Mark Driscoll has a God-sized vision for The Trinity Church and you can find out what God has revealed to him this coming Sunday. One thing for sure, the Vision includes essential ministry tools like an Airstream trailer, a yellow fire truck, and mid-century modern chairs.
Driscoll’s vision is really big. Listen:
The worship band should have this tune on the set list:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUP4dCucVnY[/youtube]
Category: Mark Driscoll
Mercy Multiplied Is Subject of Slate Exposé
Mercy Multiplied (formerly known as Mercy Ministries) consists of several in-patient facilities which claim to assist young women recover from abuse, eating disorders, and various other mental and emotional conditions. On Sunday, online magazine Slate revealed unflattering and disturbing results of an investigation of the ministry through the eyes of several former patients.
If the reports are true, then Mercy Multiplied should be shut down.
These stories reminded me of the 1990s controversy over repressed memories and especially the Philadelphia area counseling center Genesis Associates. Former Mercy girls told Slate they were led to believe they had been sexually abused and involved in sex trafficking via imagery techniques. They claim that in counseling sessions girls were told by their counselors that God had reveal certain past abusive events. Residents were urged to cast out demons and refuse needed medications.
There seemed to be some similarities to the demon trials described by Mark Driscoll.
This morning, I asked Mercy Multiplied’s Director of Communication Jackie Quinn for a response to the Slate article but did not get a response.
One cannot know if these allegations are true or wide spread but it does provide a cautionary tale to people who are considering counseling to avoid these kind of techniques. I hope Mercy Multiplied will address the possible use of visualization techniques where false memories might be implanted.
From the mid-1990s, here are some clips of Genesis Associates from the documentary Divided Memories.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWoxGEr0nmw[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waBha5AOAyI[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZckrmKCzlU[/youtube]
Mark Driscoll's The Trinity Church: Bouncy Houses, Matching Gifts, and a Late Summer Launch
After the first meeting of The Trinity Church, Mark Driscoll is moving full steam ahead toward the launch of the church in the late summer of this year. According to Driscoll’s most recent video update, The Trinity Church will launch in late summer with two services.
Until then, Driscoll invited interested people to participate in the work parties at the church and give money. He disclosed that a donor made a matching grant of $50k. Driscoll also said that people are driving in from California and as far away as Georgia to help get the church ready for the launch. Children’s ministry involves bouncy houses in the auditorium.
It must be surreal for former Mars Hill Church members to listen to the business-as-usual description of this church plant while Mars Hill is still shrouded in uncertainty and a lawsuit is pending against Driscoll and Sutton Turner.
Sutton Turner Names Attorney and Responds to Mars Hill RICO Lawsuit
Sutton Turner’s Seattle attorney has notified the court and Turner notified plaintiff’s attorney that service would be accepted on the RICO lawsuit naming him and Mark Driscoll as defendants.* They are accused of running the church in a manner to financially benefit the leaders, especially Mark Driscoll.
In response to the suit, Turner exclusively provided the following statement via email:
For over a month, I have offered to meet with the Jacobsens and Kildeas. Unfortunately, they have not responded. It has been 19 months since I resigned from Mars Hill. I have had many meetings and conversations with people, even people that were previously listed in legal demands against Mars Hill Church. Although the plaintiffs have requested meetings with Mars Hill Church in the past, that request has not been offered to me personally in the 19 months since my disassociation with Mars Hill Church.
Since I have yet to be served with this lawsuit, I have hired an attorney to take service for me in the state of Washington. Last year, I wrote at length of my involvement in ResultSource and Global even after threats of litigation from counsel associated with Mars Hill Church. I believe I have done everything I can to resolve this peaceably. Unfortunately, it is now time to prepare for a legal defense of these allegations.
Early in March, Turner said, “The history and culture of Mars Hill is one of both a lack of trust and transparency. Lack of transparency breeds distrust and distrust causes less transparency. It is a perpetual cycle that can exist within any organization or relationship.”
Turner’s co-defendant, Mark Driscoll, recently said he had not been seen the suit but called the allegations malicious and false.
An image of the notice of appearance is below (full document).
* Earlier I stated that Turner had been served the lawsuit. That is not accurate and Turner has not been served. I apologize for the error.
Mark Driscoll’s The Trinity Church Holds Open House Amid Protest
Four protesters and at least one news crew greeted Mark Driscoll’s debut in Phoenix on Sunday evening.
According to one protester, the police arrived to tell the picketers that the sidewalk was public property. On person on the scene estimated that about 40 cars were in the parking lot about 15 minutes before the service, some with Washington plates. Another thought more like 70 cars were in the lot by the beginning of the service.
Driscoll was interviewed by Jeff Van Sant at KPHO/KTVK – Phoenix. According to a report filed by Jeff Van Sant, Driscoll denied the charges in the RICO lawsuit.
Here is Van Sant’s report:
azfamily.com 3TV | Phoenix Breaking News, Weather, Sport
Driscoll says he has not been served the lawsuit. Then he says the charges are false and malicious. If he doesn’t know anything about it then how can he say anything about the nature of the charges. We know that the church used Result Source to prop up his book. He admitted that and stopped using the description of bestselling author because the scheme was made public. Furthermore, it is well documented that Mars Hill lawyers warned Sutton Turner against revealing how much of the Global Fund went to international mission work.