links: posts from former MH pastors Jeff Bettger and Kyle Firstenberg

Jeff's post can be found over here:

http://www.locustnhoney.com/?p=1201

Kyle's can be found over here:

http://sinrepentancegraceforgivness.blogspot.com/2014/03/my-sin.html

a particularly striking quote from Kyle:

... Shortly after starting employment at Mars Hill in 2006, I noticed that there was a culture of fear that I had never seen in the prior six years of attending Mars Hill. That fear I believe was the result of the leadership style of Mark Driscoll. You were a valuable asset on staff at Mars Hill if you were tough, a high producer, dedicated to the growth of the church, and equally dedicated to Mark Driscoll himself. If you are not those things, you live in constant fear of being discarded.

I personally thrived in that culture. Coming from law enforcement, it was easy for me to be tough, instill fear in others, produce results and be dedicated to Mark and the church. I wasn’t saved at Mars Hill, but learned almost all I know about theology from his preaching over the years.

 

Over at Phoenix Preacher I was asked what I hope can or will happen in the wake of the steady blogging I've done about the history of Mars Hill as an institution/corporation and the people associated with it.  These posts by Jeff Bettger and Kyle Firstenberg are indications of what I believe will be a start to something healthier than what Kyle has described as a culture of fear. When I was writing last week about the necessity of being able to see yourself as a symptom and not the cure I was laying out at a more personal level what I hope to see more people who have been part of Mars Hill at the level of laity or leadership consider for themselves and the community.  So if others are writing in a similar way toward the same end that is encouraging because that is what I believe is necessary.