I also have been lurking on Mark's blog and have not been overly impressed. I also lurk on the blog of a local emergent church pastor that dialogues frequently on this topic and provides some level of middle area between McLaren and Driscoll (although currently you will have to search to wade through a campaign for a laptop). I have some level of connection to Mars Hill via my sister and her fiance who are members as well as a couple of friends. I've occasionally attended and have mixed emotions/thoughts in general regarding the church as a whole. There is, however, little doubt that Mark is an excellent public speaker and that Mars Hill is doing some incredible things in Seattle.

Additionally, the church I belong to here in Portland ( Imago Dei Community) is part of the church planting network that Mars Hill is linked to Acts 29. While they maintain some ties with Mars Hill, Acts 29 is not a denomination or ruling body and while the churches have some similarities, they are very different in many key ways. Many of those happen to include most of my key frustrations with Mars Hill not being present at Imago.

My sister and I have had many discussions regarding Mark and Mars Hill. Sometimes it seems like maybe his enthusiasm, skill at public speaking and availability of a platform to speak gets a little out of balance with the ability to check the harsh sarcasm with love as well as indepth knowledge (last I heard (incorrect?) he is still in progress or working towards a Masters degree).

You comment in your second post on "mantropy." It seems like this is a key issue to Mark, one ironically enough, I always seem to catch sermons on when I am at Mars Hill. In my opinion (taken for what's it's worth), also one that he seems to take over and above what is absolute, needed, and necessary. Then again while I do not in any way consider myself feminist, this is coming from a highly independent, self-suficient, single female with a decently successful career. Should I, at some point in life have children, I will undoubtedly CHOOSE to stay home with them. However, unfortunately the first thing I remember from any of Marks many sermons (many very excellent) is a comment stating that a woman in the upper levels of a corporation is not living in God's will since she clearly was not a nurturer to get there. Which, as you may guess, didn't sit to well.

I will save my thoughts on Mark/Mars Hill/maga churches for another time.

link correction from earlier comment: Acts 29

Imago Dei pastor comments for the book and Driscoll refers to Imago Dei as a sister Church.

That's correct. That's the common way for Acts 29 churches to refer to each other throughout the world. Imago is very closely linked with churches in Mexico, India, Africa, and Sri Lanka. I hear more about those than I do Mars Hill via Imago.

Did you read Driscolls other book? After all the hype I ended up skimming most of it.

I have not read the other book. I'll see after this book if I really want to or not. Interesting that Imago Dei doesn't refer to Mars Hill too much since they are both in the PNW and only a couple of hours away from each other.

I don't think it's necessarily intentional. When I first started attending there I heard a lot mroe about them, but haven't in the past couple years.

I can see after Miller's writing success in Christian circles that an endorsement by Imago Dei and a good name drop would help to give more clout. I don't find Driscoll doing it uneccessarily however, it is tolerable for sure.