July 2, 2014 Update: Tyndale House Publishers has released a statement on July 1, stating that the reports to severe ties with Pastor Mark Driscoll are erroneous. Moreover, they will continue to support Driscoll and publish and reprint the pastor's 2013 book, "A Call to Resurgence."
Tyndale House Refutes 'Erroneous' Claims That It Cut Ties With Mark Driscoll
Tyndale House Publishers has severed ties with megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll, saying it would no longer print his next Resurgence book and would discontinue previous imprints from the series.
The Daily Beast reports that the company has removed from its website "The Problem with Christianity," Driscoll's book scheduled for September release. Tyndale House also reportedly does not plan to reprint the pastor's 2013 book, "A Call to Resurgence."
"To my knowledge we do not have any additional Resurgence titles that have release dates scheduled at this time," said Todd Starowitz, Tyndale's senior public relations manager.
Driscoll has been embroiled in controversy regarding his books since late last year, when allegations surfaced that he had plagiarized most his work. Later, it was discovered that the pastor had attempted boost his New York Times best-seller ranking using a company called Result Source.
At the time, Tyndale House, who has partnered with Driscoll since April 2013, defended him, saying it would stand behind the "wrongly accused" pastor who handled the situation in a "biblical manner."
However, as rumors continue to swirl, Tyndale House, among other previous proponents of Driscoll, has quietly removed its support for the pastor.
"The controversy could have been avoided so easily with more, well-placed, what I would consider proper attribution," said Neil Holdway, treasurer of the American Copy Editors Society.
Driscoll, who was ranked one of the top 25 most influential preachers over the past 25 years, is the pastor of Seattle-based Mars Hill Church. The mega church boasts a 12,000 person attendance every Sunday at 15 locations in five states in the Pacific Northwest. In addition, Driscoll's sermons are heard by millions via the internet, and the Mars Hill podcast is ranked regularly in the top 10 in the iTunes Religion and Spirituality category in the U.S. and several other countries.
While he has paid a dear price for his sins, Driscoll is seemingly repentant, posting an open letter of apology in Mars Hills' online social network The City earlier this year.
"I have been deeply convicted by God that my angry-young prophet days are over," he writes. "People who saw or experienced my sin in this season are hurt and in some cases have not yet come to a place of peace or resolution," Driscoll continues
The pastor concludes by asking Christians to pray for him and hold him accountable in the future.
"if God would lead you to pray for me, the Scripture he has impressed upon me this past year or two is 1 Corinthians 4:15: "For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel." As I get older, I am seeking to increasingly love our people as I do my own children in order for our church to be a great family, because of the gospel of Jesus Christ."
