Mark Driscoll

On this page you’ll find all of our investigative reporting on Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill.

Mark Driscoll’s Safe Space <br> <p style='font-size:18px;line-height: 1.2em;'>How the embattled pastor built a new church.</p>

Mark Driscoll’s Safe Space

How the embattled pastor built a new church.

October 4, 2023February 2, 2024

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — After the dramatic implosion of Seattle’s Mars Hill Church in 2014, its co-founder and pastor — Mark Driscoll, an unapologetically confrontational preacher who resigned when church leaders accused him of abusive leadership — decamped with his family to Arizona. Cast into a ministerial wilderness, Driscoll quickly began hunting for new allies and opportunities. Driscoll had sights on starting a new church, but with his reputation mired in controversy, he would need to…

When does conflict become spiritual abuse? Churches large and small face that question.

August 3, 2022February 2, 2024

(RNS) — Concerns about spiritual abuse have become common in recent years — at churches large and small — following the fall of megachurch pastors like Mark Driscoll, of the now-disbanded Mars Hill Church in Seattle, and Bill Hybels, founder of Willow Creek Community Church outside Chicago, both accused of creating toxic cultures ruled by fear and intimidation.

Former Seattle Megachurch Pastor Called Out for Continued Pattern of ‘Sinful Actions’

July 27, 2021February 2, 2024

Elders of Seattle’s Mars Hill Church who served with former pastor Mark Driscoll have called on their former leader to resign from his new position leading a church in Arizona, alleging in a statement that Driscoll has “continued in a pattern of sinful actions” towards staff members and parishioners and failed to seek reconciliation or repent.

‘If you have eyes, plagiarize’: When Borrowing a Sermon Goes Too Far <br> <p style='font-size:18px;line-height: 1.2em;'>Preachers love to borrow from each other, but the practice can sometimes lead to plagiarism.</p>

‘If you have eyes, plagiarize’: When Borrowing a Sermon Goes Too Far

Preachers love to borrow from each other, but the practice can sometimes lead to plagiarism.

July 12, 2021February 2, 2024

But as Reese discovered, pastors are not always preaching their own words. While there are no statistics on outright plagiarism — claiming someone else’s words as your own — preachers love to “borrow” from each other.

Why Some Preachers Rely on Holy Ghostwriters and Other Pulpit Helps <br> <p style='font-size:18px;line-height: 1.2em;'>To keep up with the demand for high-quality sermons, preachers often turn to ghostwriters and researchers, without telling their congregation. At least one expert calls that ‘cheating.’</p>

Why Some Preachers Rely on Holy Ghostwriters and Other Pulpit Helps

To keep up with the demand for high-quality sermons, preachers often turn to ghostwriters and researchers, without telling their congregation. At least one expert calls that ‘cheating.’

July 11, 2021February 2, 2024

To keep up with the demand for high-quality sermons, preachers often turn to ghostwriters and researchers, without telling their congregation. At least one expert calls that ‘cheating.’

Why Some Preachers Rely on Holy Ghostwriters and Other Pulpit Helps

April 29, 2021February 2, 2024

Ostoich, a writer from Michigan, thinks sermon ghostwriters and researchers can serve a valid role in the church, under the right circumstances. His first gig as a ghostwriter involved helping the interim pastor of a Texas church. The interim pastor had been on a church’s board of elders and was put in charge after the previous pastor resigned. He’d come out of the business world and had no formal training as a pastor.

Mars Hill Executive Elder Issues Public Apology <br> <p style='font-size:18px;line-height: 1.2em;'>Sutton Turner said he “operated in a sinful way” and is reaching out to people he hurt</p>

Mars Hill Executive Elder Issues Public Apology

Sutton Turner said he “operated in a sinful way” and is reaching out to people he hurt

June 15, 2015February 2, 2024

One of the three Executive Elders at the recently dissolved Mars Hill Church has publicly apologized for his behavior there.

Mars Hill Church To Dissolve <br> <p style='font-size:18px;line-height: 1.2em;'>Local church sites assess options</p>

Mars Hill Church To Dissolve

Local church sites assess options

November 3, 2014February 2, 2024

Mars Hill Church, which as recently as January had more than 14,000 people attending Sunday morning worship services, will cease to exist organizationally by the end of the year.

Driscoll to Take a Break from Mars Hill Church <br> <p style='font-size:18px;line-height: 1.2em;'>The megachurch pastor will step down for at least six weeks while elders investigate charges against him</p>

Driscoll to Take a Break from Mars Hill Church

The megachurch pastor will step down for at least six weeks while elders investigate charges against him

August 25, 2014February 2, 2024

Mark Driscoll, pastor of Seattle’s Mars Hill Church, will relinquish leadership of the megachurch for at least six weeks while elders investigate charges against him.

Partially Penitent Pastors – Updates on the Seemingly Endless Driscoll and Furtick Sagas

April 1, 2014February 2, 2024

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10 Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle and Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church in Charlotte cannot seem to get the controversies they are embroiled in out of the headlines. Still, some of the recent news surrounding these two troubled pastors…

More Pastor Problems – Driscoll, Furtick and South Korea

More Publishers Investigate Mark Driscoll

January 2, 2014February 2, 2024

At least two more Christian publishers are investigating concerns of plagiarism regarding Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. Crossway, which published Driscoll’s Death by Love, issued a statement saying, “We are in touch with Mars Hill and are conducting an internal review to ensure that our books published by Mark Driscoll have proper citation and documentation.” Crossway publicist Janni Firestone added, “As of right now, we’re not sure when the internal review…

Pastor Mark Driscoll Controversy: Plagiarism, Idolatry and the Christian Evangelical Complex

December 16, 2013February 2, 2024

“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.” Galatians 6:1 Pastor Mark Driscoll is no stranger to controversy. Driscoll, who pastors Mars Hill Church in one of the country’s most secular cities, Seattle, would be controversial in his city simply for seeking to live out a biblically-based Christian life where Christians are definitively in the minority. But Driscoll has gained a national…