From Mark Driscoll’s sermon dated June 8 on the Mars Hill Church website:
Now, some of you may have heard we’re a Reformed church. Don’t Google it, don’t blow your head up. We love Jesus, read your Bible, stay off the Internet. It’s all shenanigans anyways.
Admittedly, this is a very short part of a very long sermon but I am starting to wonder if this represents a more significant development at Mars Hill Church.
Over the weekend, and then again today, I have heard from sources near Mars Hill that some in the congregation are being warned to avoid blogs and media that have carried articles deemed to be critical of Mars Hill. One source (6/17, now multiple sources) told me that the accuracy of information is being questioned and false information is being told about me and others.
One hallmark of a controlling organization is the attempt to construct social reality for members. If these sources are accurate, such an effort is troubling.
What makes these claims even more problematic is that Mars Hill will not respond to honest requests for information. Their last response to me was:
We have received your requests, and will not be responding with any comments now or in the future.
On that occasion, at least I received a response. Most of my questions have gone without any answer. If my sources are correct (and I am open to learning that they are not), then Mars Hill is accusing bloggers and other media of printing unbalanced and inaccurate information, while, at the same time, refusing to provide basic responses to the questions from those same sources.