Despite recent public apologies, the Acts 29 Network is officially disassociating itself with its co-founder Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church.
“It is with deep sorrow that the Acts 29 Network announces its decision to remove Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church from membership in the network. Mark and the Elders of Mars Hill have been informed of the decision, along with the reasons for removal,” reads a statement signed by the board of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network, which includes Matt Chandler, Darrin Patrick, Steve Timmis, Eric Mason, John Bryson, Bruce Wesley and Leonce Crump.
The Acts 29 Network has planted more than 500 churches around the world over the past 10 years, according to its website. The group’s vision is to “advance the mission of Jesus through obediently planting church-planting churches.”
“It is our conviction that the nature of the accusations against Mark, most of which have been confirmed by him, make it untenable and unhelpful to keep Mark and Mars Hill in our network,” the statement reads.
“In taking this action, our prayer is that it will encourage the leadership of Mars Hill to respond in a distinctive and godly manner so that the name of Christ will not continue to be dishonored.”
Former Mars Hills members protested outside Driscoll’s church in Bellevue, Washington, on Sunday. As previously reported, former church members took issue with Driscoll’s claims even though he acknowledged church leaders had been dismissed abruptly.
Driscoll previously apologized for paying a marketing company for a “best-seller campaign” associated with his book Real Marriage. Driscoll has also been accused of plagiarism. Of course, the Mars Hill Church pastor has long been controversial, most recently angering the Twitterverse with a tweet about hell.
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