EVERETT — Mars Hill Everett has settled into the downtown armory building, but like other branches of the Seattle-based megachurch, it’s in the midst of a tempest.
Despite that storm, which has Mars Hill’s charismatic founder, Mark Driscoll, at its center, the pastor in Everett believes the church will have a home here for years.
Plans have surfaced for Mars Hill to close or consolidate some churches. The downtown Seattle and University District Mars Hill churches are slated for closure, and members have been asked to attend the Ballard area church next month. Some churches in other states might also close.
“Our church is in a financial crisis right now,” Pastor Alex Ghioni wrote in a message posted on the Mars Hill website Tuesday. Yet Mars Hill’s lead pastor in Everett has faith in the church’s future here.
“We want to be an integral part of this city. We want to be here as long as God allows us to be,” said Ryan Williams, leader of Mars Hill Everett since 2012. The church, which once met at Everett Community College, bought the old Everett Armory at 2730 Oakes Ave. in late 2012. Mars Hill celebrated its grand opening there in January.
Williams said the Everett church sees 500 to 600 worshippers every Sunday. There are three Sunday services, at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. “We have dropped some numbers,” he said. But with summer vacation season, Williams said, it’s unclear whether the church controversy is the cause of the decline. And with a new building, comparison with attendance in previous years is difficult.
“Mars Hill Everett was not directly affected by any of the church consolidations or closures,” said Justin Dean, communications manager for the church. Dean also said Mars Hill Everett has seen steady growth since it opened.
“It’s very, very complicated,” Williams said of the current troubles, which have drawn nationwide attention. “A lot of things have gone on over many years,” he said.
Driscoll, who founded Mars Hill in his Seattle home in the 1990s, announced Aug. 24 that he would step down as the organization’s leader for at least six weeks*. Driscoll is a polarizing personality. In his Bible-based sermons, which are videotaped in Bellevue and aired at all Mars Hill churches, he is brash in his delivery of stern views regarding women’s roles, homosexuality and other aspects of life.
Critics have raised questions about plagiarism and tactics to boost Driscoll’s book sales. More recently, criticism has come from his own ranks for alleged abuse of power and what fellow pastors described as “a culture of fear.”
In late August, nine Mars Hill Church pastors signed a letter addressed to other elders in the church demanding that Driscoll step down from the ministry and leadership in the church. The letter said Driscoll will continue to receive his salary “so long as he continues to cooperate with the restoration plan set before him by the elders of Mars Hill Church.”
In Everett, Williams said he is now preaching about half the sermons. The others are given by Pastor Dave Bruskas and shared on a big screen at other Mars Hill sites.
Williams said the Everett flock is weathering the storm. “They love the church and love the community they’re part of, whether or not Pastor Mark is in the pulpit. We love him and are excited for him to come back one day,” Williams said.
Dean and Williams said donations to Mars Hill support the operations and ministries at all the locations. Not counting planned closures, Mars Hill has 15 churches, most in Washington. There are also churches in California, Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico.
The armory building, which was listed as surplus property with the state’s Military Department, was purchased by the church for $1.28 million. “Every Mars Hill church gets a budget. Our mortgage is figured into the facility cost,” said Williams, who added that the mortgage is cheaper than renting at EvCC.
Chuck Hickman is lead pastor of Port Gardner Community Church, a small congregation that meets in Everett’s Sequoia High School. A friend of Williams, Hickman praises some aspects of Driscoll’s ministry.
“He’s a very good communicator,” Hickman said of Driscoll.
Hickman said some Mars Hill Everett members, at times as many as 30, have found their way to Port Gardner Community Church. “You can tell some are hurting,” he said. “We’re just trying to love them, hold them loosely and encourage them to hang around Mars Hill and continue to be part of that church.”
Hickman sees the Mars Hill crisis as stemming from having one person so central to the church. “Anytime you have all your eggs in one basket, if something goes wrong it’s really, really impactful,” he said.
“People need to remember it’s God’s church, not Mark Driscoll’s church,” Hickman said. “I certainly don’t want to see that church fail.”
Julie Muhsltein: 425-339-3460; jmuhlstein@heraldnet.com.
Correction: Sept. 15, 2014: This article originally incorrectly state how long Mark Driscoll is on leave for.
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