Editor’s Observe: The next is a letter from former Mars Hill Govt Elder Sutton Turner to James River Church Pastor John Lindell and is republished right here with permission. Lindell was one of many first pastors to platform former Mars Hill Pastor Mark Driscoll in 2014, after Driscoll abruptly resigned amid allegations of bullying and conceitedness. Lindell has continued to platform Driscoll over the previous decade, regardless of Driscoll’s former elders stating Driscoll is “unfit” for ministry. Nonetheless, Lindell’s endorsement of Driscoll got here to an unceremonious finish final month when the 2 pastors had a very public feud. Turner instructed The Roys Report (TRR) that Lindell has not responded to his letter. We reached out to Lindell for remark however didn’t instantly hear again.
April 18, 2024
Pastor John,
As a former Govt Pastor, Govt Elder, and Board Member of Mars Hill Church, I empathize with what you and your loved ones have gone via this final week. I’m sorry. As somebody who has witnessed Mark’s duplicity firsthand, I understand how traumatic this may be.
As a pastor, please watch this video after my interview with Julie Roys, remembering the trauma of Mars Hill Church. LINK.
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Underneath Matthew 18, I’m sending you the under communication:
I have to draw your consideration to a grave matter. Regardless of the elders of Mars Hill Church disqualifying Pastor Mark from ministry in 2014, you supplied him with a platform. You’ve gotten actively aided in his reestablishment since 2015, not contemplating the hurt that Mark Driscoll triggered whereas main Mars Hill Church.
In July of 2021, the 41 former elders of Mars Hill supplied an announcement to warn folks (like members of James River and, particularly, Trinity Church) that Mark Driscoll was repeating his conduct of the previous. Nonetheless, you, Jimmy Evans, and Robert Morris ignored that. To my information, the three of you males by no means reached out to any former elders of Mars Hill, which allowed Mark to make use of you and your platform to proceed to construct a church and a ministry that has harm folks.
Over the last ten years, leaders of huge ministries (Brian Houston, Carey Nieuwhof, Randy Robison, and Robert Morris) have platformed Mark Driscoll to rebuild his model and alter the factual narrative. I wrote in regards to the new narrative.
In January of 2022, I posted all of the transcripts of the investigation of Mark Driscoll performed by the Elders of Mars Hill Church. This motion was pressured as a result of pastors of huge church buildings, like James River, ignored what Mark had dedicated at Mars Hill Church. The investing elders at Mars Hill Church had been godly males; many had been volunteer elders of our 15 campus places. In teams of two elders, they interviewed over 40 folks to get their direct statements earlier than they prayerfully got here to their conclusion.
The elders of Mars Hill discovered Mark Driscoll disqualified from ministry primarily based on these three issues (Doc hooked up):
· Fast-tempered, together with harsh speech.
· Smug
· Domineering in his management of the elders and employees
I now not revolve across the mega-church world. I empathize with the scenario you might be at present in. I write to remind you of the pastors and elders of Mars Hill Church, who you ignored, and these males tried to warn different pastors that Mark was not certified for ministry in 2015. I remind you of the 1000’s of individuals in Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, California, and now Arizona that Mark’s unrepentant conduct has harm extra folks. Please bear in mind these individuals who had been part of his church buildings, who sacrificed for the church, and who carry deep wounds due to it. Now you can acknowledge folks out of your platform and instantly apologize to them.
Sutton Turner
This letter has been reprinted with permission.
Sutton Turner was Govt Pastor, Govt Elder and Board Member of Mars Hill Church from 2011 to 2014. He, Mark Driscoll and Dave Bruskas served collectively main the church. Sutton has over 30 years of expertise main firms as CEO throughout US, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, in addition to two stints in full-time ministry with Mars Hill and Celebration Church. He’s married to Marci Turner of 25+ years and has three children. They reside in School Station, Texas.
The Roys Report has featured Sutton Turner on a two-part podcast relating to Mark Driscoll (click on under to pay attention).
