14 October 2014 A.D. Baptacostalist Mark Driscoll’s Resignation Letter from Mars Hill
Driscoll,
Mark. No titles. 14 Oct 2014. Religion News. 15 Oct 2014. http://www.religionnews.com/2014/10/15/exclusive-mark-driscolls-resignation-letter-to-mars-hill-church/. 15 Oct 2014.
October 14, 2014
Michael Van Skaik
Chairman, Board of
Advisors and Accountability
Mars Hill Church
Dear Michael:
By God’s grace I have
pastored Mars Hill Church for 18 years. Today, also by God’s grace, and with
the full support of my wife Grace, I resign my position as a pastor and elder
of Mars Hill. I do so with profound sadness, but also with complete peace.
On August 24th
I announced to our Mars Hill family of churches that I had requested a leave of
absence from the pulpit and the office for a minimum of six weeks while a
committee of elders conducted a formal review of charges made against me by
various people in recent times. Last week our Board of Overseers met for an
extended period of time with Grace and me, thereby concluding the formal review
of charges against me. I want to thank you for assuring Grace and me that last
Saturday that I had not disqualified myself from ministry.
You have shared with
us that this committee spent more than 1,000 hours reviewing documents and
interviewing some of those who had presented charges against me. You have also
shared with me that many of those making charges against me declined to meet
with you or participate in the review process at all. Consequently, those
conducting the review of charges against me began to interview people who had
not even been a party to the charges.
I readily acknowledge
I am an imperfect messenger of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are many
things I have confessed and repented of, privately and publicly, as you are
well aware. Specifically, I have confessed to past pride, anger and a
domineering spirit. As I shared with our church in August, “God has broken me
many times in recent years by showing me where I have fallen short, and while
my journey, at age 43, is far from over, I believe He has brought me a long way
from some days I am not very proud of, and is making me more like Him every
day.”
Prior to and during
this process there have been no charges of criminal activity, immorality or
heresy, any of which could clearly be grounds for disqualification from
pastoral ministry. Other issues, such as aspects of my personality and
leadership style, have proven to be divisive within the Mars Hill context, and
I do not want to be the source of anything that might detract from our church’s
mission to lead people to a personal and growing relationship with Jesus
Christ.
That is why, after
seeking the face and will of God, and seeking godly counsel from men and women
across the country, we have concluded it would be best for the health of our
family, and for the Mars Hill family, that we step aside from further ministry
at the church we helped launch in 1996. I will gladly work with you in the
coming days on any details related to our separation.
Recent months have
proven unhealthy for our family—even physically unsafe at times—and we believe
the time has now come for the elders to choose new pastoral leadership for Mars
Hill. Grace and I pledge our full support in this process and will join you in
praying for God’s best for this, His church, in the days and years ahead. Grace
and I would also covet your prayers for us as we seek God’s will for the next
chapter of our lives. Therefore, consider this written notice of my voluntary
termination of employment.
Finally, it would be
my hope to convey to the wonderful members of the Mars Hill family how deeply
my family and I love them, thank them, and point them to their Senior Pastor
Jesus Christ who has always been only good to us.
Sincerely,
Pastor Mark Driscoll
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