The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast

The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill

Hosted by Mike Cosper, this podcast takes you inside the story of Mars Hill Church in Seattle – from its founding as part of one of the largest church planting movements in American history to its very public dissolution—and the aftermath that followed. You’ll hear from people who lived this story, experiencing the triumphs and losses of Mars Hill, knowing it as both an amazing, life-transforming work of God and as a dangerous, abusive environment. The issues that plague Mars Hill and its founder, Mark Driscoll — dangers like money, celebrity, youth, scandal, and power—aren’t unique, and only by looking closely at what happened in Seattle will we be able to see ourselves.

Hosted by Mike Cosper, this podcast takes you inside the story of Mars Hill Church in Seattle – from its founding as part of one of the largest church planting movements in American history to its very public dissolution—and the aftermath that followed. You’ll hear from people who lived this story, experiencing the triumphs and losses of Mars Hill, knowing it as both an amazing, life-transforming work of God and as a dangerous, abusive environment. The issues that plague Mars Hill and its founder, Mark Driscoll — dangers like money, celebrity, youth, scandal, and power—aren’t unique, and only by looking closely at what happened in Seattle will we be able to see ourselves.

 

#27

Preview: Episode One of Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

Welcome to Season One of Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, where we explore the strange and tro... more

30 Jan 2025

12 MINS

12:44

30 Jan 2025


#26

An Update from Mike Cosper

From the creators of the hit podcast The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill comes a new show, Devi... more

17 Dec 2024

02 MINS

02:01

17 Dec 2024


#25

Epilogue: A Return to Seattle

More than two years since producer Mike Cosper began recording interviews for the show, Th... more

11 Nov 2022

43 MINS

43:41

11 Nov 2022


#24

Bonus Episode: A Conversation with Dan Allender

When author and therapist Dan Allender met Mark Driscoll in 1998, he hoped the two might s... more

26 Aug 2022

49 MINS

49:53

26 Aug 2022


#23

Bonus Episode: Healing and Resurrection After Spiritual Trauma

The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill tells the stories of myriad hurts committed in the name of ... more

20 Jul 2022

56 MINS

56:54

20 Jul 2022


#22

Bonus Episode: A Conversation with Tim Keller

Bonus Episode: A Conversation With Tim Keller Mike Cosper sits down with Tim Keller for re... more

01 Jul 2022

1 HR 05 MINS

1:05:25

01 Jul 2022


#21

Bonus Episode: Everything is Still Falling Apart

Building an institution on celebrity power, charisma, and a spirit of grandiosity attracts... more

17 Jun 2022

56 MINS

56:47

17 Jun 2022


#20

Bonus Episode: Paint the Beauty We Split

Mars Hill’s music grew out of the same counter-cultural ethos that defined the rest of its... more

06 May 2022

44 MINS

44:20

06 May 2022


#19

Special Episode: CT Reports on Itself

As production of The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill progressed, another story was developing—i... more

29 Mar 2022

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:33

29 Mar 2022


#18

Aftermath

Five days after resigning as lead pastor of Mars Hill Church, Mark Driscoll was once again... more

04 Dec 2021

2 HR 36 MINS

2:36:08

04 Dec 2021


#17

The Tempest

Mars Hill grew dramatically in 2012, and it seemed like nothing could stop the church’s ev... more

12 Nov 2021

2 HR 37 MINS

2:37:24

12 Nov 2021


#16

Bonus Episode: Boca Raton's Church Planting O.G.

Contrary to Mars Hill lore, Mark Driscoll didn’t plant his church alone. Though he prized ... more

19 Oct 2021

47 MINS

47:45

19 Oct 2021


#15

Red Sky at Morning

As success grew at Mars Hill, Mark Driscoll’s ministry dreams expanded. With the advent of... more

05 Oct 2021

56 MINS

56:11

05 Oct 2021


#14

The Bobby Knight Problem

In 2006, Mark Driscoll met with a group of Seattle pastors who were worried about Mars Hil... more

21 Sep 2021

58 MINS

58:16

21 Sep 2021


#13

Demon Hunting

We are people built for wonder, spiritual creatures looking for spiritual footholds in a c... more

10 Sep 2021

1 HR 05 MINS

1:05:02

10 Sep 2021


#12

Bonus Episode: Questioning the Origin Myth - A Rise and Fall Short Story

There’s a profound power to storytelling. In all kinds of communities, the stories we tell... more

31 Aug 2021

19 MINS

19:27

31 Aug 2021


#11

Coming Up on The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill

We have 5 episodes left on The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. Listen to a preview of what's t... more

26 Aug 2021

03 MINS

03:36

26 Aug 2021


#10

Bonus Episode: I Kissed Christianity Goodbye

A Bonus Episode of The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Love it or hate it, if you grew up in a ... more

20 Aug 2021

1 HR 06 MINS

1:06:25

20 Aug 2021


#9

State of Emergency

Church planting isn’t for the faint of heart. It requires a tenacity few pastors can fully... more

10 Aug 2021

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:11

10 Aug 2021


#8

The Brand

Mark Driscoll rose to prominence in the early days of the Internet. Unlike his megapastor ... more

03 Aug 2021

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:05

03 Aug 2021


#7

The Things We Do To Women

Sex sells. It might be hard to imagine a church harnessing this popular marketing techniqu... more

27 Jul 2021

59 MINS

59:15

27 Jul 2021


#6

‘I am Jack's Raging Bile Duct'

Mark Driscoll’s vision of manhood indelibly shaped Mars Hill culture. Drawing from his own... more

15 Jul 2021

53 MINS

53:49

15 Jul 2021


#5

"You Read the Bible, Ringo?"

Church planting, even under the best of circumstances, always requires grit and determinat... more

07 Jul 2021

53 MINS

53:11

07 Jul 2021


#4

Boomers, The Big Sort, and Really, Really Big Churches

In the mid-1950s, Rev. Robert Schuller began preaching in a drive-in movie theater in Sout... more

29 Jun 2021

56 MINS

56:59

29 Jun 2021


#3

Who Killed Mars Hill?

In 2014, after more than a decade of tremendous growth and ministry, Mars Hill Church impl... more

22 Jun 2021

54 MINS

54:30

22 Jun 2021


#2

Full-Length Trailer

When Mars Hill Church was planted in Seattle in 1996, few would have imagined where it wou... more

08 Jun 2021

03 MINS

03:26

08 Jun 2021


#1

Teaser

A first glimpse at the podcast, coming in June from Christianity Today. Learn more about y... more

24 May 2021

02 MINS

02:15

24 May 2021