Signs A Church is Becoming a Cult, Part 1

Pete Evans, private investigator of the Dallas based Trinity Foundation, an organization known for exposing televangelists like Robert Tilton and Benny Hinn, broadens the negative doomsday imagery often associated with cults. "A cult is considered a small, evil religious group, often with a single charismatic leader, that engages in techniques such as mind control or peer pressure to exert a measure of control over its members. A cult often utilizes its members for the benefit of its leadership (person or persons) and often tells its members what they cannot and/or can do in their daily lives." At times, a particular religious group has the resources that enable them to market their message well beyond their tightly knit group and impact the larger culture.

Take for example, Seattle based Mars Hill church, a global network promoting a firebrand version of New Calvinism with 15 church plants stretching from the Seattle area to Albuquerque, as well as an online podcasting network that ranks among the top 10 religion audio podcasts in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway. In a recent sermon, co-founder Mark Driscoll proclaimed, "When felt called to plant, I went through a full assessment. Pastors oversaw me, a team interviewed me, a church sent me, an overseer had authority over me." (James Bold Little Brother, Part 1, 2014) Warren Throckmorton's ongoing analysis of the problems plaguing Mars Hill indicates Driscoll fails to practice what he preaches.

On his blog, former Mars Hill staffer Mike Anderson adds, "If you’ve been part of Mars Hill or a church like it, you should read these warning signs that help identify if you are in a cult." According to the International Cultic Studies Association and ReligiousTolerance.org, this megachurch network demonstrates a number of characteristics found in churches that fit Evan's definition of a cult.

CHURCH REVOLVES AROUND WORSHIP OF A CHARISMATIC LEADER

Mars Hill Church, a grassroots church plant launched in 1996 by Driscoll, Lief Moi, and Mike Gunn, slowly morphed into a megachurch model with multiple campuses with Driscoll's bio now listing him as the sole founding pastor. Also, he took on the moniker "father" of his church household and proceeded to discipline his staff and members whom he viewed as wayward sons. Often these men viewed Driscoll as a surrogate father, and the private stories of those who left Mars Hill depict how they felt as though they had been abandoned by their father once again.

As king of Mars Hill, Driscoll’s name became synonymous with the Mars Hill brand. His quest for power continued via an agent and a publisher known for branding pastors into best selling authors. This combined power backfired when investigations revealed Mars Hill paid ResultSource to manipulate Real Marriage (Thomas Nelson, 2011) so this title achieved #1 status on the New York Times bestseller list.

Over time, lead pastors revealed off the record that they were required to follow the same order of service and televise Driscoll's sermons at all Mars Hill campuses. According to a reliable unnamed source, when questioned by an elder, "Have you considered having the lead pastors preach more?" Driscoll replied, "No, and I haven’t considered them having sex with Grace, either." Mark would joke in sermons about how he said something wrong and would then have to "fire himself."

SHIFT IN LEADERSHIP TO ELECT GROUP OF LEADERS

In an email exchange, futurist Brad Sargent cites the danger when leadership moves from a congregational to a CEO style of leadership and all official input and oversight is placed in the hands of a few individuals. "This change results in a significant shift over time in the culture and environment to feel more closed in, shut up, locked down, exclusive us-versus-them, no one else is right like we are." In 2007, Driscoll changed the bylaws which shifted church oversight from a plurality of shared leadership among 24 male elders to a select group of executive elders. Following the appointment of Sutton Turner as Executive Pastor in November 2011, this triumvirate that now includes Dave Bruskas continued their reign as though they were anointed by the divine right of kings.

Those who confronted any decisions made by this trio got fired and shunned. Also, elders can be fired if they refuse to sign their contracts which contain a Unity of Mission statement that prohibits them from planting a church within a given radius of a Mars Hill campus.

Continues with Signs a Church is Becoming a Cult, Part 2