The Great Chair ‘O Great Authority

A great post about authoritarian and/or narcissitic narsistist narcissistic leadership can be found in Bill Kinnon’s blog HERE.  (Grandma, how do you spell “narcissistic”?  “Badly, dear, badly.”)  Unsurprisingly, the post uses many of the events documented in the January NYT  article as examples.

A “sad but true” snippet:

“One of the positions people with Narcissistic Personality Disorder – extreme narcissists – are attracted to is church leadership. It is one of the best places to practice irrational authority unchallenged – as these leaders convince you they are on a mission from God.”

-PH

New York Times Article on Mars Hill Church / Mark Driscoll

Hats off to Molly Worthen for writing an amazingly even-handed article about Mars Hill Church and the various themes and memes that run through it.   The article “Who Would Jesus Smack Down?” appeared in The New York Times “Magazine” section on Sunday, January 12, 2009.  MH/Driscoll admirers will consider the article very complimentary.  Detractors will find the article to give clear voice to the aspects that grieve them most.

One quote in particular broke PH’s heart:   “At one suburban campus that I visited, a huge yellow cross dominated center stage — until the projection screen unfurled and Driscoll’s face blocked the cross from view.”

Driscoll’s face blocked the cross from view.  In a nutshell: the very reason so many faithful, active, and involved members have departed the hip halls of MHC.

Click HERE to read the full article in the NYT.

Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Elders: In “Major” or “Minor” Sin?

Wow…in less than 2 minutes, this video says more about the injustices instigated by and under Mark Driscoll and Mars Hill Church than PH could write in 2 pages! Video: Major vs Minor Sins

The topic question can be read one of two ways: Are these guys in sin – OR – is the sin that they are in Major or Minor. PH will let you choose how to read it.

PH raises two follow-up questions, regardless of your read on the topic question.

1. Are the men who participated in the firings and trial qualified to be elders? And,
2. Are a) knowing and active disobedience of biblical principles, followed by b) false representations perpetrated to cover up the disobedience MAJOR or MINOR sins, by Driscoll’s definitions?

Mark Driscoll and the Mars Hill Company: Master Architects of Arbitrariness

In the new Mars Hill Church Bylaws, Mark Driscoll and the elders approved a section on church discipline. It is a magnificent example of the Art of Arbitrariness. PH is sparing the reader all of the boring bylaw detail, and has included only the silliest parts for your reading pleasure.

Messenger versus the Message

There are many who will not care for the medium or the manner in which this message is being communicated. That is fine; intelligent and well meaning hearts can disagree.

It is very important, however, to remember that the truth is not made a lie simply because you do not like the messenger. Credible charges made by credible witnesses (such as Mars Hill’s own documents and videos) must be investigated.

Interesting Blog Post

“He’s on the table, and he’s going to Code”

http://mytrueself.typepad.com/my_true_self/2008/01/hes-on-the-tabl.html

BY POSTING OR COMMENTING ON THIS BLOG, YOU MAKE THE COVENANT FOUND HERE:

http://prayingheart.wordpress.com/about/

Find a Factual Innacuracy???

IF IN READING THIS BLOG YOU DISCOVER A FACTUAL INNACURACIES, PLEASE NOTIFY PRAYINGHEART.

Establishing every fact

Matt 18:16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.

One on the purposes of this site is to have a forum where the questions that many of us have can in the wake of the firing, trials, call for shunning and subsequent defense of the elders can be asked an answered. This forum is open to Christians only. As with Holy Communion served at Mars Hill each Sunday, your participation implies that you are a part of the church. It is not our desire that this be a discussion that non-Christians participate in.

This is also a forum to talk about the new by-laws that were adopted that reflect the so-called new philosophy of leadership that is now being pushed. Because we church members are required to agree with the new by-laws (according to the new by-laws) it is essential that we clearly understand them.

It is desired that this site be a place where we can openly and safely discuss matters that are of concern. We have not had an honest discussion on these matters. The elders have shut down any opportunity for this. They have chosen instead to force members to meet one by one.

Recently the elders are trying to discover who various posters of various blogs and thoughts are. Due to the unlikelyhood that you would be fairly treated you do not have to identify who you are in this discussion. You may if you wish. If you choose not to we understand. The elders are very unhappy with those that post in blogland. They are ok with the beams in their eyes like Pastor Mark’s anger, temper, lies, slander, libel, heavyhanded firings and stiff-necked posture despite many calling him to repent. But they are not ok with you posting here.

 So we understand if you post anonymously.

Preface

I/We love Jesus. We love Mars Hill Church, Mark Driscoll, and all of those called Elders at Mars Hill Church. We pray that they be allowed to glorify the name of Christ until His return; and so we pray that repentance and humility be found by all involved in the recent events and actions at MH.