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Author Topic: The Verification of Mark Darling  (Read 160966 times)
G_Prince
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« Reply #20 on: September 05, 2010, 10:29:39 pm »

I was at the youth retreat with Agatha in '98 and I can also confirm that he dropped the F bomb. I also remember him saying sh** several times as well. If I remember correctly, he was quoting someone else. Maybe in his mind this doesn't count because he was just reciting someone else's profanity. At the time being a teenager, I thought it was pretty cool. Now it just seems childish.

MD wasn't the only pastor I recall swearing from the pulpit. I remember Pat Sokall modeling one of his sermons around the word sh**. He wanted to compare sin to feces and didn't think any other word adequately captured the poop metaphor like sh**. He warned everyone that he was going to do it, but it was still a bit disconcerting when your pastor says sh** for twenty-five minuets on stage.
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Here's an easy way to find out if you're in a cult. If you find yourself asking the question, "am I in a cult?" the answer is yes. -Stephen Colbert
Innerlight
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« Reply #21 on: September 06, 2010, 10:59:35 am »

One thing that is interesting to me, is that I am beginning to engage them in dialogue to see where there is head is at.  As I mentioned in a different thread, I was raised Baptist, with a solid Biblical background, and have taught as well.  All of that to say, that I think I know my way around a Bible, if you get my drift...although, like music, you can never know everything.  The Bible, and the Spirit, continue to open new doors. 

Anyway, I have begun engaging them on a variety of topics, and the response is usually, Brent says this....Spencer says this.....our pastor said....  I'm starting to wonder if they are bringing my questions to their mentors/disciplers/pastors, for help with the answers.  My latest questions have gone unanswered, so I think they are being told to break off the dialogue.  Personally, since this is the only evangelical church they have gone to since converting from Catholic to Lutheran to Evergreen, I think they dont know any better.  By that I mean, they have no idea the freedom that awaits them in a different setting.

"Whom the Son sets free, is free indeed",  You don't have to live your life in spiritual bondage to a church or group of "ministers"...who apparently have no training in Theology, counseling, Hermeneutics
but, sincere as it may be, are giving perhaps unwise counsel.
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blonde
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« Reply #22 on: September 06, 2010, 06:37:48 pm »

Mark also promoted this line of thinking in the New Life movement at the University of Minnesota.  We meet on Tuesday nights and I still recall many people walking up to him after the meeting and ask him about how to implement this into their lives.  He was followed as bad as Jim Jones.  Do and act like me.

When Ken Johnson became pastor at ECC, his wardrobe, meaning Ken's, changed from 'Ken the engineer' at 3M to the Mark Darling look-alike.  In a way his daughter getting sick, sick for years, he may begin to see the vanity in his vanity.  Well, he might get back to his old 'look GQ for Jesus' as his daughter Jessica is getting way better now. 

Secondly, I was really horrified that Ken looked and started to act like Mark Darling.  That is when I started to feel that ECC and GCx was a potential religious cult.  Look and sound like the leader?  That is a cult.  Jesus was not even being professed at public baptisms at that point anymore.  Things to the effect were said that "Evergreen changed me...."

A real history understanding of ECC is not seen.  Most they leave are horribly hurt by the WHOLE experience. 

RE: my thoughts from the comments made by Linda.

Quote
10 years there and I had no idea how shallow the place was. I had no idea that a homeschooler/co-op member like me was being mocked by my pastor to my children. I had no idea that my Christianity/church membership was all about being part of the "sales force" for my pastor. I had no idea that they believed the church "belonged" to the pastors. Absolutely sickening when I look back. Bad teaching should be exposed, and this is some very bad teaching. People have a right to know what their pastors believe about them.
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Quote from: Darling, 1998, Myrtle Beach
"…update your wardrobe. OK. Update your wardrobe. I gotta tell you a true story, and this is a true story. It's not a fun story to tell. It turned out good. When I first moved to Minneapolis 12 1/2 years ago, Brent Knox and I joined forces. There was about 60 Christians in the church. And most of the Christians were there in Minneapolis before I got there. And most of the Christians that were there (and I'm going to take a big risk saying this), but I don't know how else to put this so you'd get the point, were Gothardites…all these people in this church that I got with were what you would call counter culture, co-op, homeschool, homebirth families. They all were. All of them. Now I live in one of the most metropolitan cities in the Unites States…After I was there a while and they got to know me, the first summer (I'd been there five months) I did a whole summer series called "Servant Evangelism" based on the teachings of Paul and the lifestyle of Jesus Christ. And then I got into wardrobe. And I carefully laid it out as clear as I could Biblically and I told many of them you need to go get a haircut, most of you women need to start wearing make-up, and most of you need brand new glasses because all of you look like you're hippies. And you know what? We are not reaching anybody. And you are God's sales force and now you're MY sales force. And you represent me and Brent's church. And we want people to come to this church. And, we want people to get saved…man does not see as God sees, man looks at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart."
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blonde
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« Reply #23 on: September 06, 2010, 07:44:13 pm »

Linda:

The quote you used was Mark Darling talking about when he first came to Minneapolis where we meet, all 60 of us, in Regina's Girls Middle School in South Minneapolis. 

I find what he said a bit offensive.  We were all back-woods, gun-totting, sqweeling like a pig Christian church.  He came to save the day, I guess. 

-Blonde

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AgathaL'Orange
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« Reply #24 on: September 07, 2010, 07:40:28 am »

It is offensive.  Sad
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blonde
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« Reply #25 on: September 08, 2010, 01:53:09 am »

This again really shows how little Mark Darling was trained in biblical concepts or had any open-mindedness. I don't agree with Bill Gothard on many points (but do on some), and do agree extremely with the organic approaches to eating, dress and the home-made bread; anything organic from home or the garden.  That's what I recall about the Institute--make home-made FRESH bread.  Interesting how organic is in now, and the home schoolers have been doing this, well, a sect of home schoolers were doing this while Mark was first in Minneapolis.  He said it was bad. 

Mark did not have an open mind. If he didn't like it; it was bad.  He had an agenda.
« Last Edit: September 08, 2010, 01:56:49 am by blonde » Logged

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« Reply #26 on: September 08, 2010, 02:33:00 am »

In Mark Darling's own words from http://www.spoke.com/info/p6NDx9h/MarkDarling

I remember reading this kind of language on the Rock's website.  Interesting how Google or Spoke snags it into one piece.

He actually sums it up with dates that he would not admit to.  For example, ECC started in Bloomington not in South Minneapolis.  Mark and Brent really never addressed their life prior to the ECC plant in Bloomington.  South Minneapolis, with those 60 strange people never happened....

Mark Darling's Biography

Quote
Where were you born?Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on August 11, 1956.Tell us about your family.I am the oldest of six children - four brothers and one sister. I married Kathy Krislip on May 5th, 1979, and we have four children, Celeste, Jeromy, Jessica and Micah. What are your hobbies and interests, favorite food and drink?I enjoy boxing, football and mountain biking; Chinese food and water and orange juice. Tell us about your spiritual history.I was raised in a Christian home, the gospel of Christ was not something foreign to me. But during my teen years, Christianity became less and less appealing to me. I soon began rebelling against all I had been taught. After graduating from high school in 1975, I took off hitchhiking to see the world and find myself. But it didn't take long to realize how empty the world really was and how empty I felt inside. When I was 19, God began to get my attention through a series of frightening events. I soon came to the realization that I needed Christ in my life. Not only did Christ come into my life and fill it with meaning, joy and peace, but he also laid on my heart a desire to pursue ministry. Tell us about your experience as a pastor in the Evergreen/Rock Community.I was involved for nine years in an a large community church in Ames, Iowa. There I served as a music director, small group leader and assistant pastor, as well as counselor and teacher. I was ordained on December 6, 1986. I moved to Bloomington on December 31, 1986 and began pastoring with Brent Knox. About a year and a half later I co-founded Evergreen Community Church with Brent and then in the Winter of 1999 I co-founded The Rock. What are your favorite things to do?My favorite things to do are visiting with people, sharing the Word, mountain biking, hanging out with my family and reading. What is your favorite Bible passage? The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,[1] to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:1-3 (NIV)What are your dreams and aspirations?I want to see Evergreen and The Rock become great churches for our great Lord. I also desire to help start churches like Evergreen and The Rock all over the world. Through doing these things, I aspire to win multitudes of people to Christ and to help others reach their full potential in Christ.
« Last Edit: September 08, 2010, 02:43:30 am by blonde » Logged

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Linda
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« Reply #27 on: September 08, 2010, 08:49:46 am »

blonde,
Were you there when Coleman left and was replaced? How did that all come down?
Were you there when of the group of 60 meeting at Regina High School morphed into ECC? How did that all happen? How was it announced to the congregation?

Also, I thought that verse in Isaiah was about Jesus. It always bothers me when someone uses that as their life verse because it seems a little presumptuous.

What was the New Life movement?
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Innerlight
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« Reply #28 on: September 08, 2010, 11:05:03 am »

Interesting that Bill Barnd's son is now a pastor at ECC.  Bill is a current pastor, so they really do call from within.  I am still troubled that they have no formal seminary education.  My friends that attend have twisted Bible verses to fit the dogma, and that's wrong, and they are clearly getting it from leadewrship.  I can cite examples....

 
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blonde
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« Reply #29 on: September 11, 2010, 02:39:12 pm »

RE:
blonde,
Were you there when Coleman left and was replaced? How did that all come down?
Were you there when of the group of 60 meeting at Regina High School morphed into ECC? How did that all happen? How was it announced to the congregation?

Also, I thought that verse in Isaiah was about Jesus. It always bothers me when someone uses that as their life verse because it seems a little presumptuous.

What was the New Life movement?

Linda: I knew Jim very well.  It was not as huge as when McCotter left.  Yes, I was at Regina High School, and even meet when before that at Powderhorn Park in South Minneapolis, when the church was called Christians.  Wow.  Those were the days. Mark Darling at Regina just announced they were moving, changing the name to Evergreen.  No vote, no church wide discussion.  Mark and Brent just made the executive decision.  I think it was Mark, the whole thing.  Mark showed a video one Sunday of the new church building, and he was excited and the we moved.  Then one of the first Sundays, I still remember Mark Darling rebuking in public Brent Knox for carrying a huge Bible to ECC.  Brent stopped carrying that thing.  Sad.  Very sad that Mark took the Bible out of ECC very early.  I knew then to leave and I didn't.

New Life was the pre-The Rock.  We meet at the University of Minnesota, and Mark Darling started talking each week about his vision and what it amounted to was a pre-Rock.  It was all what the Rock is now, but was not successful.  Mark was in charge of New Life (New Life campus ministry pretty much) and stopped going and now his full-time job is being at The Rock.  Crazy how a group of 60 and Mark Darling makes ECC the 3rd largest church in Minneapolis. 
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Linda
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« Reply #30 on: September 11, 2010, 08:32:57 pm »

How did the Coleman departure happen? Was he immediately replaced? When was that? Were you called "Christians" while meeting at Regina High School? Did McCotter ever visit or preach in MN?
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blonde
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« Reply #31 on: September 12, 2010, 12:00:15 am »

RE:
How did the Coleman departure happen? Was he immediately replaced? When was that? Were you called "Christians" while meeting at Regina High School? Did McCotter ever visit or preach in MN?

We were 'GCM' in the Regina settings.  At Powderhorn Park, we called ourselves 'Christian,' not GCM...
McCotter ever come?  I know he was talked about a lot.  The day he left, McCotter, a man working in the tape ministry told me that Mark Darling came in and took all the tapes and destroyed them.  Mark just walked in and just took them.  End of story.  Funny how McCotter showed up at a FaithWalkers years later and Mark Darking respected and honoured him and not asked him to leave.  I would have asked him to leave. 

McCotters sermons still in other GCM sites with links to download to listen to.  I guess not all the leadership disowned McCotter.  I know Darling did for sure.  Ironically, Darling's kids have 'friended' Jim McCotter's kids on Facebook.  Small world now, I guess.

-Blonde
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« Reply #32 on: September 12, 2010, 07:06:00 pm »

Sorry:  did Jim Coleman ever preach or come back to Minnesota? 

Yes, he has and his kids are here as Minnesota residents, some of them, as they have a good connection with a current ECC family that has been around for years even pre-Powderhorn Park days, Ron and Cathie Max.  They are really an old relic of people in the long haul.  Love GCx until the day it dies.  Lifers' what Mark Darling loves.  And some are.
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« Reply #33 on: November 09, 2010, 06:33:06 pm »

Does anyone know how Jessica Darling is doing? I went to a retreat at the Lake of the Ozarks with a Great Commission church a few years ago and heard snippets of what was going on with Jessica. After the retreat I never went back to that church but my family and I have been praying for Jessica since then. I have lost touch with most of the people I knew that went there and was just hoping someone could give me an update.
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« Reply #34 on: November 10, 2010, 06:21:44 am »

As far as I know she has made a full recovery. 
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« Reply #35 on: November 17, 2010, 01:19:37 pm »

Wow, I feel very very bad for ALL of you! Move ON!! Stop gossiping. When you find a PERFECT church with PERFECT pastors, you let me know...which will never happen on earth considering we are all sinners and make mistakes. You are a bunch of prideful bitter people. And I honestly feel bad for you.
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Huldah
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« Reply #36 on: November 17, 2010, 03:00:35 pm »

Smith, do you believe there's any point at which Christians should reject unsound doctrine or abusive practices? If so, at what point would you draw the line?
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« Reply #37 on: November 17, 2010, 04:36:26 pm »

I guess in some sense I agree.  I wouldnt characterize anyone as bitter, but I would say you need to forgive and forget.  I was in a very similar situation, and turned it over to God.  It's Christ's church..he birthed it, and he will lead it. 

this site is taking on a bit of a gossipy tune, and I am going to sign out for awhile. 

I wont see you reply for weeks, so hang in there you all

Forgive and forget.  Just as God forgave us, let it go.
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Linda
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« Reply #38 on: November 17, 2010, 04:54:43 pm »

I'll bite, also.

Smith, I'm not sure what you are referring to as gossip. Would you please explain?

Also, just to clarify, this is a forum with a bunch of people who don't know each other, sharing their common experiences with bad teaching/practice in Great Commission Churches. I speak for myself. I don't agree with everything that is said here. I am only responsible for what I say. Same goes for everyone else.

It really is not helpful to draw conclusions about everyone who posts here and it certainly isn't helpful to judge motives. I assume the best about you and would ask the same.

I believe this thread was about a pastor using offensive language and taking the Lord's name in vain in messages given to high school students. As a parent whose children attended these conferences, I am concerned. I write to warn other Christian parents of the ways in which GC teaching and practice may harm their families.

Obviously, there is no perfect church, but it is troubling when people, especially pastors, say there is no such thing as a perfect church as though that is an excuse to continue doing and/or teaching bad things. Bad teaching/practice needs to be confessed and corrected. It is not gossip to point out bad teaching. It is the responsibility of every Christian to do that.

Innerlight, I also am not sure what you mean.
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« Reply #39 on: November 18, 2010, 03:38:28 am »

RE:
Wow, I feel very very bad for ALL of you! Move ON!! Stop gossiping. When you find a PERFECT church with PERFECT pastors, you let me know...which will never happen on earth considering we are all sinners and make mistakes. You are a bunch of prideful bitter people. And I honestly feel bad for you.

Smith-you need to realize that Mark Darling has damaged many people and in general, GCM has done the same.  We cannot move on until GCx moves on and out of the church.  I have never met a more prideful man as Mark Darling or prideful ministry as Great Commission.
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