Member - Ballard, Bellevue, Downtown Seattle, West Seattle 2000-14

Gender

Female

Which describes your role at Mars Hill?

Member, Group Leader (any leadership role)

What Mars Hill location(s) did you attend?

Ballard, Bellevue, Downtown Seattle, West Seattle

What years were you involved / attending?

2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

How did you first hear about Mars Hill?

I first heard about Mars Hill from some friends at Seattle Pacific University that were attending at the time.

What was the circumstance of your first time attending Mars HIll?

My first Sunday at Mars Hill was in the Ballard building on Earl. I was new to the area, and looking for a church. I went with some friends from college and enjoyed the teaching.

What were your first impressions?

I thought the people were friendly and the teaching was honest. I enjoyed the preaching being from books of the bible, and the strong emphasis on the Scripture and it's authority.

Why was Mars Hill your church home?

Mars Hill was my church home because I felt at home there. I was growing my understanding of who God was, what His Word was about, and how to live according to it. I enjoyed the community and teaching better than other churches I had attended. It felt more transparent and honest, and less about emotional manipulation or fluff.

What about your time at Mars Hill has had a positive impact on you?

My time at Mars Hill was mostly positive. I learned much about the Scripture, about God, and about myself during my years at Mars Hill. The friendships that were made at Mars Hill were also positive. I was encouraged and supported well. I met my husband through those friendships. Overall, Mars Hill was a place of encouragement and growth.

What about your time at Mars Hill has had a negative impact on you?

The negative of Mars Hill came with its fast growth. As it grew and new policies were implemented, I felt like the policies started coming before caring for the people. The elders and staff also seemed too busy to shepherd the people and care for those hurting in the church body.

What would you like to have changed about Mars Hill?

Personally, I think Mars Hill would have been more effective if it had planted churches as it grew, instead of creating campus' and keep Mark as the main preaching pastor. Replicating the model of a healthy, smaller church through local church plants with their own elders would have been my suggestion looking back.

Which describes you?

I left Mars Hill prior to closure.

Please describe why you left Mars Hill and what that experience was like.

My heart left Mars Hill before I physically stopped attending. There was a mistrust that was growing and Bellevue specifically started feeling more like a production than a worship gathering. My motivation to attend regularly, combined with life experience just left us as irregular attenders that weren't involved in the community anymore. We slowly moved away and transitioned out.

How would you describe the reason for Mars Hill's closure to an outsider.

I would describe the reason for Mars Hill's closure as a result of poor management. As the church grew, the management of the church changed for the worse. I think the sin of the leadership, the culture of the church, and the overall structure was the reason behind the closure.

What's changed for you since your time at Mars Hill came to an end?

I have desired to be part of a smaller community where there is more transparency with leadership and finances. I want to be in a church where people and their needs outweigh policies.

Please write anything else you'd like to add.

Everyone who called Mars Hill home, or not, had a choice of continuing. We all have a conscience and convictions. In the past few years, and as the church closed I've heard so much blame on the church or specific leadership. While we have probably all been hurt by the sin of others, I found it frustrating that most people haven't taken responsibility for their own decision to stay or leave. When people use words like "spiritual abuse", I struggle to see that in my experience at Mars Hill. I don't feel like we were lied to or emotionally manipulated into anything through the teaching at Mars Hill. I wish more people had stood up against damaging policies, or refused to be overworked beyond what was right. Perhaps I just wasn't up high enough in the leadership to see the damage, but I still struggle to understand the blame of the church vs. responsibility of the individuals.

Staff - Ballard 2005-13

Gender

Female

Which describes your role at Mars Hill?

Member, Staff

What Mars Hill location(s) did you attend?

Ballard

What years were you involved / attending?

2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

How did you first hear about Mars Hill?

My friend, who was an undergrad at UW at the time, invited me

What was the circumstance of your first time attending Mars HIll?

A 5 pm service at Ballard during the Christ on the Cross series.

What were your first impressions?

I fell asleep at one point in the sermon but then all of a sudden Mark was yelling and pointing. I thought, "Wow, he's serious." I also remember thinking he was the first preacher since my dad to put more study and historical context into the story of the cross, which I really appreciated.

Why was Mars Hill your church home?

After attending MH for a year, I moved away from Seattle for a few years, during which time I just got rocked emotionally and was massively depressed. The darkness was so heavy and the lies were so thick I couldn't read my Bible, couldn't go to church. the one thing I could do was listen to a PMD sermon, and oftentimes it felt like someone was praying over me. In a lot of ways I came back to Seattle because I knew I needed a church community and MH was where I'd be fed. In the 3-4 years after I came back, I never have grown as much in my faith as I grew there. God did so much in my heart. And I knew he wanted me to be there. Every time I prayed/asked if i still should stay, I'd feel affirmed that, yes, this was still a place the Spirit was doing something in me, something that others affirmed (namely my parents, who didn't attend — one of them liked MH but the other didn't though I didn't know at the time).

What about your time at Mars Hill has had a positive impact on you?

When I walked in there, I was so shattered and broken. when I left, I felt so assured as who I was in Christ, so affirmed and overwhelmed by how well loved and served I was by so many brothers and sisters. I also had amazing bosses, really wonderful men who encouraged me and fostered me and even pushed me into leadership (deaconship) when I had no initial desire to be. My CGs were also amazing—always helped the single girl move, drove me to the doctor when I banged up my leg, brought me groceries when I was sick, etc. I also loved loved loved the worship, as in it's still by far the place I've ever felt the most safe and encouraged to open my heart to God by the Spirit in praise. To this day it's one of the things I miss the most. Also the kids from my kids ministry class. they were such a gift. Getting to be a deacon and fostering other women too was a humbling and a gift. And don't get me started on baptizing people—I'll never get over that. I really believe baptisms are transcendent.

What about your time at Mars Hill has had a negative impact on you?

Being on staff was hard, especially as a girl. Sometimes the guys looked out for me, but in work matters they disregarded me (as in literally pretended like I didn't exist) a lot. I also earned $31K for 2.5 years; I finally got a raise about six months before I left and a year after my boss had already put in the request for me (even he was already gone by the time it was approved!) Whereas I was by and large OK listening to Mark from the pulpit until about the Esther series, days when he would come to "talk" to the staff were always the worst. Anytime you heard from Mark about something on staff he was pissed. His rants were ridiculous and so discouraging. one time he was coming to our team to talk—totally out of the blue, was not part of the day's schedule—I had to pray with another girl because she was so fearful of him and what he'd be coming to say.

RGs were a mixed bag for me too. Some of the teachings were immensely helpful, but some of the group times were really hurtful. of everything, it's probably one of the things that confuses me the most because parts were hurtful but, when I think of the leaders (Mike, Phil) I still have so much respect for them, that I don't think is ungodly.

What would you like to have changed about Mars Hill?

Being willing to sacrifice our church's glory for God's. Mark's unrepentance is something none of us could have/can change, but that was obviously and mercifully fatal. Also—and I cannot stress this enough—more service to our community. We had no works, so when people said things against us—and rightly so—we had nothing to show in our defense, and so all the criticisms were proved true. That killed me.

Which describes you?

I left Mars Hill prior to closure.

Please describe why you left Mars Hill and what that experience was like.

I left because I'd always wanted to move New York, and I'd prayed over the years but God said stay. He said right up through Easter 2013. And then right after that, for whatever reason, I felt untethered. In May, Holcomb said he was leaving, and he'd always been a lynchpin for me, someone whose role was critical to me, a guard against Mark's worst tendencies. Then it just felt like God said, "Hey, ask again about NYC." So I did. It was a gradual process but it only took a month or so for me to feel really convicted that I was supposed to move—as in it would be selfish for me to stay. So I did. The last month I was in Seattle and at the church I still have never known a season where I've been so overwhelmed by gratefulness and peace. Gratefulness for how much God had brought me through, peace that it was the time to go, and grace for knowing I was not the same woman when I left as when if come.

How would you describe the reason for Mars Hill's closure to an outsider.

Systemic unrepentance and people were being hurt. The church closing was absolutely God's grace. No one is going to praise the name of Mars Hill or Mark Driscoll again and that is a glorious thing. Something I say to Christian outsiders (not necessarily non believers) is that the Spirit had left Mark, especially from the pulpit.

What's changed for you since your time at Mars Hill came to an end?

Watching everything unravel from a distance was brutal. I've learned to listen a lot more because every friend is in every different place with it all imaginable. I'm now hyper sensitive to angry men and bosses—in any context—and also language that relegates or praises women for being "sweet" instead of strong. Miraculously, not much of my doctrine is changed, which I think is a sign of the shielding of the Spirit while I was at MH. (I, for whatever reason, felt totally fine tuning out most of Mark's teaching on marriage, which now I'm really grateful for, especially as a single woman.)

Please write anything else you'd like to add.

I love my old church family deeply. Watching so many be so hurt and still be hurt is grievous. I still pray for everyone, especially those who haven't come back to a church family after leaving MH. (Not praying for them in judgment but grieving that the body God designed could be so corrupted and traumatize so much.) I don't think God had us there by accident, and I know he needed to take apart MH, and he's bringing all his children to himself by a million ways we can't see, much less understand. I know that I was far off, and while I was at MH, God brought me near. I want so much to already be in heaven and get to worship with everyone again.

Early Member/Staff - Ballard 1996+

Gender

Female

Which describes your role at Mars Hill?

Staff

What Mars Hill location(s) did you attend?

Ballard

What years were you involved / attending?

1996

How did you first hear about Mars Hill?

Pastor friend recommended MHC
Attended at the Presbyterian church by Children's Hospital I think in Sept.

What was the circumstance of your first time attending Mars HIll?

We were looking for a fellowship that there was good teaching, our friend suggested MHC.

What were your first impressions?

Music really different, dark inside a bit of adjustment.  We continued b/c of Mark's teaching.

Why was Mars Hill your church home?

The good teaching, the leadership, we were with the first group of people to sign up for membership.

What about your time at Mars Hill has had a positive impact on you?

Community and ministry I had with women.

What about your time at Mars Hill has had a negative impact on you?

Mark's change in plurality of leadership.

Which describes you?

I left Mars Hill prior to closure.

Please describe why you left Mars Hill and what that experience was like.

Very unhappy with the way Mark was teaching and more important the way he treated people.  I wanted to leave sooner than we did because my husband loved his job and he worked hard to change Mark's mind.

How would you describe the reason for Mars Hill's closure to an outsider.

The change in leadership, no accountability.

What's changed for you since your time at Mars Hill came to an end?

Some what gun shy when it comes to up a coming churches that want to grow big.  I like small gatherings.

Please write anything else you'd like to add.

There’s some people who leave and then start churches to go to a church, but do not integrate with the people.  They want a mini like MHC.

Joel Braun 2001-14

Your Name

Joel Braun

Gender

Male

Which describes your role at Mars Hill?

Group Leader (any leadership role)

What Mars Hill location(s) did you attend?

Ballard, Portland, Shoreline

What years were you involved / attending?

2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

How did you first hear about Mars Hill?

I attended once or twice when I first moved to Seattle and it was at first pres, then did not attend any more. Went to another church and feel as though I was saved there as an adult. That church refused to do pre marital counseling for my wife and I as we hadn't been dating a year. Found a different pastor and then also found mars hill again.

What was the circumstance of your first time attending Mars HIll?

My circumstance was that I needed a church in my life that had good teaching and the sermons were hitting it quite often for me and allowing me to grow and shape my understanding.

What were your first impressions?

The teaching was great, the music was amazing

Why was Mars Hill your church home?

Because I was narrow minded in thinking I couldn't find another church family closer to home. I was convicted of that and why we left before its collapse.

What about your time at Mars Hill has had a positive impact on you?

I have a wonderful relationship with my wife that we received a lot of great teaching from people through mh. I have 3 boys who challenge me, but I wouldn't have had them at my age had it not been for an amazing sermon from Paul Petry.

What about your time at Mars Hill has had a negative impact on you?

The outcome has me sad and the lies and bullshit that surfaced has me frustrated. My bitterness is no longer and by God's grace I'm free.

What would you like to have changed about Mars Hill?

Leadership was distant and relationships were shallow. Salaries were ridiculous.

Which describes you?

I left Mars Hill prior to closure.

Please describe why you left Mars Hill and what that experience was like.

I left because we wanted community with those we attend church with. MH Portland was a 20-35 min drive. We found a great church less than 10 min away and have community there as well.

How would you describe the reason for Mars Hill's closure to an outsider.

It all boils down to Sin and an unrepentant leader who refused to be under anyone's authority.

What's changed for you since your time at Mars Hill came to an end?

Church, my opinion of it and certainly my trust in leadership is a bit more reserved.

Member - Ballard 2003-07

Gender

Male

Which describes your role at Mars Hill?

Regular Attender, Member, Group Leader (any leadership role)

What Mars Hill location(s) did you attend?

Ballard

What years were you involved / attending?

2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

How did you first hear about Mars Hill?

I went to UW and heard about the opening of this new building in Ballard. Some friends drug me along and the rest was history, as they say.

What was the circumstance of your first time attending Mars HIll?

I was with two students from UW and one friend from SPU. They had me sit in the first row of the opening day in the Ballard Campus.

What were your first impressions?

I come from a small town in Montana. To say I was intimidated would be an understatement. I was especially shocked at the amount of young single people that were there. The music was loud and everything was so stinking dark. I was at a loss for words. This was back when Mark was still pretty edgy and, well, almost normal. I even spoke with him after the service and was invited to a bar in the U District a few weeks later where he and about 20 other guys got together and talked about guy stuff. I was sold out after that.

Why was Mars Hill your church home?

I soon found a wide friendship base both on UW campus and in greater Seattle. I co-led a small community group and became a security team member (stage left every weekend for 3 years). I eventually graduated and became involved with a mixed group of people in Northgate that expanded my brain and grew my maturity by leaps and bounds.

What about your time at Mars Hill has had a positive impact on you?

I went on my first date, had my first relationship and breakup all at Mars Hill. I found support and community and advice at every stage. My relationships were/are lifelong. It was too bad nearly all of these people left the church when the Petry's were shunned, because they were our group/family. The core group who left are still strong and still living life together. That started at Mars Hill.

What about your time at Mars Hill has had a negative impact on you?

Initially, it was Mark's fall into unrepentant sin and the effects it had on the ones I love. I didn't want to believe what I was seeing and experiencing was actually happening, but when Paul was fired, I knew I had to go. Then I was shocked by the reaction of the larger church body. So much denial and willingness to go along with sin, just because they were scared and didn't want to see the truth for what it was, truth. Eventually, I stopped listening to anything Mars Hill related as the sermons became more bombastic and anger filled.

What would you like to have changed about Mars Hill?

Everything started to change when Mark stopped being held accountable. I loved that there was a group of elders on a board that kept each other accountable. I loved that there was no single pastor that was above everyone else. When the bylaws changed, Mars Hill changed. I also didn't like the satellite campuses. I felt like it ruined the spirit of the church and made everyone disenfranchised.

Which describes you?

I left Mars Hill prior to closure.

Please describe why you left Mars Hill and what that experience was like.

I left as a result of the treatment of Paul Petry and his family. It was heartbreaking. Ultimately it caused me to rethink my entire ecclesiology, tore me away from evangelism, reformed who I saw Jesus as and led me to move to Africa.

How would you describe the reason for Mars Hill's closure to an outsider.

Mark's sin caught up to him. he built an infrastructure around himself that held him as a cornerstone rather than God. When Mark was removed, everything came crashing down.

Please write anything else you'd like to add.

There was a time of deep love and loss at Mars Hill. I felt like a betrayed partner who found out his partner was lying for five years. Ultimately, I have forgiven, but will never be the same. I am thankful for the time I spent at Mars Hill, as much for what it taught me about the body and the positive lessons I learned about leadership, as for the negative lessons I learned about following and the repercussions of blind obedience.

Mark Dunford 2007-14

Your Name

Mark Dunford

Gender

Male

Which describes your role at Mars Hill?

Group Leader (any leadership role)

What Mars Hill location(s) did you attend?

Ballard, Portland

What years were you involved / attending?

2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

How did you first hear about Mars Hill?

I was invited to a new Community Group that was forming by the leader and his wife.

What was the circumstance of your first time attending Mars HIll?

After attending the group a few times, I decided to attend a service to take notes on what they'd talk about in the group.

What were your first impressions?

I thought the preaching style was really entertaining and I was surprised to have been engaged for over an hour by a preacher.

Why was Mars Hill your church home?

I genuinely enjoyed the community groups and made a lot of close friends that have continued to speak into my life effectively.

What about your time at Mars Hill has had a positive impact on you?

I met Jesus at Mars Hill in a way that I'd not been exposed to him earlier. I really appreciated so many of the people that I met there.

What about your time at Mars Hill has had a negative impact on you?

It didn't end well for me. I grew into substantial distrust of the upper leadership of the church and felt intentionally deceived in the end by the BOAA and the EE. I'd really hoped that as elders, we'd be able to help correct the issues in the church. Unfortunately, by the time I'd realized that reality, we had too little time to deal with the stubborn continued sin of the EE and certain members of the BOAA.

What would you like to have changed about Mars Hill?

In the end, the elders were unable to hold Mark to any sort of accountability. It likely would have needed to happen prior to 2012, but I wish that the structure had been in place for the eldership as a whole to act. I also wish the elders could have communicated better cross-campus. Having elders in different states and cities meant that many of them weren't networked together and this greatly hindered the ability to talk things out.

Which describes you?

I left Mars Hill prior to closure.

Please describe why you left Mars Hill and what that experience was like.

I was dismissed from Mars Hill with my eldership being revoked, along with my wife and my membership. I can't express how devastating the experience was and felt more bullied than anything else.

How would you describe the reason for Mars Hill's closure to an outsider.

Mars Hill followed a distorted structure of church government and had in its most prominent and public-facing position, a man who was grossly disqualified, surrounded by men who shamefully protected him.

What's changed for you since your time at Mars Hill came to an end?

I look at church government much differently than I did when I was there. I also see the importance of hearing multiple voices from the pulpit. I think the size of the church was also a major issue - especially when it came to communication. I think it's important for churches to remain at a manageable size.