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Mariners Church seems to have lost their identity as a nurturing local congregation and appears to be changing into a media brand, all the while neglecting its attendees. It wasn't that long ago that the whole weekend volunteer team became disillusioned and walked off. They've had close to a dozen staff leave the preschool over toxic leadership (allegedly). Elders and long term volunteers are leaving. Long standing bible studies and communities of people were kicked off campus. Too many good men and women are getting cancelled, silenced and pushed out of the congregation. This megachurch has become a mega bummer for many people. In its wake, Mariners Church has broken communities of believers and damaged hearts strewn all over the place. Has their pride overwhelmed their ability to love their church family well?

This site is for you to share your voice! You don't have to feel run over by Mariners anymore. If you have experienced behavior that doesn't fall in line with Matt 22:37-40, you are invited to share your story here. Many know how damaging and hurtful this unkind, toxic and abusive behavior can be. Tell Your Story! People Do Care About You!

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Stabbed in the Heart at Mariners Church, Part #4

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Roger Roger

Stabbed in the Heart at Mariners Church, Part #4

Post by Roger Roger »

Here's an interesting story I know about the former senior pastor and speaks to trust and loving the church body. This is the testimony of a volunteer leader I met who had the courage to revisit one of the most devastating experiences in his life and it all occurred at Mariners Church.

He had met his wife at Mariners and attended premarital classes there. The former senior pastor performed their marriage service and offered to meet with them anytime they might need some encouragement or advice if things got rocky. This is all pretty normal for a pastoral relationship, right?

Except when the couple's insecurities began to surface and the relationship begin to falter after four or five years this pastor wouldn't return their calls, answer their letters or receive them in anyway. The relationship ultimately fell into the heartbreak of divorce. The friend I speak of not only had to mend his heart, his ego and emotional wounds, but he also had to deal with how his church and pastor abandoned him through the worst crisis of his life. It was a road he had to walk alone without the love and support of the church he was told loved him every Sunday. Is this really loving others? Is this really the heart of a "nationally recognized world leading" church?

I share this story because I respect the courage of this volunteer leader to meet his wounds head on and work through the pain/discomfort of finding forgiveness in his heart for this pastor. He returned to volunteer and lead at this church so he would be constantly reminded of this incident and his need to find a God given forgiveness for the pastor, church and former spouse. He did it because the Bible told him to forgive and it took years for him to face this pain and work through it. Mariners and this senior pastor only made it worse for him and it has never been resolved with the pastor directly, but the Holy Spirit has stepped in soothed his broken heart and given him a spirit of forgiveness for all. This story does illustrate how these big important men of God have become pretty full of their selves and lost their compassion to serve their church family. So much so they are beyond trying to save the marriage of a young couple.

1 John 4:8, Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

God is opposed to the proud. This is the truth of Scripture. We read many stories of God’s judgment on prideful leaders throughout the Old and New Testaments. A biblical reality is that pride leads to destruction. God hates the proud, will not help the proud and will judge the proud.

(II Samuel 22:28; II Chronicles 26:16; 32:25; Psalm 18:27; 101:5; 40:4; 94:2; Proverbs 6:12; 8:13; 11:2; 15:25; 16:18; 18:12; 21:4; 29:23; Isaiah 2:11-17; 3:16; 5:15; 9:9; 13:11; 16:6; 25:11; 28:3; Jeremiah 48:29; Ezekiel 7:20; 16:50; 28:2; 30:6, 18; 31:10; 33:28; Daniel 4:37; Zechariah 10:11; Amos 6:8; Luke 1:51; Acts 12:23).