With so much controversy surrounding Mars Hill Senior Pastor Mark Driscoll in recent months, it may not surprise some that one of its pastors is suddenly leaving.
Members recently learned of the abrupt departure of Mike Wilkerson, the director of biblical counseling at Mars Hill Ballard. Wilkerson will be moving out of state this weekend.
“One of our long-time friends and pastors, Mike Wilkerson, has decided to step down from eldership at Mars Hill,” pastor Scott Harris said in a letter addressed to the “Mars Hill Family.”
“Mike has been part of Mars Hill for many years, and we are grateful for his leadership, particularly in helping us build our biblical counseling and Redemption ministry across all 15 churches,” Harris added.
Harris said Ballard congregation members prayed over Wilkerson last weekend, and explained that “he plans to move out of state this coming Saturday.”
Wilkerson has been at Mars Hill since 2000 and joined staff in 2004. His focus was on leading biblical counseling and Redemption Groups, which he helped develop.
Harris will continue to run the Redemption Group Network, which helps churches develop similar ministries. Harris said pastor Cliff Ellis from Mars Hill Church West Seattle will assume Wilkerson’s Biblical Living ministries.
Driscoll, who founded the 14,000-member multisite church, has been surrounded by controversy recently, with allegations of plagiarism and his acknowledgment that he hired a consulting firm and used church resources to promote his New York Times best-selling book Real Marriage.
In a letter of apology he wrote in March, Driscoll said he would quit social media for the rest of the year, cut back on his travel and no longer claim the status of being a New York Times best-selling author.
