An Elder's Wife Gives Her Testimony About Mars Hill Church

Posted by Christine Pack

Jonna Petry, wife of a former elder at Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA, has written a devastating account of her and her husband's experiences at Mark Driscoll's church. Her husband Paul Petry, who served as an elder at Mars Hill before being forced to resign, has shared his personal testimony of his tenure at Mars Hill, along with corroborating documents, in an effort to document what appears to be a form of spiritual abuse at Mars Hill.

At one point in Jonna Petry's testimony, she writes of receiving a carefully worded letter from Mars Hill that appeared to be positioning Mars Hill for a financial settlement with their former elder (Jonna's husband, Paul Petry). Jonna's heartbreak seems apparent in her reaction to this letter:

"It wasn’t a legal settlement we were after. What we so longed for, what we were hoping for, was a demonstration of God’s love and grace. These were pastors right? This was a church, right – not a cutthroat corporation?"

Jonna's account is surprisingly (dare I say, supernaturally?) gracious, given what she and her husband appeared to have suffered through during and even after their tenure at Mars Hill. Jonna closes her testimony with this remarkable paragraph:

"Perhaps at some point, with enough outcry and exposure, Mark will come to his senses, own his harmful behavior, and get the help he needs to change. I hope so. Our common Enemy can make terrible use of our weaknesses and blind spots. Our Lord’s harshest words were for leaders who used their status, power, the Scriptures, and God’s people for their own self-aggrandizement. Surely this is not what Mark meant to do."

You can Jonna Petry's entire account of her time and history at Mars Hill Church here.


 Additional Resources 

Paul Petry, Former Mars Hill Elder, Speaks Out

Freedom For Captives Blog (Blog of Former Mars Hill Elder Bent Meyer)

Another Fired Mars Hill Elder (Bent Meyer) Breaks His Silence

Mark Driscoll: "What do you do with someone who is rebellious, hard-hearted, stiff necked and stupid? You break their nose."

Mark Driscoll's Church Discipline Contract: Looking For True Repentance At Mars Hill Church? Sign On The Dotted Line

Mark Driscoll: The Face of Contemplative Calvinism

Cleaning Up After the Elephants? MacDonald Takes to the Airwaves

Mark Driscoll: "Look, I had this vision. Let me tell you about it."

Mark Driscoll speaking to demons: "I want to know who all is involved here and what we're dealing with."