Mark Driscoll to Host Conference on Building Healthy Church
Even though he is still embroiled in a scandal for his alleged wrongdoings as senior pastor of the now defunct Mars Hill Church, Pastor Mark Driscoll plans to host a conference on how to build a healthy church this fall.
Driscoll's conference, to be held from Nov. 15–17, will be headlined by Texas-based Trinity Fellowship Church Pastor Jimmy Evans, according to SeattlePi. Also included will be Robert Morris, founder of Dallas/Fort Worth-based Gateway megachurch, and Brady Boyd, senior pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs.
The event will cover issues such as "building a healthy church government," "developing healthy leadership from within," "raising and managing church finances," and "creating a healthy philosophy of ministry."
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Ironically, some of those same ideals — not to mention less virtuous acts such as plagiarism and allegedly fostering an abusive work environment — were the issues for which Driscoll was harangued during his tenure at Mars Hill Church and ultimately caused him to resign as senior pastor in October 2014. Two weeks later, Mars Hill Church announced its dissolution.
Before the closure of Mars Hill, Driscoll was once described by Forbes magazine as one of America's "most prominent and celebrated pastors." He is now on the come-up, carefully coordinating his newly assembled Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, which is set for a public launch in early August.
"Our plan is to publicly launch our new church Sunday, Aug. 7 at two services, 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m," read a message on the church's site. Until then, the church will meet once a week for Bible study at its home, the Glass and Garden Drive-In Church, a rented facility.
The Trinity Church's website explains that Driscoll spent months praying for a church facility with 1,000 or more seats that was situated along Scottsdale's 101 Freeway. With the Glass and Garden Drive-In Church, "Pastor Mark believes that God has supernaturally provided."
Driscoll's re-emergence comes as one of his most staunch supporters during his Mars Hill turmoil, Pastor Perry Noble, was fired from his position as senior pastor of South Carolina-based NewSpring Church, which The Christian Post first reported last week. Noble was terminated for alcohol abuse and other "unfortunate choices and decisions."
