I recently listened to a riveting and sobering podcast, produced by Christianity Today, called the “Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” about Mark Driscoll and the collapse of his Reformed-leaning megachurch in Seattle called Mars Hill. It was especially fascinating for me as a pastor and church planter because I lived through the height of Driscoll’s popularity in my college years. And, though I was never a fan of Mark Driscoll personally, I attended a retreat at a church that initially funded Mars Hill, I once had dinner with a pastor from Mars Hill, and I have many friends who planted churches through Acts 29, a network once associated with Mars Hill. Thus, the podcast hit very close to home.
But what are my reflections after listening? There are a lot of things that could be said. And this article isn’t a comprehensive review of the podcast (If you’re interested in more, I found this article from 9 Marks very helpful).
But as a Presbyterian minister, I kept coming back to this thought over and over again: “If only they had the BCO...”
Now, as I say that, I imagine Presbyterian ministers laughing and many others saying, “What in the world are you talking about?” For those who don’t know, BCO stands for “Book of Church Order.” You can read it here if you’re interested. It is a dense and wise document that guides the government, discipline, and worship of my denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). In fact, it is divided into three sections: The Form of Government, the Rules of Discipline, and the Directory for the Worship of God.
As a side note, the BCO was the weakest subject for my ordination exams back in 2015. I did a great job on history, theology, and Bible but nearly failed the BCO. But since that time, I’ve come to see the wisdom and importance of this book. Though its details often seem tedious, it is indispensable for the church. Thus – “if only Mars Hill had the BCO!”
Though a reformed-leaning church, Mars Hill was not confessionally Reformed. They didn’t have a BCO or a presbytery to hold Mark Driscoll accountable. And in my view, they had an unbiblical form of church government. I don’t believe the wisdom of Presbyterianism is simply a human invention – it flows out of the wisdom of Scripture itself.
Of course, Presbyterian churches aren’t immune to scandal. I am not saying that the BCO is a substitute for godly Christian character (See 1 Timothy 3). As many Presbyterians can attest, the BCO can become a weapon in the hand of a contentious and litigious person. It’s not an inerrant document. It’s not equal to Scripture. And really, nothing is a substitute for godly Christian character, flowing out of the gospel and a sincere love for Christ.
But despite its limitations, I believe that the BCO is a gift to God’s church that, though imperfect and frail, could’ve protected Mars Hill against some of the excesses of Mark Driscoll’s abusive leadership.
Here are just a few examples:
In recordings, Mark Driscoll boasted that he had never been a member of a church or attended seminary before starting Mars Hill. But imagine if he had heeded the wisdom of BCO 18-1, which says, “A candidate for the ministry is a member of the Church in full communion who, believing himself to be called to preach the Gospel, submits himself to the care and guidance of the Presbytery in his course of study and of practical training to prepare himself for this office.” Could this have taught him humility and godly submission?
Mark Driscoll was clearly recognized as arrogant and domineering from the beginning of his ministry, as the podcast recounts. But imagine if those around him had heeded the wisdom of BCO 8-2, which says, “He that fills this office should possess a competency of human learning and be blameless in life, sound in the faith and apt to teach. He should exhibit a sobriety and holiness of life becoming the Gospel. He should rule his own house well and should have a good report of them that are outside the Church.” Could this have made a difference?
Mark Driscoll never submitted to anyone in a meaningful way. In fact, Driscoll said that he couldn’t submit to anyone whose church was smaller than his own. But imagine if he had taken the vow of BCO 21-5 to submit to the brethren in the Lord. Could that have made a difference?
And once things started to go south at Mars Hill, the elders lost their authority. They had no higher court of appeal. But what if they had a presbytery (BCO 42)? What if higher courts had been reviewing the minutes and procedures of Mars Hill (BCO 40)? Could that have made a difference?
Of course, I could give may more examples. But I hope you understand—I’m not saying that the BCO is the answer to all the Church’s problems. At the most basic level, we need the Bible alone. We need the gospel. We need love for God and love for neighbor. And there are faithful Bible-believing churches without the BCO.
But as Presbyterians, we should be thankful for the BCO. It’s a gift of God, unpacking the wisdom of God’s Word. We are privileged to possess a book that has been so carefully written and revised throughout history. And as a pastor, one of my goals is to read through the Book of Church Order more regularly. I want to be thoroughly acquainted with this wise book so that it will be a lifeline for the church when it faces conflict and challenges. And rather than constantly trying to reinvent the church, we should all look to the wisdom of the past. We should look to the wise foundation of the Reformed tradition as reflected in the BCO.
As a friend said a few years ago, perhaps BCO means “Beautiful Church Order.”