In 2007, Mars Hill Church was one of the fastest-growing and most influential churches in America. Led by the charismatic and gifted Mark Driscoll, it appeared to many to be a model of vibrant Christianity in a skeptical culture. Yet beneath the remarkable growth, tensions were emerging over authority, accountability, and the treatment of those who asked difficult questions.

Four and Twenty Blackbirds tells the inside story of the trial of Mars Hill elder Paul Petry and the events that followed. Written by Rob Thain Smith, a longtime member of the church who witnessed many of these events firsthand, the book explores how a church built on a commitment to elder accountability gradually drifted toward a culture where questioning leadership became increasingly difficult.

Part memoir, part historical record, and part reflection on power, loyalty, and truth within Christian institutions, this book examines not only what happened to Paul Petry and Bent Meyer, but also what their story reveals about leadership, church discipline, due process, and the responsibility of ordinary believers to speak when something is wrong.

This is not a book written by an angry critic. It is the account of a man who loved Mars Hill Church, respected many of its leaders, and still believes that honest examination is necessary if lessons are to be learned. Through personal stories, church documents, and firsthand observations, Four and Twenty Blackbirds seeks to understand how good people can make harmful decisions, how institutions can drift from their original purpose, and why truth ultimately matters more than protecting a reputation.

For anyone interested in Mars Hill Church, church leadership, accountability, or the complex relationship between authority and faith, Four and Twenty Blackbirds offers a thoughtful and deeply personal perspective on one of the most discussed church collapses of the modern era.

Books

Four and Twenty Blackbirds – Paperback