Editor’s Note: The following letter from Sutton Turner, former Executive Elder of Mars Hill Church, addressed to James River Church Pastor John Lindell, is presented here with permission. Pastor John Lindell notably provided a platform for former Mars Hill pastor Mark Driscoll starting in 2014, following Driscoll’s abrupt resignation amidst accusations of bullying and arrogance. Despite former Mars Hill elders declaring Driscoll “unfit” for ministry, Pastor John Lindell continued to support Driscoll for a decade. This endorsement recently ended when a public dispute arose between Pastor John Lindell and Driscoll. Sutton Turner confirmed to The Roys Report (TRR) that Pastor John Lindell has not responded to this letter. Requests for comment from Pastor John Lindell have gone unanswered.
April 18, 2024
Pastor John,
I am writing to you, Pastor John, as a former Executive Pastor, Executive Elder, and Board Member at Mars Hill Church. I want to express my empathy for the challenges you and your family have faced recently. I am truly sorry for what you are going through. Having witnessed Mark’s deceitfulness firsthand, I understand the profound trauma it can inflict.
As a fellow pastor, I urge you to reflect on this video of my interview with Julie Roys LINK, especially considering the painful legacy of Mars Hill Church.
Your contributions to The Roys Report enable our journalism to uncover truth and ensure accountability among Christian leaders and organizations. A donation of $50 or more this month qualifies you to receive “Safe Church: How to Guard Against Sexism and Abuse in Christian Communities’ by Dr. Andrew Bauman. Donate here.
Under the principles of Matthew 18, I must address a serious concern with you directly:
It is with a heavy heart that I must bring to your attention a critical issue. Despite the formal disqualification of Pastor Mark Driscoll from ministry by the Mars Hill Church elders in 2014, you, Pastor John Lindell, chose to give him a platform. Since 2015, you have been instrumental in aiding his rehabilitation, seemingly without considering the extensive harm Pastor Mark Driscoll inflicted during his leadership at Mars Hill Church.
In July 2021, 41 former elders of Mars Hill issued a public statement to warn individuals, including members of James River Church and Trinity Church, about Pastor Mark Driscoll’s pattern of repeating past behaviors. However, you, alongside Jimmy Evans and Robert Morris, chose to disregard these warnings. To my knowledge, none of you reached out to any former Mars Hill elders, which inadvertently allowed Mark to exploit your platform. This platform has been used to further build a church and ministry that continues to cause pain to individuals.
Over the past decade, prominent ministry leaders, including Brian Houston, Carey Nieuwhof, Randy Robison, and Robert Morris, have provided Pastor Mark Driscoll platforms, significantly aiding in rebuilding his brand and reshaping the factual narrative surrounding his past. I have previously written about this evolving narrative here.
Mark Driscoll and Sutton Turner discussing Mars Hill Church controversies, podcast interview.
In January 2022, in response to the continued platforming of Mark Driscoll by large churches like James River, I made public all transcripts from the Mars Hill Church elders’ investigation into Pastor Mark Driscoll transcripts available here. This action became necessary because leaders like yourself, Pastor John, seemed to overlook the documented issues of Pastor Mark Driscoll’s conduct at Mars Hill Church. The elders involved in the Mars Hill investigation were dedicated and devout men, many serving voluntarily across our 15 campus locations. Working in pairs, these elders conducted over 40 interviews to gather firsthand accounts before reaching their prayerful and considered conclusions.
The Mars Hill elders determined that Pastor Mark Driscoll was disqualified from ministry based on the following critical points (supporting document):
- Quick-tempered demeanor, including the use of harsh language.
- Arrogant attitude.
- Domineering leadership style over both elders and staff.
While my current path is outside the mega-church sphere, I genuinely empathize with your present situation, Pastor John Lindell. My purpose in writing is to remind you of the warnings issued by the pastors and elders of Mars Hill Church—warnings you chose to ignore when they tried to caution other pastors about Mark’s unsuitability for ministry back in 2015. I also want to remind you of the countless individuals in Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, California, and now Arizona who have been further wounded by Mark’s unrepentant behavior. Please, Pastor John Lindell, remember these individuals who were once dedicated members of his churches, who sacrificed greatly, and who still bear deep emotional scars from their experiences. Your platform now provides an opportunity to acknowledge their pain and offer a direct apology to them.
Sutton Turner
This letter is reprinted with authorization from Sutton Turner’s blog.
Sutton Turner served as Executive Pastor, Executive Elder, and Board Member of Mars Hill Church from 2011 to 2014, working alongside Mark Driscoll and Dave Bruskas in church leadership. Sutton’s professional background includes over 30 years as a CEO leading companies across the US, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, along with two periods of full-time ministry at Mars Hill and Celebration Church. He has been married to Marci Turner for over 25 years, and they have three children. They currently reside in College Station, Texas.
Sutton Turner has been featured in a two-part podcast on The Roys Report discussing Mark Driscoll. Click below to listen.
Mars Hill, Mark Driscoll, Sutton Turner
SHARE THIS:
