So now comes another Mars Hill pastor, David Fairchild, using social media (Facebook) to chide those who use social media to argue their case against Mars Hill Church.
This is similar to Anthony Bradley, who also posts a lot on social media, publicly chewing out Rachel Held Evans for publicly chewing out Mark Driscoll (link).
I have met both these men. They are men that I like a lot. They are actually quite bright. Somehow they missed the big “E” on this eye chart. Clearly they do not believe what they are posting, or perhaps they are not as bright as I thought they were.
I enjoy both these men, not only for their contribution to my life, but because they have shown care for the things that I care about. David and I have traveled together more than once to Africa, and I love the passion that Anthony Bradley shows for the oppressed.
I know David well enough to know that he does not truly believe that posting public grievances on social media is equivalent to filing a civil lawsuit against a brother. If this were the case, then why did he post his grievance against bloggers on a social network, while he works in a public church that has been built largely through social media?
Furthermore, David suggests that the proper approach is that the bloggers follow Matthew 18. Well, you can count the number of bloggers on two hands. Each, including me, are easy to reach. If David has an issue with us, why is he not picking up the phone and beginning to work through Matthew 18 with us if he has a problem?
The truth, already well documented, is that the so-called “Board of Advisors and Accountability” (BOAA) has no interest in any communication with bloggers. Some of us became bloggers because following Matthew 18 is impossible (link).
Can David himself even get an audience with the BOAA?
Then he goes on to suggest that the members who have been harmed simply allow themselves to be harmed, based upon I Corinthians 6. Let me say this another way. Pastor David Fairchild, the West Seattle Campus pastor, is telling members who have been harmed by the church he represents, to simply subject themselves to be harmed and walk away.
This is why we are blogging. The shepherds have forgotten who they are protecting.
I know David understands the scriptures well enough to refute his own crazy interpretation of 1 Corinthians 6, and I know he understands the role of the pastor well enough to know that his role is to protect members, not kick them back them under the bus.
I am hoping that he was just reacting to the increased pressure that Mars Hill Church is feeling because it is reeling from the consequences of the actions of its leaders.
Until the Mars Hill leadership stops blaming bloggers and starts taking responsibility for the repeated deception, we will probably see more of same.
Musings from under the bus. 
Mr. Fairchild,
Is it possible that these bloggers may actually be following Matthew 18? Matthew 18:17 says : “If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church…”
Also, it is worth noting that Matthew 18 does not apply to dealing with wayward spiritual leaders. Jesus himself did not hesitate to criticize and challenge the Pharisees in public. He didn’t bother with following a Matthew 18 process with them. Paul also did not follow that process when he rebuked Peter publicly about being hypocritical with the issue of eating unclean meats.
When leaders are sinning against a whole people group, they don’t get to hide behind Jesus’ teachings about how to handle conflict between two people. Nice try!
And a church that fails to correct wayward elders does not get to silence legitimate public criticism through the manipulation of Scripture.
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