Speculation increases about Mark Driscoll's 'comeback'

Mark Driscoll, whose ministry at Mars Hill Church in Seattle spectacularly imploded last year after a string of revelations about his leadership style, has launched a new website and an e-book for Easter.

The move comes after it was announced that Driscoll would fulfill a previous commitment to Hillsong and appear at conferences in London and Australia in the summer. However, he will not speak from the platform but be interviewed by Hillsong founder Brian Houston; the expectation is that the conversation will include questions about Mars Hill and the subsequent fall-out.

Warren Throckmorton, who has tracked events at Mars Hill and reported its decline and fall, commented: "The comeback appears to be percolating."

Driscoll's website states: "Pastor Mark Driscoll is a Jesus-following, mission-leading, church-serving, people-loving, Bible preaching pastor. He's grateful to be a nobody trying to tell everybody about Somebody."

A group of 21 former pastors at Mars Hill accused Driscoll of domineering and abusive behaviour toward subordinates. Pastors were purged from the leadership team and 'shunned' by other leaders and church members. An internal investigation found that Driscoll had been guilty of un-Christian behaviour.

The church dissolved itself at the end of last year and its constituent congregations have either closed, merged or become independent.