Bodies Under the Bus

In 2021, Christianity Today launched a documentary podcast series called “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.” It followed the story of a megachurch in Seattle led by a dynamic Gen X preacher. The podcast’s success can be attributed to more than the pastor’s celebrity status within the American Christian subculture or the stunning details surrounding the church’s eventual implosion. So many people were drawn to podcast because the story of Mars Hill Church resonated with their own experiences of narcissistic pastors, abusive ministry cultures, and the church’s relentless focus on growth.