My husband and I left for two reasons. It felt like a cult and because of its view of women.

It felt like a cult because people quoted Mark far more than scripture. Because of its “love it or leave it” attitude. Because of the “Mark drones” who parrotted him at every turn. Because Mark made comments that suggested that no other Seattle-area churches were worth attending/true. Because it revolves around Mark and would clearly fall if he were not there. Because Bible studies through the week discuss what Mark said on Sunday. Because Mark wants to “increase the flock” by his church members having children. (Ummm. Where is that in Scripture?)

Its view of women was troubling (understatement…) because Mark made comments to me and to my husband that go far beyond any hard-to-swallow verses about gender differences. The comments he made to us made it clear that he believes women are less intelligent. Really. (I feel that quoting him here would be more provocative than I wish to be.) MH members want desperately to believe that Mark’s view is biblical because they have based their lives on it. He is so charismatic, so clever, that few the time to check out what he is saying. It feels dangerous.

Thanks for the inside scoop. I read the article and found it really patronising to the people involved. Driscoll’s gender-role views (from the little I’ve heard) don’t click too well with my own, but depicting Mars Hill people as being brainwashed drones is entirely uncalled-for. Everyone makes their choices and it’s not fair slander people to make a polemical point.

Unfortunatel it’s a common problem with politically-minded writers from both end of the spectrum that they see others’ choices as being a direct attack on their own.

I think it’s actually a very interesting article and sums up pretty consisely what Mars Hill and subsequent church plants (like our own) must look like to an unbelieving mind. I was challenged by the article and laughed at many of her statements…like “Hipster culture is what sweetens the proverbial Kool-Aid, which parishioners here seem to gulp by the gallon” I mean, that’s funny.

I’ve often wondered how subversive our “missional living” really is to the unbeliever and what an educated mind not moved to faith by the Holy Spirit would do with some of our lingo, lifestyle and seeming fundamentalism….now I know.

I understand being offended–because I know Sarah well too and have made some similar choices with my life. But, I have to remember that this life we lead looks very strange from the outside…it confounds the nonbeliever and seems foolish. Which comforts me in a way–that I’m doing something right.