At the end of 2014, Mars Hill Church closed down. Several ends were loose as MHC ceased to hold services. Mark Driscoll had left the church but there was much curiosity about the report prepared by his elders which called on him to step down and enter a plan of restoration. That report was never released.The status of the assets of MHC was also of interest to many members and ex-members. The plan was to distribute the remaining funds and proceeds from sales to 11 MHC video locations that … [Read more...]
RICO Suit Dismissed Without Prejudice; Sutton Turner Reveals Mars Hill Church Global Fund Figures
August 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The RICO lawsuit against Mars Hill Church was dismissed without prejudice. The plaintiffs have not lost their rights to sue again. From the order (read it here): The court finds that Plaintiffs have not acted in bad faith, recklessly, or with an improper purpose. Accordingly, in light of the court’s duty to carefully exercise its inherent powers, the court declines to impose the drastic sanctions Defendants seek. See Hearns, 530 F.3d at 1132 (noting drastic nature of sanction of dismissal with … [Read more...]
Plaintiffs Respond to Mark Driscoll’s and Sutton Turner’s Motions to Dismiss the RICO Suit: Not Enough Funds to Continue
July 5, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Today, attorney Brian Fahling filed responses to the motions to dismiss the RICO lawsuit accusing Mark Driscoll and Sutton Turner of misuse of funds in their positions as pastors at the now defunct Mars Hill Church in Seattle.Bottom line: Because sufficient funds have not been raised to pursue the case, the suit was not served to Driscoll and Turner. Thus the plaintiffs do not object to dismissal without prejudice (the case could be tried later). Turner had requested the suit be dismissed … [Read more...]
Mark Driscoll Files Motion to Dismiss Racketeering Lawsuit
June 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Claiming he has not been served, Mark Driscoll filed a motion to dismiss the racketeering lawsuit against him and former Mars Hill executive pastor Sutton Turner brought by former members of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. Two couples from the church allege misuse of funds.Like Turner's motion to dismiss, Driscoll appeals to rules of procedure requiring service of a lawsuit in 90 days. The essential claim of the motion is that the Jacobsens and Kildeas have abandoned the suit.Driscoll … [Read more...]
Sutton Turner Names Attorney and Responds to Mars Hill RICO Lawsuit
April 8, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Sutton Turner's Seattle attorney has notified the court and Turner notified plaintiff's attorney that service would be accepted on the RICO lawsuit naming him and Mark Driscoll as defendants.* They are accused of running the church in a manner to financially benefit the leaders, especially Mark Driscoll.In response to the suit, Turner exclusively provided the following statement via email:For over a month, I have offered to meet with the Jacobsens and Kildeas. Unfortunately, they h … [Read more...]
Former Mars Hill Church Executive Pastor Sutton Turner Comments on RICO Lawsuit
March 14, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Mark Driscoll and Sutton Turner are the defendants in a RICO lawsuit filed by two former Mars Hill Church couples. Driscoll recently spoke out and called the charges "false and malicious" and "without any merit."This morning, co-defendant in the suit -- former executive elder Sutton Turner -- responded to the matter on his blog. About the suit, Turner said: As time has passed, I have watched the pursuit of legal actions by my brothers and sisters towards the Church and former leaders. I … [Read more...]
RICO Lawsuit Filed Against Former Leaders of Mars Hill Church; ECFA Named As Co-Conspirator
February 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The long anticipated suit from a group of former members against former leaders of Mars Hill Church was filed today in the U.S District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle. Attorney Brian Fahling filed suit on behalf of plaintiffs Brian and Connie Jacobsen and Ryan and Arica Kildea.The plaintiffs accuse defendants Mark Driscoll and Sutton Turner of engaging in a continuing pattern of racketeering activity by soliciting, through the internet and the mail, contributions … [Read more...]
The Behind the Scenes Mars Hill Global Maneuvers
February 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Over a year after the last service was held at Mars Hill Church, there are still stories to be told.Recently, I acquired two memos which provide details about Mars Hill Global, a mysterious aspect of the demise of Mars Hill Church. From 2012 until mid-2014, Mars Hill Church marketed Mars Hill Global as a fund to help support church planters in India and Ethiopia. However, at least some insiders at Mars Hill knew that the donations given through the Global Fund were spent primarily on church … [Read more...]
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