A Family is Allegedly Driven From Mark Driscoll’s The Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona

Stories are beginning to emerge from Mark Driscoll’s The Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona. This is one of many that are coming forward. What happened in this case is that a fifteen year old and seventeen year old female who was Mark Driscoll’s daughter mutually kissed. Afterward when Mark Driscoll learned of it he became unhinged. It led to an alleged campaign of harassment including false accusations made that the Scottsdale Police had to investigate. The coming Trinity Church implosion is going to be Mars Hill 2.0 in Scottsdale, Arizona and will be very dark.

“I realized that bullying never has to do with you. It’s the bully who’s insecure.“

Shay Mitchell

Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!

1 Corinthians 6:4-6 NIV

The pile of dead bodies in Scottsdale, Arizona is growing. 

It was a matter of time. Mark Driscoll fled Seattle after he resigned and left Mars Hill Church. After about a year he came to Arizona where he re-established himself and started over. One of the peculiar things about his Trinity Church website is the absence of Mars Hill. Nothing about his friendship with Leif Moi. There is absolutely nothing about Ron Wheeler’s cries about how he is not anonymous. Nothing about what Paul Petry and Bent Meyer said happened at Mars Hill Church in Seattle at Joyful Exiles. A wolf has come to Phoenix and what I predicted and feared in 2016 is starting to materialize. For some background on Mars Hill and what Mark Driscoll started in Scottsdale, Arizona I would direct you to, “A Wolf Rises in Phoenix: Mark Driscoll and The Trinity Church.” What you will see in Arizona is the equivalent of Mars Hill 2.0. This blog is going to be writing about some of the stories that are emerging about Mark Driscoll and others like his son-in-law Landon Chase. If any former members of The Trinity Church want to tell their story they are welcome at this blog. Warren Throckmorton has begun to write about Mark Driscoll in, “Mark Driscoll’s Elderless Church” and he is also solid and has a history with Mark Driscoll. So let’s start by looking at the first story to emerge. 

 

A Well Known Phoenix Family Gets Involved in The Trinity Church During COVID-19 

For the purpose of this post I am going to create several pseudonyms. “Bob Kraft” and his family became involved in The Trinity Church. They have two sons, “Thomas” and “Peter.” In the early summer the Kraft family was looking for a church. They were dealing with pandemic fatigue and all the other churches were closed nearby in Arizona. They learned about The Trinity Church and that it was open. There was no social distancing, and no one was wearing any face masks. Bob Kraft’s family got involved around the July 4th holiday. Bob as said above had two sons and his youngest Thomas became involved in Trinity’s Junior Internship Program while his older one Peter became involved in Trinity’s Joint Regular Internship.  The older son started to see some of the problems but they were minor. Thomas who is 15 years old started to date Mark Driscoll’s 17 year old daughter. Mark Driscoll had strict rules about dating. Actually according to Mark you didn’t date, you became best friends and that should date with the intent to marry. All dating was with the intent to marry. That should lead to an engagement and then marriage. Bob’s son fell in love with Driscoll’s daughter and they mutually kissed. When Driscoll learned of it he exploded in a rage and began the process of allegedly harassing and driving the Kraft family out of The Trinity Church. And all this alleged abuse began with an innocent kiss between between a fifteen year old and a seventeen year old.  It should be pointed out they did not have sex and yet today Mark Driscoll falsely claims that Bob’s son put his daughter in harm’s way. 

It should also be noted that when Bob dealt with Brandon Anderson and other staff that he specifically said that if any problems came about with his fifteen year old son, that they were to reach out to him first. And The Trinity Church pastor agreed to do that should anything happen. Well Brandon Anderson didn’t follow his agreement to Bob Kraft. Mark Driscoll came unglued over his daughter being kissed. And Brandon allegedly grabbed Thomas and took him into his pastors’ office upstairs and locked the door. For the next five minutes he yelled and screamed at Thomas. Thomas was scared and lived in fear. Brandon screamed at him, “Did you do anything un-Biblical with Lexi?” Thomas out of fear muttered no. Brandon than came back and said, “Well either Pastor Mark Driscoll is a liar or you are!” And the 38 year old pastor screamed again at the 15 year old. “Did you kiss Lexi?” Thomas said yes, and Brandon told him to get his stuff and he was done. Meanwhile Bob was waiting in the car for Thomas, the Men’s Ministry was scheduled to start at 6:30. Finally Thomas comes out to the car and he’s scared, physically shaking and crying. Bob is trying to find out what happened to his son. After about ten minutes he gets a phone call from Brandon Anderson. Brandon told Bob that something happened and that Mark Driscoll is distraught. Brandon told Bob that he had to take the night off and to not attend the Men’s meeting. He explained that Mark was really shaken up and that he can’t preach if you’re present and Driscoll can see you. Bob was stunned and then he told Brandon that, “It sounds like Mark needs to take a time out.” Brandon then told Bob, “I’m a pastor, and a pastor is more important to share the word than for you to be there.” 

While this was going on Peter was setting up and practicing for the Men’s Ministry. Peter was on the worship team and he got a text from his Dad telling him “let’s go.” Peter hears what happened and he starts to pack up and Brandon tells him to stop and orders him to not leave. Peter looks at Brandon and tells him, “Screw you” and continues with the following. “I don’t bow down to Mark Driscoll like you do, I bow down to Jesus.” And he walked out. Bob Kraft is a proud father as he has invested a lot of loving time in his sons. But when he heard what Peter said to Brandon before walking out, Bob was so proud of his son. Brandon then called security for The Trinity Church and told them not to let Bob Kraft or his family attend the Men’s Ministry that night. 

 

Mark Driscoll Gets in His Daughter’s Email and Sends a Controlling Note as Things Escalate and False Accusations Are Allegedly Made to the Scottsdale Police 

On March 25, 2021 at 10:18 in the morning Mark Driscoll got into his daughter’s email and sent Thomas the following note. 

Bob Kraft was bothered by this email and found it controlling. He waited a day and then he sent a text to Brandon Anderson, Mark Driscoll and The Trinity Church staff. This is what he said. 

“Many people are shocked at the church’s recent and past behaviors. Galations 6:1 says “if anyone is caught in a transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” Now, none of you had my permission to speak to my child without my consent and we discussed that in your office a month ago Brandon. We will be sending out an email outlining biblical expectations regarding this offense that has been committed by the church staff and to avoid another Driscoll scandal. James 3:1 says how teachers are to be held more accountable above others and they will be in this situation.”

In response to that text Mark Driscoll and The Trinity Church allegedly started a rumor campaign against Bob Kraft. They claimed that he was not stable and allegedly made false accusations to the police. Driscoll also ordered people to sever ties with the Kraft family. In the process of all this one of the complaints that Mark Driscoll has against Bob Kraft is that he is not man enough. The Kraft family has had to engage and cooperate with the police based on the false accusations made. The Scottsdale Police investigated and found no truth to the claims being made. There is no evidence. In all this Bob Kraft is disgusted that people follow Mark Driscoll. Nothing that Mark Driscoll is doing is Biblical. People are following a person who doesn’t follow the Bible. The Kraft family’s struggles is one of many that are ongoing and more people are walking away due to Driscoll’s authoritarianism and abuse.