I was calmed down, and we decided to commit the issue to prayer and see if the Holy Spirit might have something for us.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When no one even FLINCHED in community group when we watched the video of Mark and Grace talking about sex, and Grace saying if you weren't doing it over 1x a week then likely there was probably a problem- I realized something was VERY very wrong here. The similar response of the group, albeit very lovingly, to 1. minimize concerns and 2. figure out how I was REALLY upset because of my own sin, not the Driscolls' It came together and I realized that this situation was out of control. This is not normal. It is not normal for a pastor and his wife to try to control how much sex members of their church have. Its extraordinarily inappropriate. The whole sex theme is entirely inappropriate for church. The last few weeks found us telling our kids, “we're going to have you guys stay home today- we aren't sure what the sermon would be rated.” Jokingly, but truthfully..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I continued to have that awful nagging peace-less feeling, and continued to follow the stories as they came out on the internet. It was easy enough to write off “Andrew's” story, being that it WAS one sided, who knows what really happened, etc. But as people started to come forward in droves, forming websites like<a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com</a> and sharing testimonials on other blogs like Sophia's<a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/01/25/mark-driscolls-mars-hill-a-tutorial-on-spiritual-abuse/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/01/25/mark-driscolls-mars-hill-a-tutorial-on-spiritual-abuse/</a> and her husband's<a href="http://twocleareyes.blogspot.com/2012/01/mars-hill-altar-of-doctrine-and-occult.html" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">http://twocleareyes.blogspot.com/2012/01/mars-hill-altar-of-doctrine-and-occult.html</a> Former Mars Hill Elder Bent Meyer<a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/01/30/fired-mars-hill-elder-breaks-his-silence/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">http://thewartburgwatch.com/2012/01/30/fired-mars-hill-elder-breaks-his-silence/</a> Then another fired elder Paul Petry started a blog- complete with his testimonial, his wife's testimonial, timeline of events at MH and documents. <a href="http://joyfulexiles.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: initial;" target="_blank">http://joyfulexiles.com/</a> This in particular was compelling to me. When I read Jonna Petry's testimonial, it clicked I realized this was the answer to prayer that we had been seeking, though it wasn't the answer either of us had hoped for.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We realized, finally, that Mars Hill has a horrible pathology, one that will infect everyone associated with it and eventually it will take the whole thing down. God doesn't allow sin to exist unrepentantly and particularily in His church. And SO much was going on- The Church government structure having been altered to make it nearly impossible to fire Mark if he's out of line, Firing Godly men after threatening to have their reputation destroyed if they don't resign on their own, and them refusing. Explicit sex talk in community group and reading for CG, the complete inability to hold Mark accountable in ANY WAY. (Other than his hand picked group of elders, within a structure that doesn't really allow for him to be fired anyway!) The inability to have any kind of ACCESS to our supposed pastor. We can't walk beside him, watch him live, hold him accountable. That is CRITICAL for a pastor, for his own good, so accusations such as THIS can't be leveled against him without reason.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I sent a letter to my dear friends and Church family, including much of what is contained in this post, and additionally am going public with this testimony because I love my people- I love my church and I refuse to stand by and do nothing while it goes down in flames. As a regular person at Mars Hill, I don't have access to the upper leadership and I'm not sure it would make a difference even If I did. I have to be honest, I am afraid. I am afraid of losing my closest friends, i'm afraid of what the future holds, But I truly believe that this is the right thing to do- Both leaving our church that we love, and our friends, who probably aren't our friends anymore, and going public. Something needs to change. And though we are horribly sad we are hanging on to the promise of Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. And Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” I know that His Word is true and I know that He is faithful. I will be praying for Mars Hill, its people and its leadership. I would encourage anyone reading to do the same. Thanks for reading, </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Rebecca</span></blockquote>
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Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-14956877524637873152012-10-21T19:10:00.004-07:002012-10-21T19:39:21.727-07:00One Year Later...A Guest Post by UnReformed<a href="http://twocleareyes.blogspot.com/2012/10/walk-it.html">http://twocleareyes.blogspot.com/2012/10/walk-it.html</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #313131; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;">This week marks the one year anniversary of my wife and I being excommunicated from a church we were already leaving.... or being tossed out of a church we had already left.... or however you want to look at it....</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The last year has been filled was some difficult stuff.... my Dad died, we learned some painful lessons, my wife learned how much more cynicism ends up being right than optimism (sadly) we learned a lot about ourselves, our faith, our talents and our values.... we each had wonderful triumphs, brutal failures and eye opening realizations. At the end of last year I think we thought we were crusaders against a sick, unhealthy pattern in western Christianity.... As the months went by we realized that this sickness that exists within the church, this focus on marketing, profit, growth, and marriage of western pop culture and church culture is a product of hundreds of years of missteps, greed, selfishness, and worldly desires creeping into decisions made by leaders.... We could easily spend our lives crusading against the injustices, inconsistencies and distortions that the church has adopted in the main. We could push back against the misuse of spiritual matters for earthly gain... we could shed a light on the ideals and ideas promoted by the church that are fundamentally antithetical to the message of Christ, the nature of God and the true power of the Cross and what it represents to humanity.... or we could cash in our chips and live out what we were preaching.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Truth is that the Church is horribly polarized and terribly unhealthy. Society views it as hateful, predictable, judgmental and archaic in its thinking. Its treatment of women and the LGBT community, its intolerant views towards other world religions, its inability to discourse with opposing viewpoints without becoming horribly shrill.... have left secular society mistrusting, and wary of it.... It's habit of holding up a humble impoverished Carpenter from 2000 years ago as its model for living while sitting inside multi-million dollar campuses, watching sermons on jumbo-trons..... Its a spectacle that society rolls its eyes at.. Hypocrisy is the word my non-believing friends at work use most these days. Past couple of weeks they gave me these nuggets:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Bunch of hypocrites trying to get rich off a fairy tale." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"I'd thank God too if I could talk a thousand people into giving me their money every week so I didn't have to work."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Yeah I would be willing to consider the idea.... but I can't buy that crap.... If they love God so much how come they need to get paid to talk about him? There's a lot of money in that game"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"I know two dudes who are going to school at Biola.... They talk about the Bible like a text book.... they aren't in love with God, they're in love with the idea of being Christian superstars. Only difference I see between them and my friends at Chico is they want to be Pastors when they graduate. Its such BS!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Mainline church is losing touch with God and as it desperately seeks to grow and grow and grow it has taken on the likeness of pop-culture in order to win favor with pop culture..... While simultaneously moving ever more sharply towards an intolerant level of orthodoxy and downright hateful right wing viewpoint. We think men are kings, women are helpers and want you to come join us for our American Idol Pastoral Sermon showdown on Friday Night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have, and the church has plenty of reasons for me to be criticizing it. But I found that the more I pounded on the door..... the more I tried to bring to light the problems I saw.... The more I sounded the same.... I was just arguing away, like any other obsessed cultural Christian.... arguing theology except now I am on a different team.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I like to say things like "Let your love trump your theology" and I believe that I practice these words in the real world.... but I really don't.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If my love trumped my theology, it would trump my dislike for Mark Driscoll right? Agreed he needs someone on earth to hold that runaway train of unbridled psychosis accountable..... but if I love before and above my theology..... then he, Piper, fashion passion Pastor Furtick, Ed Young, the looney tunes over at 9Marks etc.... should all fall under that umbrella as well right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Truth be told the more I read the counter cultural voices, the more I hear the same thing with a different angle..... Rachel Held Evans is fighting against injustices, battling it out with the Corporate church and bringing awareness to women's issues..... but she's still arguing one side vs. another on theology.... and she's still making her living from spiritual matters.... There are dozens even hundreds of people in this counter culture who knock the Mainline Church for being power hungry, money hungry corporatists but they spell out their arguments against the mainline church in books (Buy Now on Amazon!) fee based appearances (click box on the right if you'd like ****** to speak at your next event!) and are ultimately doing the same thing in a smaller and maybe more honest fashion... but ultimately they still want to get paid for knowing God (or knowing a lot about him) and talking about him. Only difference is that they are on a different team. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I understand that just like Politicians, the Mainline Church and it's billion different factions need watchdogs. Watchdogs serve a vital purpose to our country protecting freedom and abuse of power..... likewise so do the watchdogs of the church protect against unbridled ambition, power hunger etc.... But I have come to realize that I can't endlessly argue this or that .... go tit for tat with people of opposing view points for my egos sake...... I either love and live and walk the walk.... Or I'm bullshit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So to that end, this blog (UnReformed's) may be on borrowed time..... Walking the walk, meeting someone where they are at in their life, has a lot more powerful effect than shooting my effing mouth off on the internet. Talking with the homeless guy and girl for a half hour the other night like friends rather than just giving them 5 bucks and patting myself on the back.... they needed someone to treat them like a human being, not a lost dog on the side of the road..... We Christians will throw them a twenty and basque in our own generosity but won't ask them their name.... His was Charles hers was Linda.... They'd been on the streets for almost 8 years and I was the first person who had spoken to them in over a month. I don't say this to pat myself on the back but rather to compel you, whoever waste their time reading this to do the same.... These are human beings who are essentially treated like animals in our society.... It doesn't take much.... next time just ask a panhandler what their name is.... Everyone wants to be known.... that's a good place to start. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is a whole world of people around you.... all of them struggling with something.... all of them could use a pick me up..... So I have chosen to be HERE for people NOW rather than sit at my keyboard scathing people like Driscoll and Piper for being such neanderthal megalomaniacs.... which they are.... and they do deserve the shots for some of the shit they pull....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But my love has to trump my theology with them too.... and my LOVE needs to be evident to people, not just a matter of fact that I keep to myself..... We can all talk ourselves till we are blue in the face.... we can scream at the top of the lungs that what SO and So is doing is wrong (which it may be) and we can argue theology endlessly till the Good Lord returns..... But all the words in the world.... all the talk and chatter and sermons and teachings and critiques and arguments on the planet will not lift so much as a single rock and we outta think about that. </span></div>
Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-20334548321089586512012-08-26T15:07:00.000-07:002012-08-26T15:07:06.955-07:00On Being Sophia<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://www.nakedpastor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/metamorphosis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.nakedpastor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/metamorphosis.jpg" width="230" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"> Sophia's "Metamorphosis" by David Hayward (aka nakedpastor)</td></tr>
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After much contemplation, I have decided to break anonymity and live my story, out loud. You can read that post, <a href="http://sheshakesthedust.blogspot.com/2012/08/on-being-sophia.html" target="_blank">On Being Sophia</a> at my new blog, <a href="http://sheshakesthedust.blogspot.com/">http://sheshakesthedust.blogspot.com/</a>.<br />
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For those who have taken this journey with me, THANK YOU!<br />
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Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-50071397990833140012012-08-22T14:30:00.003-07:002012-08-22T14:30:24.514-07:00Article about Mars Hill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Bitch Magazine has written an article investigating what attracts women to Mars Hill. You can read it <a href="http://bitchmagazine.org/article/life-on-mars-hill">HERE</a>.<br />
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What do you think?Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-89392512070617751302012-06-29T12:55:00.000-07:002012-06-29T19:32:35.638-07:00Walking Wounded Special Session Info<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4b4b4b; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.267em; line-height: 22px;">Mars Hill Refuge is excited to announce:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A special session of <a href="http://liveittothefull.com/courses/walkingwounded/" target="_blank">Walking Wounded: Hope for Those Hurt by Church</a> <i><b>specifically for those formerly connected to Mars Hill and Acts 29 Network</b></i> churches will begin on July 23.</span></div>
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<a href="http://kathyescobar.com/me/" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Kathy Escobar</a> & Phyllis Mathis will be facilitating the course (Sophia will be a participant only). Here is more about Kathy and Phyllis.</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Kathy Escobar</strong> co-pastors the Refuge, an eclectic faith community in North Denver dedicated to those on the margins of life and faith (<a href="http://www.therefugeonline.org/" style="color: #2361a1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">www.therefugeonline.org</a>). She journeys with people in hard places as a spiritual director, teacher, and group facilitator. A Pepperdine University graduate, she also has a Masters degree in Management/Organizational Development and a Certificate in Evangelical Spiritual Guidance from Denver Seminary. Kathy is the author of <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Down We Go: Living into the Wild Ways of Jesus</em> (Civitas Press, 2011).</span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Phyllis Mathis</strong><span style="background-color: white;"> is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has been practicing for over 20 years. She is also a long-time spiritual teacher, lay leader, former pastor, Ontological Coach</span><span style="background-color: white;">. A seasoned writer, retreat facilitator and a beginning potter, she is the co-creator of the forthcoming course:</span><em style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The Iconic Self</em><span style="background-color: white;"> (Jen Lee Productions, 2012).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Class price is $49 and includes daily posts (Monday through Friday) and weekly exercises in journaling, storytelling, and wellness practices.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Please note: Mars Hill Refuge (Sophia & Kaelee) do not profit in any way from your participation. The cost of the course covers the web hosting service and a very small portion goes to Kathy and Phyllis.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>A limited number of scholarships are available! </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To honor everyone’s safety, we are not offering open registration for this class. Instead, please contact Sophia Grace at <a href="mailto:freefrommarshill@gmail.com" style="color: #2361a1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" target="_blank">freefrommarshill@gmail.com</a> to get the registration link.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Course Description</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thousands of honest, sincere people are finding themselves on the outside of a faith system they once held dear. The sadness, anger, disillusionment and fear can be debilitating. And confusing.</span></div>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Have You:</span></strong></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Been asked to leave a church or told you’re not a “good fit”?</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Felt forced to conform or remain consistently overlooked?</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Been told that you are loved but not your sin?</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Questioned leadership or theology and found yourself on the outside?</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Felt sad, angry, afraid, lost, or disoriented after painful church experiences?</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Experienced a significant shift in your theology or faith perspective and find yourself feeling disoriented and unsure?</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You are not lost, and you are not alone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Walking Wounded: Hope for Those Hurt By Church</strong> is designed to help you move through the painful and confusing aftermath of a negative faith-based experience.</span></div>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In this 4 week class you will:</span></strong></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Connect with others who have similar experiences</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Identify your losses and reclaim your dreams</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tell your story and receive support</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Work through your unfinished business</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Learn effective practices to restore a sense of sanity</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Through interviews, conversation, journaling and storytelling, Kathy Escobar and Phyllis Mathis will guide you through the confusion and into a place of purpose and peace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For more information on what to expect, click <a href="http://liveittothefull.com/2012/03/what-to-expect-from-walking-wounded/" target="_blank">HERE</a></span></div>
<br />Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-91859458786493841762012-06-20T12:41:00.001-07:002012-06-20T12:41:09.976-07:00Must Read Story<div><p>Please take the time to read "Amy's" story. It is chilling. </p>
<p><a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/exorcism-at-mars-hill-one-womans-story/"> http://matthewpaulturner.net/jesus-needs-new-pr/exorcism-at-mars-hill-one-womans-story/</a></p>
</div>Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-56345230390649730252012-05-26T14:27:00.000-07:002012-05-26T14:27:08.457-07:00A Note to Our Friends...<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">About six months ago, in response to a comment made at </span><a href="http://www.thewartburgwatch.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #848484; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Wartburg Watch</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">, I decided to share my story about my experience at Mars Hill. Since I left, I had struggled with what to do with what happened to me. My husband and I wanted to just forget about it and move on, yet we were both constantly troubled by the idea that if this is what happened to us, are there others? What about single young women? What about new Christians who have never had any other church experience? If this or something like it happened to them, would they continue their Christian walk? What kind of damage is this causing to others? How can we just walk away and be glad that we "dodged the bullet"?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I had already submitted my story several days before it came out. I simultaneously started this blog (in response to another comment), which I thought would be some obscure little piece of the internet. I had no idea that just one day prior to my story being told, </span><a href="http://matthewpaulturner.net/" style="background-color: white; color: #848484; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Matthew Paul Turner</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> would write about Andrew's sad experience. I could not have imagined the chain of events that would follow.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Shortly after the release of my story, </span><a href="http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/church-or-cult/Content?oid=12172001" style="background-color: white; color: #848484; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Stranger</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> wrote an article about Lance, another person with a story. In that article, my blog was linked (without my prior knowledge). This was followed by </span><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/life/faithbased/2012/02/mars_hill_pastor_mark_driscoll_faces_backlash_over_church_discipline_case_.html" style="background-color: white; color: #848484; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Slate Article</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">, which was picked up by the Huffington Post. Then many of us were contacted to participate in </span><a href="http://marshillrefuge.blogspot.com/2012/03/komo-news-story_03.html" style="background-color: white; color: #848484; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">KOMO News Story</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">The result of all of this unsolicited publicity following the telling of my story has been a response I couldn't have predicted. People have come forward with their stories in large numbers. Some are posted here on the site, and some have been shared privately. The response has been overwhelming (literally), and each time I have wanted to quit, to walk away from it all, I receive another email from someone, telling me their own experience at Mars Hill.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Now, six months later, I find myself at a crossroads. You can read about it </span></span><a href="http://sophiasavedbygrace.blogspot.com/2012/05/excuse-me-gentlemen.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I am grateful for all of the people I have met and want to support you in anyway I can, but at this point, I do not feel like I have a lot left to offer. I need some time to heal, to not think about Mark Driscoll, Mars Hill and the problems that plague it every day. Kaelee has expressed the same feelings.<br />
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So, we wanted to let our readers know that we will not be posting regularly. To do so requires that we monitor Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill. We left to get away from it and yet it is still a daily part of our life. So that begs the question, are Kaelee and I really "free from Mars Hill"?<br />
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I believe that we have been effective in bringing the red flags to light. I am confident that anyone who is questioning will be able to find plenty of information to help them answer any questions they may be having.<br />
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We are aiming to start the Walking Wounded class (that you may participate in anonymously) at the end of July. I will post more information as soon as it is available.<br />
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I am blogging regularly at <a href="http://sophiasavedbygrace.blogspot.com/">http://sophiasavedbygrace.blogspot.com/</a> about my journey now. I would love for you to join me there. Disclaimer: If you left Mars Hill but still completely hold to the reformed doctrine and complementary roles, I might make you uncomfortable as I wrestle.<br />
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Kaelee blogs occasionally at <a href="http://kaeleebates.blogspot.com/">http://kaeleebates.blogspot.com/</a>. She explores her questions about faith and other topics.<br />
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And as always, you can follow UnReformed's insights at his blog, <a href="http://twocleareyes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://twocleareyes.blogspot.com</a> .<br />
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<b><i>We are also open to anyone who would like to guest post here on Mars Hill related issues! After all, this is ALL OF OUR refuge space. If you are interested, please email us.</i></b><br />
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We are still available via email at <a href="mailto:kaeleemarshillrefuge@gmail.com">kaeleemarshillrefuge@gmail.com</a> and <a href="mailto:sophiamarshillrefuge@gmail.com">sophiamarshillrefuge@gmail.com</a> and would love to hear from you. Also, if you want to share your story, please email it to us. We will post occasionally and show up if anything major happens.<br />
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<b><u>Comments will continue to be moderated and posted.</u></b><br />
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We love you guys and pray for you regularly and ask that you do the same for us!<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sophia</span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> &</span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Kaelee</span></i></b>Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-3487611010931340422012-05-26T14:25:00.001-07:002012-05-26T14:25:21.112-07:00Open Discussion: Pre-Marital Classes & Redemption Groups<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I received an email from some heartbroken parents. Their daughter and son-in law are distancing themselves from the parents. I was not married at Mars Hill, so I am opening up these questions to the masses. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">They are wondering the following:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Do you have any idea what these Marriage Classes are instructing these couples?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Where do you think all this is coming from? Are my daughter and son-in-law being brainwashed? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">How can I approach them in a loving manner & help them see this church is "bad news"? </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Please answer in the comments!!!</span>Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-25625746891902542642012-05-26T10:05:00.002-07:002012-05-26T10:05:54.977-07:00The Wartburg Watch is DownMany of you may or may not know that The Wartburg Watch is our "mother" blog. They are experiencing technical difficulties or have been hacked.<br />
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Hang tight...they will be back at it soon!Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7577804098598036538.post-24561817565178042672012-05-21T11:09:00.000-07:002012-05-21T11:09:31.427-07:00Church Sues Blogger - Court DayFor those of you who don't know, a woman who started a survivor's blog about a specific church is being sued for $500,000. Today is the first court hearing. Obviously, we are paying close attention.<br />
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You may read the blog here: <a href="http://bgbcsurvivors.blogspot.com/">http://bgbcsurvivors.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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Please keep Julie Anne, Hannah, and the other defendants (commenters on the blog) in your prayers!Mars Hill Refugehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16785265092964870117noreply@blogger.com1