Mars Hill Church to the abused: “Suck it in and be defrauded!”
Now comes a second Mars Hill Church pastor arguing that those who have been abused and defrauded by the actions of the church leaders should choose to be harmed and defrauded versus seeking resolution – especially through civil recourse.
This had already been argued by Pastor David Fairchild, lead pastor of Mars Hill West Seattle (link) who claimed that taking one’s case of abuse to the court of public opinion through social media was akin to taking it to the courts. Fairchild suggested that the abused should rather choose to be defrauded. In his opinion, that is what 1 Corinthians 6 teaches.
Lead pastor of Mars Hill Rainier Valley, Pastor Ed Choi, in a discussion I had along with Pastors AJ Hamilton (setting up a possible MH campus in Los Angeles), Aaron Gray (lead pastor of Mars Hill Shoreline), and Alex Ghioni (lead pastor of Mars Hill Sammamish), chided me that 1 Corinthians 6 should be interpreted to say that we grieved and abused members should simply agree to be defrauded rather than seek redress of our grievances.
I heard no kickback from the other pastors in the conversation. So it seems that at least five of the pastors at Mars Hill Church believe that abused members should just agree to be defrauded rather than seek either the court of public opinion or the civil court for redress.
My reaction to Ed Choi was to thank him for making Mars Hill Church’s position clear. What I heard him say was that it is right to choose being defrauded over using the civil courts to address matters. This surely would mean that if Mars Hill Church was sued, they would not choose to defend themselves or counter-sue. They would choose to accept a summary judgment against them, even if it meant that they would be defrauded in the process.
Pastor Choi’s response was immediate and strong. “No, no, no, no, that is not what I am saying,” said Pastor Choi.
Apparently, the appeal to Christians to accept being defrauded over seeking redress in court does not apply to Mars Hill Church or its leadership.
This explains why they can threaten lawsuits in non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) forced on exiting staff. It also explains why they threaten other churches that come too close using their “brand” with civil action.
What is good for the goose is not good the gander.
Of course, to even the casual observer, this is just plain old hypocrisy.
Musings from under the bus. 
As a born again Christian that reads scripture through my lens of Mennonite/Anabaptist theological interpretation, one who has disagreed with Mark Driscoll’s leadership style, many of his teachings on manhood and headship, you need to do what Pastor said and reread the book of 1 Corinthians and then read chapter six as though it was written to you.
Mars Hill is a church much like Corinth. Many good things have come out of your church, as well as some pretty immature, mean, and downright sinful attitudes and actions.
Your attitude and actions here are not helping that matter either.
My prayers go out for your church and that forgiveness can begin.
One of the reasons why we forgive those who sinned against us is so that we can begin the healing process in our own lives.
I lost a child due in part to poor care given by his doctors. We did not sue, but instead forgave. That did not mean that we stopped the doctor from being fired. That was not my decision but the medical board. But suing would have done nothing to bring my son back, and forgiveness offered helped us heal and we hope the same for the doctor.
You have every right to not sue, but had the doctor argued that you should not sue him because of 1 Cor 6, I would argue that as the perpetrator he had no right to argue such.
When the hostile takeover in 2007 occurred in many ways Mars Hill Church was replaced by “Mark’s Hill Money Making Corporation”. And so it stands today. And I see no problem with piercing through the Mark’s Hill Money Making Corporation facade of “I am a church” by using available legal instruments. So much has “Mark’s Hill Money Making Corporation” already done serious hideous disastrous damage to the good name of God already for goodness sakes!!!
I think that to recover his humanity Mark Driscoll needs to own up to the hostile takeover of Mars Hill Church and using it to form a money making kingdom for himself. He needs to give it all back. Any less than that continues on a course away from compassion and truth.
He may retain a kingdom of sorts but it will have no real value to himself or any others as it simply lacks compassion and truth.
As for the current collection of people attending within the buildings owned by the “Mark’s Hill” corporation – well I do hope that they all find or make a real church someday. One with compassion, honesty, and true love for one another and the creator of all things.
Rob, I would draw your attention to John 10:12:
The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
You have an obligation to warn others about this wolf. Thank you for coming forward. I am in Seattle and this is good information about where not to fellowship.
” arguing that those who have been abused and defrauded by the actions of the church leaders should choose to be harmed and defrauded ”
I guess then we can take these statements as an admission by leadership that they have indeed abused and defrauded the sheep!!!