The tragedy of Mars Hill

When I first became a Christian in '11, One of the first places I went to (online) was Mars Hill Church.

Essentially my first pastoral influence was Mark Driscoll. So to see this place fall to its knees due to potentially his mismanagement and abuse of staff is quite upsetting. I loved Mark's push for manliness, and his explanation's of doctrine. His church did not seem dry, but seemed relevant to me. Of course this is me just getting saved, naive, looking for someone to speak to my needs. Here in the UK our churches are very much liberal and effeminate, I dislike this, and the only IFB churches are zionist and McCarthur influenced. So I look to online ministries to supplement or to supersede bad preaching.

Mark Driscoll gave me some idea of what to look for in a church back when I had no real idea of what was good or bad. His preaching could reduce me to tears, and it was only when my theology changed (as it has a good few times) and grew that I realised it was ESV, Calvinist and emergent, and had to move on.

But those months of Driscoll's preaching really made a difference to me, they gave me a foundation and faith, and whilst I would disagree with pretty much all of his preaching nowadays, without that church and that man's preaching I wouldn't have had the philosophy and drive that I do now which allows me to disagree, which causes me to seek out knowledge.

So despite all the scandal, I can happily say that I'm glad Mars Hill existed, and I hope that these poor churches left without central management, can perhaps all change, evolve and grow with good preachers, an actual decent bible, good theology, and a leadership that stands for truth, justice and righteousness.

Mark was once and example of who to become, now let him be an example of who to avoid becoming,